Social Anxiety Disorder (“SAD”) is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (“DSM-5”) and the American Psychiatric Association as a condition where people experience intense anxiety about situations, practice avoidance, feel distress that interferes with their daily living, and have an overall "intense anxiety that is not better explained by a medical condition, medication, or substance abuse." SAD interferes with a person’s quality of life, which goes hand in hand with the fact that it can also serve as a barrier to independent living.
Symptoms of SAD
Some signs that an individual is experiencing SAD include:
- Physical symptoms (having palpitations, feeling sick, sweating)
- Fear
- Excessive self-consciousness
- Intense worry
- Avoidance
- Negative thoughts
- Safety behaviors
- Struggling to do things when others watch
SAD as a barrier to Independent Living
A varied support system is essential for independent living. All of us need emotional and practical support, as well as a sense of community. Persons experiencing SAD may find it difficult to reach out for support and integrate with others in order to feel a sense of community.
Independent living can profoundly impact how one experiences social anxiety. While it is fairly easy to avoid social anxiety by avoiding socializing entirely, it is considered an avoidant behavior and an ineffective long-term solution to SAD.
SAD can make it difficult to engage in daily activities which in turn may leave the person feeling a loss of social connection and loneliness. Loneliness, in turn, can have a detrimental impact on one’s mental health, leading to depression and/or substance abuse.
Although SAD is debilitating, uncomfortable, and anxiety-inducing, completely isolating from any and all sorts of social connections may set unhealthy precedence of too much solitude. After spending weeks, months, or years alone, one might find it nearly impossible to socialize with others again. SAD can have a severe negative impact on one’s education, career success, financial independence, and personal relationships, and many people are left untreated.
About Independent Living
Independent living is when a disabled person has the opportunity to make their own decisions that affect their lives, as well as the ability to choose how they want to spend their time. Independent living is limited the same way that life for a nondisabled person is limited. Every other aspect, however, is the same. Millions of people with disabilities rate independent living higher than a life dependency and narrower opportunities.
Aside from seeking appropriate therapeutic help − which should be first and foremost, persons experiencing SAD may benefit from programming offered by Centers for Independent Living (CILs), which include a work placement, home healthcare, housing coordination, mentorship, social security administration program navigation, information and referral, and more − region dependent.
How to find Independent Living Centers
If you or someone you know is interested in finding an independent living center, there are a few ways to locate one that is nearest to you:
- Look in your local telephone directory under social services, in both the regular directory and the yellow pages.
- Contact the main office of the state vocational rehabilitation agency for more information.
- Visit the Administration for Community Living (ACL).
How to Seek Help for SAD
Studies show that about 70% of individuals suffering from SAD may be successfully treated with cognitive therapy.
The best that someone experiencing SAD can do for themselves is reach out for the help that they need. This way, someone with SAD can increasingly lessen the severity of their anxiety and eventually overcome it, or at least make it manageable and have the correct tools equipped in order to cope.
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