What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder and Why It Matters
Researchers agree that like most types of anxiety, social anxiety disorder is the result of a combination of multiple factors that all come together to increase (or decrease) the odds of developing social anxiety. Let’s review three main factors that seem to be potential causes of social anxiety disorder.
Is Social Anxiety Genetic?
Research has shown that most people with social anxiety disorder have family members who also have it. From the moment we’re born, we have a tendency to be either bold or cautious when confronted with anything unfamiliar, which can lead to anxiety around new people. Just because something runs in your family, however, doesn’t guarantee you’ll have it. In order for social anxiety disorder to develop, we often need certain social experiences to “flip the genetic switch on”.
Do Family Dynamics Cause Social Anxiety?
Family dynamics seem to play potentially a big role in the early cause of social anxiety. This is because, to a large extent, family makes up the bulk of our social interactions in the first 10 years of our lives.
For this reason, day to day interactions with family teach us whether others are trustworthy, authentic, kind, or critical. We learn whether others see us as valuable and likable. We learn how we fit into the pecking order of our family and society. Social anxiety disorder is more likely to develop in a family that:
Criticizes or teases your speech, behaviors, or appearance, leading you to feel self-conscious.
Encourages you to “keep up appearances” to avoid criticism, with comments like “You can’t go out like that, what would the neighbors think?!” can also be a potential cause of social anxiety.
Are overly busy, leaving kids to spend much of their time alone
Engages in any verbal or physical abuse
What Causes Social Anxiety Outside the Family?
Most of our clients think back to middle school or high school and cringe. Negative interactions with peers can take a heavy toll on us. Whether we experience repeated experiences such as bullying or one-off humiliations such as throwing up in the lunchroom - it can leave a mark.
Additionally, we can begin to feel socially anxious at a young age if we feel “different” from other kids in some way. Whether it’s not having the right shoes, being the only kid of your race, or being more academically driven than your peers - anything that makes you stand out at a young age can definitely contribute to developing social anxiety.
What if I’ve Only Had Social Anxiety Disorder Since the Pandemic?
The social isolation we all experienced during the height of the pandemic has contributed to a rise in social anxiety. As things have largely returned to normal, however, we’ve had to get used to being in social situations again, plus possible anxiety about shaking hands or hugging others after months of social distancing.
We can help.
If you or someone you love is struggling with social anxiety, please reach out. We offer Social Anxiety Treatment including CBT Therapy in Orlando and online throughout the state of Florida. Call today or send us your info and we’ll reach out for a free consultation to see if one of our CBT Therapists would be a good fit.
