| Social anxiety or social phobia has many | | | | Young babies with such a disposition are |
| varied causes, including biological, | | | | quick to show stress and fear of unfamiliar |
| psychological and social. However, each one | | | | situations and people, and as they grow into |
| may be intertwined so it is hard to specify | | | | teenagers and adults, their risk for getting |
| exacting ones. Though it is not yet known if | | | | social phobia increases. Also, studies have |
| social anxiety is caused by a genetic | | | | shown that it may also have something do with |
| disposition or something learned through | | | | the section of your brain that controls fears |
| family social conditioning, it does appear | | | | (amygdale). Through CAT scans, doctors have |
| that it can run in the family. The first | | | | found that people with this disorder have an |
| group of causes include environmental and | | | | excess amount of activity in the amygdale and |
| social. It is believed by some social phobia | | | | too little in the prefrontal brain cortex. |
| experts that it is possible to learn this | | | | Biochemically speaking, more studies indicate |
| from the environment in which you are in. It | | | | that an imbalance in the serotonin levels in |
| has been suggested that simply interacting | | | | the brain, dopamine, GABA and |
| and watching others with similar tendencies | | | | neurotransmitters may be to blame. The most |
| can be influential. Also, it is possible that | | | | common group that social anxiety disorder |
| overprotective and controlling parents may | | | | sufferers fall into is the second. Each and |
| develop this in their children and fail to | | | | everyday, many people, young and old, |
| recognize the disorder in them because they | | | | experience traumas, some of which they may |
| too suffer from it and consider it to be | | | | well put behind them for many years, or at |
| perfectly normal. Others think that people | | | | least they believe, but somewhere inside of |
| may develop social phobias based on a | | | | them, they have not learned to cope with the |
| negative childhood event, including bullying, | | | | resulting trauma, but in fact pushed the |
| public embarrassment and teasing. Such | | | | emotional side 'under the carpet' or so to |
| indicators include disfigurement, abuse | | | | speak. When this happens it is essential to |
| (sexual and physical), neglect, speech | | | | get medical support and treatment. Such |
| impediments or conflicts within a family. The | | | | traumas as abuse, rape and other experiences |
| second group of causes of social anxiety is | | | | can develop from social anxiety to include |
| thought to be due to psychological or | | | | even post-traumatic shock disorder, which can |
| emotional trauma experienced in childhood. | | | | attack any person at any time in their lives. |
| The subsequent symptoms may be the direct | | | | It may manifest itself many years later, even |
| result of unresolved traumatic experiences | | | | after the trauma has since been apparently |
| such as car accidents, abuse, relationship | | | | forgotten. Though there are many cause of |
| breakdowns, humiliation or even a natural | | | | social anxiety phobias, the bottom line is |
| disaster. The key elements of that are common | | | | that the result is an unnatural fear of |
| amongst all people suffering anxiety as a | | | | social interaction and a lowered self-esteem |
| result of traumas include an event or | | | | that can not only hinder a person's ability |
| experience that was not expected, the person | | | | to function in everyday situations, but in |
| was not prepared for, and there was little if | | | | some cases hinder the person's ability to |
| anything that the person could have done to | | | | simply live a normal existence outside of |
| have pretended it from occurring. However, | | | | their home. Sometimes the disorder is so |
| such traumas can also run deeper, including a | | | | debilitating that the person cannot even |
| poor bonding between the major caregiver and | | | | carry on regular daytime activities. If you |
| the person during childhood. The person may | | | | or anyone you suspect may have this disorder, |
| well have not learned the skills needed to | | | | there is no shame in asking for medical help. |
| regulate calmness, self-soothing and focus | | | | This does not have to be a lifelong |
| during stressful events. The third social | | | | affliction, nor is it normal because someone |
| anxiety cause is biological in nature, | | | | else you know is dealing with it by pushing |
| including biochemical reactions, the | | | | it away. Your family doctor is your best |
| structure of the brain and the possibility of | | | | source of relief in this regard. |
| the disorder having been inherited | | | | |
| genetically. In genetical inheritance, most | | | | Gary Miller was so scared that he actually |
| researchers believe that the main part of the | | | | passed out during a presentation and couldn't |
| disorder is born out of inhibited behavior. | | | | talk after due to numerous social anxieties. |