Social Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World

July 23, 2021 by nextstep4adhd Anxiety 0 comments

The pandemic has been a bit of a double-edged sword for persons who struggle with social anxiety. The reduced need to engage in face-to-face interactions with others has been a welcome break for those who find these engagements stressful and anxiety-provoking. The comfort of staying at home has been a welcome respite.

However, as the world opens back up many companies are now requiring that we all return to the workplace and reengage in social events. Once again we will have to face the situations that can be anxiety-provoking.

While the rest of America is celebrating the world returning to “normal”, many persons with social anxiety are quietly fearing the return of the intense feelings of anxiety, dread, and panic that accompany face-to-face communication with co-workers, groups of people, crowds, giving oral presentations, etc.

The good news is that social anxiety is treatable. Medication and specialized forms of therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention have been shown to be extremely helpful in reducing, and sometimes eliminating social anxiety.

There is no better time than now to get help.

Warning Signs that Your Social Anxiety Is Spiraling Out of Control

How do you know if your social anxiety is being exacerbated by the return to “normal”? Below are four signs that should be aware of:

Are you:

Experiencing an increase in the intensity of fear?
Experiencing a sense of dread or doom?
Canceling or avoiding in-person events? (including work and social commitments)
Noticing an increase in physical symptoms such as stomach distress, shaking, heart palpitations, panic attacks, or blushing?

If you answered YES to any of those questions, it’s a good time to check in with your mental health care professional. With the right treatment, you can manage these symptoms.

5 Ways to Support Your Partner with Social Anxiety Disorder

If you’re spouse or partner is struggling with social anxiety disorder, you might wonder how you can best support him or her during this time of transition. Below are five tips to support and encourage your partner.

1. Offer encouragement.

Offer encouragement and support, but learn about the right kind of encouragement to offer that neither accommodates (i.e., enables) the self-isolation nor criticizes the partner for their behaviors. You may benefit from support groups or from talking to your spouse’s therapist — we’ll cover this more in the next tip.

2. Encourage professional support.

“The good news is that social anxiety is treatable. Medication and specialized forms of therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention have been shown to be extremely helpful in reducing, and sometimes eliminating social anxiety,” Dr. Briscoe reminds us.

Consider this: Setup an appointment to visit with your partner’s specialized social anxiety therapist to discuss how you can support the work that your partner and therapist are engaged in. Therapists providing CBT with persons with social anxiety are generally very happy to involve loved ones in their clients’ care, and provide some very helpful recommendations for you to assist and support the process of healing.

A board-certified psychiatrist should be able to recommend and direct you to a therapist or psychologist in your local community with experience and expertise in treating social anxiety, and provide medication to help alleviate symptoms if necessary.

3. Seek out a support group for yourself.

You might also consider finding a support group dedicated to spouses of individuals with social anxiety. You can find support groups for individuals or spouses of individuals with social anxiety.

4. Seek to learn everything you possibly can about social anxiety disorder.

Here are a few reputable resources:

National Alliance on Mental Health – Provides some excellent recommendations for family members/partners of persons struggling with all types of anxiety disorders. You can also learn what to do and what not to do.
National Institute of Health – General information/education on social anxiety.
National Alliance on Mental Health (support) – Source of support for family members/partners of persons struggling with social anxiety and other anxiety disorders. Potential resource for support groups for family members/partners.

What to Do If You Notice the Symptoms of Social Anxiety

You Got This Mental Health GIF by YouTube

The signs and symptoms of social anxiety vary from person to person, but in general, symptoms include:

Staying away from or avoiding places where there are a lot of other people
Finding it difficult to spend time around other people, especially if you don’t already know them
Feeling very self-conscious in front of others, to the point that it can impact your social and personal relationships
Feeling embarrassed easily
Physical symptoms including blushing, sweating, rapid heart beat, trembling and shaking
Feeling nauseous

Note that these symptoms may increase when engaged in social settings such as giving a presentation at work, talking to coworkers, attending social events, meetings, etc. If you notice any of these signs and are struggling to overcome them, it may be a good time to seek professional help.

Explore Your Next Steps

Untreated social anxiety can make it difficult to perform well (or comfortably) at work or in social settings. However, treatment can help you feel more comfortable. At NextStep 2 Mental Health, we know that the pandemic can profoundly impact your mental health. We provide comprehensive social anxiety treatment — pandemic or not. Whether you’ve already been diagnosed or you are just now starting to see the signs, we can help you feel better. Give us a call at our Louisville, Kentucky office at 502-339-2442 , or send us a message to request more information.

You can also request an appointment with our convenient scheduling tool here.

About Dr. Briscoe

Dr. Brian Briscoe is a board-certified psychiatrist and the medical director of adult programs. Dr. Briscoe was voted a “Top Doctor” by Louisville Magazine. You can make an appointment with Dr. Briscoe here .