home> hypnotherapy to help you with.... / fears and phobias > social phobia / what causes social phobia? >
 |
||
 |
||
| Shonagh Paterson Stroma, Farr, Inverness Registered Hypnotherapist for Inverness and the Highlands & Islands |
Fears and phobias - What causes social phobia (social anxiety disorder)?
What causes social phobia?No-one really knows the cause of social phobia (social anxiety), and research is ongoing. Some studies suggest that heredity can play a role in combination with environmental factors. It seems that people with specific personality traits seem to be more likely to suffer from social anxiety than others. There are also certain situations that might trigger social phobia. However, to date, there’s no definite scientific proof of the real causes of social phobia, although there’s a certain consensus among researchers that it may be attributable to several factors. |
Social phobia
|
Some scientists believe that the causes of social phobia may vary from one person to another but they have yet to identify the exact causes. In one study about half of those suffering from social phobia had it for as long as they could remember. The other half felt that it was originally brought on by one embarrassing incident that was etched in their mind. |
|
In almost half the patients seeking advice for anxiety, panic and phobias the cause was alcohol or benzodiazepines. In the remainder it was psychological, usually a state of conflict or a traumatic event. When symptoms are persistent following a distressing event it is often the case that alcohol or benzodiazepines are keeping them going.
As you can see from the research quoted above, abuse of alcohol or prescribed anti-anxiety medication can also be a contributory factor in the onset or worsening of social phobia.
Some causes of social anxiety that researchers are currently investigating
 |
Biological and hormonal causes of social phobia |
One line of research indicates that there may be a biological or hormonal basis for social anxiety. A chemical imbalance in the brain may heighten our sensitivity to disapproval, and trigger fear. When the serotonin level in our brain cells is out of balance we’re inclined to view normal everyday social situations as threatening. It’s worth remembering that scientists believe that by changing our thoughts we can change our brain chemistry. Hypnotherapy and other similar psychotherapy techniques are focused on helping you to change your negative thoughts (and so, in a roundabout way, may help change your bio-chemistry). Certainly hypnotherapy has a track record of helping people overcome their social phobia. |
|
|
Genetic or hereditary causes of social phobia |
Animal studies suggest that social phobia may be explained by heredity, and that our predisposition towards suffering from social anxiety may attributable to genetics. Children whose parents suffer from anxiety are more likely to be anxious. We don’t know how much of this is down to genes, and how much is caused by learning certain behavioral traits (environmental factors). |
|
|
Environmental factors as a cause of social phobia |
There’s also the idea of environmental influences on the development of social phobia. People with social phobia may learn how to behave in certain situations by copying the response of others. |
|
|
Does the amygdala feature as a cause of social phobia? |
Some researchers exploring the causes of social anxiety are looking at the role of the amygdala. This is a small area of the brain that is thought to control our response to fear. If the amygdala is out of balance you may over-react to stress and develop social phobia. |
| Read about hypnotherapy in the treatment of social phobia > |
 |
If your social anxiety is destroying your life, don’t suffer in silence. You can start the process of dealing with your social phobia and leading a normal life. Please contact me to find out more about how hypnotherapy can help.......And remember that your first hypnotherapy session comes with a guarantee. So go on, give it a try!
 |
Please contact me to find out more about how hypnotherapy may be able to help you deal with your fears and phobias. |
 |
Or maybe you'd rather book a free introductory consultation to find out more about how hypnotherapy can you overcome your phobia? This gives you a chance to meet me and decide if we could work together. |