You might have come across certain people who are reluctant to go out and meet or engage with new people. These people might be known as anti-social. But people who have social anxiety are quite different from them as they start showing various symptoms if they become social and might also face nervousness or an emotional breakdown. Social anxiety generally causes a sort of phobia or great fear when people are welcomed in social settings. People with this kind of anxiety find it hard to interact with other people in general. In the adherent paragraphs, we are going to have a look at the causes of social anxiety and how it can affect an individual’s entire sense of being and living.
Knowing the roots
Social anxiety is just an extreme form of shyness that comes because people think that they will be judged by others or scrutinized for no reason. The small but massive difference between shyness and being socially anxious is that shyness is short-term and does not interrupt one's way of living. On the other hand, social anxiety will interrupt your normal way of living and be the reason behind extreme distress.
Here are a few reasons:
- Genetics:
Not everyone is socially anxious and if you are then probably there are some genes at play. Various studies have shown that people who are socially anxious have a certain gene in their DNA which is at work. Though the research in this area is still on many studies have indicated that people who are socially anxious can not recall when was the first time they felt in this manner or so. Mostly because they have been socially anxious from the very start do not even realize this fact. There are numerous programs out there that can help you to reduce the symptoms of social anxiety when you are in a social setting but no such concrete method for the correction of the same does not exist.
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- Environmental:
When one is to look at the psychological cause of social anxiety one will find that environment plays a major role and is the key deciding factor. You might have certainly noticed that children who come from a family that is generally quiet and does not take part in a lot of activities are generally shyer and socially anxious compared to others. If you are someone who is born in a family where everyone takes part in a lot of activities, is quite outgoing, and goes for various functions then there are high chances that you might also be extrovert or at least socially anxious. There are ways to resolve this as it is not in genes like facing where the controlled situation in which you have to be socially active and all. For more on this one might also consider opting for personality development for kids and get more insight on the same.
- Societal:
One other vital psychological factor that contributes greatly to social anxiety is the kind of society you are a part of. There are certain societies that are exclusive of people and it is hard to be a part of such a society. If you are someone who belongs to such societies then it is quite sure that you will face a lot of problems in the future in terms of fitting in the social groups and connecting with people. On the other hand, if you are a part of a society that is more inclusive then you will turn out to be an adult for whom it is quite easy to socially interact with others. One such example is the Japanese culture which has a symptom called Taijin Kyofusho which means fears of making others uncomfortable. The Japanese culture strictly emphasizes ways of making others a part of this group. This not only makes things easy for individuals but also is good more their overall growth. For more on this one might consider opting for the best personality development coach and getting more in-depth insights about the same.
Factors Other Than Psychological
Above mentioned are some of the most prominent and considerable factors when we talk about social anxiety. But some other factors that are not psychological include:
- Bullying – getting bullied is certainly one of the most traumatic things one can go through and it is also the key reason why people stay away from being social.
- Family conflicts – inner family fights and issues have a major impact on a child’s mind and how he or she acts in the public. This can greatly increase social anxiety.
- Sexual Assault – this is one of the most important factors that mostly gets overlooked because of the taboos related to it.
The causes of social anxiety can have an endless list and each of these can affect a person’s mental well-being. Concern a medical professional in the case of psychological reasons and opt for a therapist if the issues that you feel or notice are non-psychological.