A Different Angle to Social Phobia ~ Laura Wewers

In today’s society, we are judgmental, abusive, critical, and punitive.  But have you ever thought to stop and think about the consequences from those actions.  These actions can be a contributing factor to the increase in social phobia in the United States.  Social phobia is an excessive fear to one or more social or performance situations.  Individuals with social phobia are fearful of embarrassment or humiliation.  These individuals are often faced with extreme distress and anxiety when faced with the situation that they fear such as a one on one conversation or public speaking. 

Many people do not know the difference between extreme shyness and the diagnosis of a social phobia.   Many people relate these two as exactly the same thing when in reality they are completely different.  Shyness and social phobia are on a scale with being shy at one end and social phobia on the other extreme end.  Being diagnosed with social phobia means that the shyness has turned into an anxiety disorder.  Therefore, the person is simply not just afraid or timid but this timid attitude has become a situation that produces a fear response in the individual.

Also, I am arguing that the United States is becoming a more socially phobic society.  I believe that this is due to our culture as a whole and what it has become.  We are a very judgmental, critical society where everywhere you go someone is trying to better him or herself.  It seems like in today’s society it is harder for the shy population to speak out, and thus are shut down and have the option for developing a social phobia.  But others would argue that on the contrary, there are more extraverts and our society is improving for the better.  They would argue that our society is not developing more phobias but are becoming a healthier nation and a more positive, uplifting community.