Ansiedad social y fobia social
Social Anxiety and Social Phobia
Social Anxiety and Social Phobia
Social Anxiety and Social Phobia
You’re dying to go to that sold out concert or movie on opening day. You know contributing more ideas at team meetings will put you in line for a promotion. Having lunch in the lounge with others would be so much better than sitting alone on a bench outside.
To the outside world, it looks like you’re just being distant and aloof. But your resting bitch face has nothing to do with being rude or antisocial. Despite what they may think, you really do like others, and genuinely want to talk and get to know them. But when you try to, you panic and freeze up.
You go out of your way (waking up really early or waiting as late as possible) to run errands when there are few people out. If you see someone you know while you’re out, you’re the master of avoiding them – crossing the street, putting on your sunglasses or baseball cap, or hiding behind a shelf. When you’re forced to interact with them, you mentally check (and recheck) your appearance for fear you’ll be quietly ridiculed.
You go out of your way (waking up really early or waiting as late as possible) to run errands when there are few people out. If you see someone you know while you’re out, you’re the master of avoiding them – crossing the street, putting on your sunglasses or baseball cap, or hiding behind a shelf. When you’re forced to interact with them, you mentally check (and recheck) your appearance for fear you’ll be quietly ridiculed.
You wish others could see the real you – the side that your family and closest friends know. Around them, you don’t worry so much about being rejected or humiliated. You speak your mind, laugh, and enjoy yourself. Your brain doesn’t immediately imagine worst-case scenarios or replay conversations in a constant loop.
Our bilingual psychologists use Cognitive Behavior (CBT) and Exposure therapy, which are effective forms of therapy for social anxiety and social phobia. Their approach to therapy is also sensitive to your individual beliefs given the melting pot of cultural and spiritual differences found in Miami.
I’m fine one-on-one with people so my social anxiety may not show up in sessions. How will therapy help me in the real world?
Therapy sessions will help you learn how to cope with social anxiety in a situation that doesn’t cause anxiety. The idea is that you put into practice what you’ve learned in sessions as anxiety-producing situations arise in your life.
I need help in real world situations. Can my therapist come to my home, workplace, school, etc.?
Yes, it’s possible for our therapists to work with you in everyday situations. Just keep in mind that your sessions with a new therapist will not start off outside of the office. Your therapist needs to learn about your personal history and previous experiences in counseling before she or he can determine whether it’s clinically appropriate to conduct therapy outside of the office.
I’m against taking medication. Will you still be able to help me?
The decision to take medication is a deeply personal one. Our therapists are neither pro- or anti-medications. They may make recommendations for you to consider, but the final choice is yours alone. Your therapist will respect your decision, and do his/her best to help you reach your goals for therapy.
I’ve been to therapy before, but it didn’t really help. How do I know this time will be different?
You don’t, sorry. You’ll have to take a chance (again) to see if one of our therapists is a good fit for your needs. And believe us, we completely understand a.) how frustrating that answer is, and b.) just how difficult taking that leap of faith is for you. That said, here are a few blog posts that can guide you to hide a therapist that you’ll “click” with.
Finding a Therapist Questions to Ask a Therapist What to Expect from Counseling
Are there any kinds of social anxiety that you don’t work with?
Yes. We are an outpatient practice that provides care to clients with mild to moderate levels of social anxiety. Individuals with severe symptoms that are homebound would need a higher level of care than we can provide.
What if it’s just a phase? Won’t I get better on my own?
Sure, it’s possible. But if you’ve been feeling this way for more than 2-3 months, it’s not probable and we strongly recommend you reach out for help. There’s no need to live feeling this way. Plus, just because you can get do it alone doesn’t mean you should. You can move a heavy piece of furniture by yourself, but wouldn’t it be easier with help? ;)