Experts Say 12% Face Social Anxiety, Urge CBT to Break Hidden Habits
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Sep 30
Experts Say 12% Face Social Anxiety, Urge CBT to Break Hidden Habits
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 30
Summary
Up to 12% of people experience social anxiety disorder, and experts say habits such as self-monitoring, avoiding eye contact and replaying conversations can deepen it.
More than a fifth of university students face some form of social anxiety during their studies, a University of Chichester study found, linking it to lower grades, poorer relationships and isolation.
CBT remains the gold-standard treatment, with Oxford psychologist David Clark urging people to shift attention outward, test feared outcomes in small social situations and drop “safety behaviours.”
Neil Greening of Social Anxiety Alliance UK said rising smartphone use and remote working may be worsening the problem by reducing face-to-face interaction and increasing anxiety.
Mary, 25, said NHS talking therapy and gradually pushing herself into smaller group settings helped her manage symptoms that once left her unable to make friends at university.