Why does social anxiety occur? After all, humans are the most social species on Earth. And this is the secret of success: unlike other animals, we are always ready to cooperate with others.
The ability to interact with others, to understand, predict and coordinate with someone’s actions, to please and reassure them, or even to manipulate them through deception; these qualities led to success in primitive human societies. The most successful individuals reproduce more, so these character traits are common.
To interact with other people we often need more mental capacity than speed or strength. This is why our brains become so powerful over time.
Our brain is generally geared towards interacting with others. This is demonstrated by the presence of language (a means of communication), empathy, facial expressions, emotions, guilt and shame. There are even systems in our striatum, at the very center of our brain, that allow us to experience pleasure and reward when we interact positively with others and receive their approval. So why are so many people afraid of social interactions?
Hatred of social rejection and criticism of others is practically ingrained in our DNA. Research shows that positive social experiences lead to neurological feelings of reward, while social rejection leads to brain activity similar to physical pain. And it doesn’t depend on who exactly rejects it: As research shows, it’s just as painful for us.
Also, the complexity of the modern world is that we are constantly at risk of rejection. Moreover, even basic human interaction is cognitively challenging and carries risks.
The level of anxiety we experience in any given situation is often determined by the interaction between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala produces all the emotions (mostly fear) that trigger the anxiety response, and the prefrontal cortex counteracts it. Most people have a balance between the two, but in people with anxiety disorders the balance tends to shift toward the amygdala. The end result is a lot of fear for no reason.
Imaging studies have shown that in socially anxious brains the prefrontal cortex is much slower and less responsive to and suppresses fear activity in the amygdala.
There are several reliable methods for overcoming anxiety. These include gradual introduction of social interactions, interaction with the screen (on the internet), virtual reality, re-evaluation of anxiety-related emotions, giving up alcohol, and setting your own limits in communicating with others.
News materials cannot be equated with a doctor’s prescription. Consult an expert before making a decision.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
