|
Welcome to Social Anxiety Friends!
|
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social anxiety or social phobia, is a psychological problem whose impact has been seriously studied only since 1980. As psychotherapists come to better understand its causes, symptoms, and effective treatments, they must consider the possibilities of new forms of treatment. The Internet is becoming an ever-larger part of the lives of its users and restructuring society in interesting new ways. As telecommunication, telecommuting, and telemedicine become more widespread, patients and therapists alike must consider the possibilities of the Internet's role in the treatment of social anxiety while keeping in mind the many risks associated with changing the traditional face-to-face client-therapist relationship.
About Social Anxiety
In order to understand how the Internet may affect treatment for social anxiety, one must first understand exactly what social anxiety is. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders outlines specific criteria a patient must meet before he or she can receive a diagnosis of social anxiety. According to these criteria, a social phobic is someone who feels a distinct fear of social situations, worries that he or she may be embarrassed in such situations, feels an instant apprehension whenever participating or thinking about these situations, and avoids them whenever possible. Teenaged and adult social anxiety sufferers should recognize that their fears are unwarranted and disproportionate, but children may not have that ability. A person may only be diagnosed with social anxiety if he or she is extremely troubled by his or her fears, or if they interfere considerably with his or her daily life. In addition, the fears cannot be better explained as symptoms of a different disorder, or as anxieties about the social effects of another disorder or medical condition, such as physical disfigurement. About 13% of adults in the United States will experience social anxiety in their lifetime. Prospective studies show that only a third of social anxiety sufferers will gain remission within eight years. Social anxiety sufferers also have a high risk of comorbidity, meaning that they may have or develop any of a myriad of other mental illnesses, the most common being depression, drug abuse (usually alcohol), and avoidant personality disorder. Psychologists believe that women are more likely than men to have social anxiety, but that men are more likely to seek help for it, probably due to a culture that approves of timidity in women but not in men, and disapproves of or misunderstands mental illness in general. In addition, clinical studies usually either study an equal number of women and men or use more men than women, leaving many questions about prevalence and epidemiology unanswered.
Despite the opinion of many to the contrary, social anxiety and shyness are not the same condition; neither is social anxiety merely a more extreme form of shyness. True, shy people can be uncomfortable in social situations as well. The vital difference is in the degree of impairment caused by their inhibitions. Shy people can usually function normally in social situations, albeit with some anxiety. Social anxiety sufferers, on the other hand, are so frightened of what others will think about their inhibitions that they either completely avoid social situations or endure them under extreme psychological duress. They may be unable to give speeches in public, make friends, eat at a restaurant, sign checks at the supermarket, or shop in a mall. Although early detection and treatment may be the best prevention for social anxiety, teachers often see their quiet, inhibited students as "the good children" as compared with their normal or hyperactive classmates, instead of recognizing the real problem. However, these "good children", and indeed all social anxiety sufferers, face intense difficulties in many areas of their lives.
|
| oj1709 |
|
Male
20 years old
London, N/A United Kingdom
|
|
| VodkaLove |
|
Female
23 years old
Chicopee, Massachusetts United States
|
|
|
|
|
 |
[-] |
|
|
[-] |
|
|
|
|
[-] |
|
|
|
[-] |
|
|
[-] |
|
|
|
MEMBERS LOGIN
|
|
|
RECENT LOGINS
|
|
|
pooljam
Click and hold on the cue pull back and shoot to clear the table.
Plays: 7880
|
|
Bejeweled
Match 3 similar jewels and decrease the lines
Plays: 7697
|
|
Bubble Shooter
The goal is to clean the bubbles off the field.
Plays: 6600
|
|
Archery 2000
Shoot the target with arrows as it moves across the screen.
Plays: 5129
|
|
Blocks
Can you clear all the blocks!
Plays: 3960
|
|
Patience Delux
Lay down the cards from left to right in order of importance.
Plays: 2799
|
|
Autobahn
Drive far as you can without crashing
Plays: 1661
|
|
Collapse
Try to clear the board!
Plays: 1534
|
|
3D Pool
Similar to the traditional game youve played before, but this variation is played on a square table with only four balls. Pot as many balls as you can within the three minute session
Plays: 1457
|
|
Pacman
Eat all the little dots without letting the ghosts get you!
Plays: 1455
|
|
|
|
|
|
