First Psychology blog

This time of year is popular for halloween parties, fireworks parties and, dare we say it, Christmas parties - yes they are not far away! And of course, parties mean social interactions. While many people look forward to a good knees up, those with social anxieties may experience feelings of dread as the party season approaches. What is social anxiety? Social anxiety is a particular type of anxiety that involves extreme shyness and feelings of anxiety specifically relating to social interactions. People with this type of anxiety typically feel self-conscious around others and may feel inferior or judged. Social anxiety is extremely common and may accompany other issues such as depression. Types of social anxiety Specific Social Phobia: While some people may struggle in a party environment, some sufferers of social anxiety are able to mix with people and socialise normally in most instances. However they may struggle with a particular aspect of social interaction, such as ...

Anxiety is the body's way of dealing with something stressful. Feeling anxious in a stressful situation is a common and natural human reaction. There are a whole range of situations that can bring about stress and anxiety: from going on holiday or getting married to a job interview or preparing to perform on stage. Anything that may be stressful (no matter how much you are looking forward to it) can bring about anxiety too. Common symptoms of anxiety Anxiety affects different people in different ways, but some of the most common symptoms are a dry mouth, pounding heart, feeling breathless, fatigue or difficulty sleeping, dizziness and headaches, lack on concentration, needing the toilet frequently, constant worrying, irritability, and nausea. Why do we get anxiety? There is no one reason why people get anxious as anxiety is specific to each individual. Some of the most common reasons include: Feeling out of control - general worries about routine events (often called ...