New on Noba: Social Anxiety
Posted June 9, 2014
The Noba Team is excited to introduce the newest chapter to the Noba Collection - Social Anxiety. Todd Kashdan, an authority on personality, well-being and social relationships from George Mason University, looks in detail at the scope of the disorder, the impacts on those who experience it and its treatment options.
"A public speaker waits backstage before her name is called. She visualizes what will happen in a few moments: the audience will cheer as she walks out and then turn silent, with all eyes on her. She imagines this will cause her to feel uncomfortable and, instead of standing balanced, she will lean to one side, not quite sure what to do with her hands. And when her mouth opens, instead of words, guttural sounds will emerge from a parched throat before her mind goes blank. In front of friends, family, and strangers, she is paralyzed with fear and embarrassment. Physically, in the moments leading up to the performance, she sweats, trembles, has difficulty breathing, notices a racing heartbeat, and feels nauseated. When someone asks her a question, she loses her voice or its pitch rises a few octaves. She attempts to hide her anxiety by tensing her muscles or telling herself to breathe and stay calm. Behaviorally, she seeks ways to escape the audience’s gaze (e.g., by playing a video and asking the audience questions), and she tries to get through the performance as quickly as possible (e.g., rushing off the stage). Later, she works hard to avoid similar situations, passing up future speaking opportunities.
Welcome to the often terrifying world of social anxiety."
Read the full chapter at - http://nobaproject.com/chapters/social-anxiety
