Social Anxiety In America

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“In August I had my complete breakdown. I stayed in the house all day for most of my summer vacation and it drove me absolutely insane, even though I feel the safest at home. Even though I'm afraid of most people, I missed contact, I missed faces around me. I didn't get ready in the mornings anymore, I just stayed in bed and cried and felt sorry for myself. After about three weeks at home, I forced myself to go to the supermarket, just to get out for a change even if it was only for a half an hour. It just went absolutely terrible. I felt that everyone in town was looking at me,” a personal story written by an anonymous sufferer (Social Phobia World). Web MD states that today 19.2 million Americans are affected by Social Anxiety Disorder,…show more content…
There are many different perceptions about people with social anxiety. People who do have it are often seen by others as just being shy, constrained, uneasy, or quiet. The people who are afflicted with social anxiety may be clouded by these perceptions as well, so they may decide not to seek treatment. Since the disorder is generally unheard of, an affected person could think that they are the only person suffering from it. It is easy to understand why a person feels as if they wouldn’t receive any benefits from seeing a doctor or psychologist. If a person does decide to seek help from a professional there is a possibility that they can be misdiagnosed. Many times a person with an anxiety disorder can be diagnosed with manic depression, schizophrenia, or personality disorder. This is because social anxiety is not well understood by the general public, medical or health care…show more content…
Our community is affected in a negative way because of this disorder. In childhood ages, bullies have been introduced to feed off of the shyness and embarrassment of others. As the children become older, they are more conscious about their physical appearance. They feel as if they are not welcome to privileges of others just because they look differently. Even adults are greatly affected by this disorder. For example, a loving parent who supports their children by working may stop going to their job because they fear interacting with other adults. This family would be immediately affected by this action, resulting in a financial crisis. Every place on this planet is negatively affected by Social Anxiety Disorder. What would the world be like without a shy person? Would our communities be more safe and peaceful, or would it generate an increased urge for competitiveness. There is one thing for sure. Social Anxiety Disorder will continue to affect people of all ages, which in the long run, affect our entire world. “Nevertheless, there is hope on the horizon,” said the anonymous writer, “It's all over now. I feel like I broke every brick in the wall and now it’s torn down… I'm
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