Social Anxiety and ADHD
Do you get anxious meeting new people?
Anxiety is very common with ADHD. I see it a lot with my college students especially as they head back to school for the new school year but this isn't limited to college students.
Anyone can feel this kind of anxiety.
There's the pressure of fitting in, the need to want to connect with others, the worry that you are being judged, and the list goes on. It can become overwhelming and appear to be shyness, when really it isn’t.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) describes Social Anxiety Disorder as an intense fear of being scrutinized and negatively evaluated by others in social or performance situations. Symptoms may include nausea, rapid heartbeat, trembling, and sweating.
Having social anxiety can limit you in so many areas in life, it is very serious and can lead into depression and drug and alcohol abuse.
Here are some interesting Social Anxiety Disorder facts from ADAA:
About 15 million American adults have a social anxiety disorder
Typical age onset: 13-years-old
36 percent of people with social anxiety disorder report symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help.
One great resource to better understand social anxiety, if you're experiencing it, and when it's time to get help, is an article from the ADDitude mag website titled: You’re Not Shy or Stuck Up. You have Social Anxiety Disorder.
If you feel you are in a place where your social anxiety is limiting your day to day living, I recommend you seek professional help to identify and manage it.
The first step is talking to your doctor and being honest with how your feeling and how it’s really affecting you.
The good news is Social Anxiety Disorder is treatable through a variety of different options:
Click here for more information around the different kinds of therapy used to treat Social Anxiety.
Click here more information around medications used for treatment.
Here are a few additional resources around ADHD and Anxiety:
Psychiatric Times: Anxiety Disorders and ADHD: Comorbidity the Rule, Not the Exception
Dr. Hallowell’s Blog: Treatment of Anxiety and Coexisting Conditions with ADHD in Young Adults
About Health: How are Attention Deficit Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder Related?
Thank you for your time and attention....
Take Care,
Nikki
