Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) can take a toll on your personal and professional life. Usually people go many years before being diagnosed and have developed maladaptive coping mechanisms. During and after treatment, it is important to acknowledge the disorder and to use strategies to minimize the negative impact on your life.
First Steps: Getting Help
Without proper treatment, SAD can be chronic and severely impair your quality of life. Unfortunately, the nature of the disorder means that you are a person who is afraid to ask for help. If even approaching a friend, family member or your doctor seems too overwhelming look to see if there is a university in your area that offers confidential counseling. You may even be able to contact them for the first time via email. No matter what course of action you take, it is important to take the first step.
SAD and Your Career
A strong relationship has been found between SAD and lower educational attainment, reduced employment opportunities, lower income, and dependence on social assistance. If you are currently employed, it is important to be aware of the best ways of managing a mental health disorder in the workplace.
Self-Help
Although no substitute for proper diagnosis and treatment, the use of self-help strategies may offer some control over your symptoms and allow you to be an active participant in the recovery process. Some of the strategies that you can practice on your own include slow breathing, controlling automatic negative thoughts, and learning to gradually face the situations that you fear.
The Stories of Others
Reading stories about other people that are living with SAD will help to make you feel less isolated. Donny Osmond has been very open in discussing his experience with the disorder and the treatment that has helped him. Other well-known people that have talked publicly about their experiences with the disorder include Barbra Streisand and professional football player Ricky Williams.
Sources:
Statistics Canada. Social Anxiety Disorder. 01 Aug 2007.
