Social Anxiety and Its Prevalence

According to Statistics Canada, social anxiety is one of the most common anxiety disorders. Social anxiety is

“a disorder characterized by a fear of situations in which there is potential for embarrassment or humiliation in front of others.”

There are generally two sub-types of social phobia: one involves a fear of speaking in front of people, whether it be public speaking or simply talking with a person of authority; the other sub-type involves more generalized anxiety and complex fears, such as eating in public or using public washrooms, and in these cases, individuals may experience anxiety around anyone other than family.

In Canada, anywhere between 8-13% of Canadians will be influenced by social anxiety. The disorder is more common in women than men. Also, there appears to be an environmental and familial link to the disorder.

Jennifer Lawrence’s story of facing her fear of social scrutiny head-on teaches us all one important thing. Facing the things that cause us anxiety is the best form of treatment. Hence, the best example is exposure therapy combined with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

References

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-619-m/2012004/sections/sectionb-eng.htm#a3