Social Anxiety Disorder

Some teens are at a higher risk of having Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) than others. The factors that influence the development of social anxiety disorder are:

• Gender—research finds that teenage girls are 4.2% more likely to develop SAD than teenage boys

• Genetics—even though people who have SAD don’t share the same genetic makeup, it’s believed that you can inherit an anxiety disorder from a family member

• Upbringing—also called learned behavior, a person’s upbringing can cause anxiety disorders. Certain behavioral patterns that children learn from their parents, like being quiet or leaving it to others to start a conversation, cause extreme shyness in adolescence and can contribute to SAD. Children who aren’t allowed to develop social skills or whose parents are overly critical are also at the risk of developing SAD

• Brain structure—the amygdala is a part of the brain that’s responsible for the emotions of fear, stress, and anxiety. An overactive amygdala may cause severe feelings of stress and anxiety and influence certain anxiety disorders

Understanding what factors contribute to the development of social anxiety can help you realize where your anxiety stems from and how to deal with it.

WHAT IS GROUP THERAPY?

Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy that helps people better understand themselves and relate to other people. People will learn more about themselves and others in social situations in group therapy. Soc Talk allows teens to get group feedback, build connection, and have honest conversations that are helpful in alleviating social anxiety.

We know that speaking in front of a group, no matter how small, can be intimidating. Sometimes this anxiety can be helpful and allows for greater consciousness and vigilance when speaking. However, for others, it can become debilitating and really interfere with their lives and how they function in their day to day in school, work, or other settings where there is large numbers of people.

Soc Talk is one of the best ways to overcome intense and recurring social anxiety (social anxiety disorder) – as it allows each person to “practice” and find solutions to their fears. Group work also helps people develop social skills and overcome anxieties as they communicate in a safe, controlled environment.

Group therapy is not only used to treat social anxiety disorder. It can be a viable treatment option for depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and other emotional issues.

Soc Talk meets once a month and will increase to weekly sessions as needed. Teens are able to work together to form connections and relate with other teens in healthy ways under the facilitation of one or two therapists. The duration of group therapy is never permanent and people do not go to therapy forever. Hope Seed recommends that once a client has tried group therapy for a session or two and feels somewhat comfortable they make a commitment of two months of weekly meetings to feel the full benefit of group work begin to show up.

If you or your child is interested in Soc Talk (Anxiety Group Counseling), please fill out the form below or call us at 832-257-3778.

Hope Seed is not Accepting Insurance at this time

Social Media’s affects on Social Anxiety