By The holiday season is upon us. With roots in sacred beliefs and cultural traditions, it is historically a very special time of year, and one where families and friends gather together to share the merriment. To mark the season, old songs such as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” sung by Andy Williams play on the radio, reminding listeners of this… Continue reading
By “She is so charming, interesting and friendly, while I come across as so boring and dull.”
“He is so charismatic, funny, and entertaining! Why am I not like him?”
“I was feeling good about myself at the party until the extroverted, friendly John turned up. I suddenly began to feel bad about myself as I found myself comparing myself to John. In fact, I… Continue reading
By Initially, it may not seem like social anxiety and eco-anxiety have much in common. One relates to interpersonal interactions and fear of judgment, while the other is tied to environmental concerns and fears about the future of the planet. While they may seem unrelated at first glance, there is an unexpected connection between these two forms of… Continue reading
By “Do I sound too gay?”
“What if they think my name is ghetto?”
“They’re going to think I’m some kind of Jesus-freak.”
Fear of negative evaluations or judgments from others is a core feature of social anxiety. Yet, as illustrated in the quotes above, for people with certain social identities, these fears may often be specifically related to worries about… Continue reading
By Back to school can bring up anxiety for kids. For children and teens with social anxiety, back to school can be particularly challenging. Social anxiety disorder in kids is characterized by fear of social situations with peers in which they may be judged negatively and in which their peers may notice their anxiety leading to rejection, embarrassment or… Continue reading
By “I always get to class just before it starts and slide noiselessly into a chair in the back because no one’s going to talk to me anyway and, if I’m there early, everyone’s going to stare at me!”
“What if the professor calls on me to answer a question? I won’t know what to say and I’ll turn bright red, it would be the worst!”
“I never eat in the dining… Continue reading
By As you turn the corner at the store and walk past the toy section, you try to distract your child so they don’t see the new Bluey doll you know they will want. However, as we all know, children can sense when anything they aren’t allowed to have is around. They see the doll and say “I want it.” It might start with a simple request like this, but when… Continue reading
By In today’s fast-paced world, change is constant and inevitable. The rise of technology, cultural shifts, and the impact of events such as the pandemic have all contributed to swift and significant changes. These changes affect many areas of our lives, from dating to social customs, work relationships, and beyond. As a result, anxiety has… Continue reading
By Can you guess what concern these three individuals have in common?
A 63 year-old man who is terrified about speaking at his daughter’s wedding.
A 32-year-old woman who’s afraid of getting sick when she flies.
A 26-year-old dental student who gets scared whenever his professors watch him doing procedures.
Each one of them is afraid of being observed,… Continue reading
By The postpartum period is often marked by hormonal fluctuations, lack of sleep, and stress as parents navigate their new roles. For approximately 10% of parents (moms and dads alike!), this stress progresses into an anxiety disorder, with generalized anxiety disorder being the most commonly diagnosed followed by social anxiety disorder (SAD).
However,… Continue reading
By First dates can be nerve wracking for many people, whether or not they have social anxiety. People often have thoughts about whether the other person will like them, find them attractive, interesting or boring, and of course, will there be enough to talk about or a lot of awkward silences?
After all, social anxiety is rooted in a fear of negative… Continue reading
By Experiencing social anxiety in the midst of managing a chronic health condition can pose many challenges, particularly regarding developing and maintaining a strong social support system.
Feelings of doubt and insecurity regarding one’s sense of belonging, acceptability and freedom to know and be known by others are often core features underlying… Continue reading