Over the last few decades recognition of social anxiety disorder has grown rapidly. No longer is it seen as just a case of someone being over sensitive, too shy or introverted, but a recognised and diagnosable condition. But as with all anxiety disorders, it can be difficult to test for social phobia without clear guidance from a doctor or a psychiatrist. It’s not like having a fever, when you can just chec ...

Yet again, studies and research have proven the how relaxation activities, such as yoga and work out exercises, help in the treatment of social anxiety. The research was published in the journal PLOS ONE and headed by Adam Heenan, a clinical psychology PHD candidate at Queens University in Canada. Heenan said that workout and relaxation exercises are able to change people’s perception of the world, thus red ...

In the news recently a new anti-anxiety drug was announced that uses oxytocin hormones released by mothers when they bond with their newborn babies. The results of trials appear to be encouraging, with 120 patients reported to be relieved of their social anxiety within half an hour. The report also highlights how millions of people suffer from shyness or social anxiety in the UK. One in ten say it affects t ...

Botox is used to medically treat muscular conditions and cosmetically remove wrinkles by paralyzing the muscles. But the question is, how can it cure depression? Dr. Eric Finzi, a Maryland dermatologist, has suggested it could be used to treat depression. In his study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research,  Dr. Finzi observed a reported 52 percent reduction in depressed patients injected with Bo ...

If you suffer from social anxiety then the idea of jogging around a park might seem daunting. But I've always highly recommended that regular exercise should be a key component of your strategy to overcoming social anxiety. It gets you out of the house and regular exercise of at least 30 minutes every day will release endorphins, which are the body's natural feel good chemicals that can banish the negative ...

  A group of researchers at the University Of Cincinnati (UC) are now developing a computer program that can help people to develop some healthy mental habits to reduce their reliance on alcohol for treating social anxiety.  Joshua Magee, PhD, the research assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, says that the Attention Modification Program (AMP) is aimed to change what i ...

Living in fear and excessive self consciousness is no way to live. Especially if you are just a kid. It’s hard to go through life and achieve your dreams if you were always anxious and calculated in every decision you make. Children are like delicate flowers that can easily be swayed and blown away by the force of nature. They tend to grow into their fears and not outgrow out of them. Anxiety is a common me ...

Herbal over the counter pills, which dont require a prescription, are very popular for treating depression or anxiety. Over time the increase of complementary medicines has been hugely profitable for its producers and aggressively marketed. But the effectiveness of these supplements has yet to be fully proven by thorough research. The cost of some products like, adenosyl-methionine (SAMe), which said to hel ...

[Photo courtesy of Ferdinand Reus] Since embarking on my voyage into understanding what causes social anxiety disorder and its effects rarely a week passes without hearing news on how it can be treated. From everything I've heard I believe that popping 'happy pills', such as Prozac, on their own are not the answer. Drugs can help cushion some of social anxiety and depression's harsher symptoms, but you have ...

[Photo courtesy of kalandrakas] If you suffer from social anxiety disorder, social phobia or depression then you might think it's other people or situations that make you feel nervous or unhappy. If people weren't rude or stared at you then you wouldn't need to feel miserable or anxious, right? Well, extensive clinical studies (400+ in fact) have shown that it's the unhelpful thoughts events provoke which m ...