What To Know About Getting a Social Anxiety Test in Austin

Key Takeaways:

• Social anxiety is characterized by an intense fear or anxiousness that arises in certain social situations
• While it can be debilitating, there are ways to improve symptoms
• The first step is meeting with a licensed therapist for screening

One of the more common forms of anxiety is social anxiety - a serious and debilitating nervousness that arises upon exposure to certain social situations.

Social anxiety can arise in many forms and range in severity to moderate underlying nervousness to crippling panic attacks.

If you think you may have social anxiety, you should speak to a licensed therapist and get tested. There are many ways to improve social anxiety, from medications to therapy, so you should certainly schedule an appointment with a therapist to talk about your options.

Social Anxiety Testing Resources On This Page:

Do I have social anxiety?

Unofficial Social Anxiety Test

What To Expect From Social Anxiety Testing

Find a Therapist for Social Anxiety Testing

Do I have social anxiety?

While only a licensed therapist who you have seen in official sessions is able to officially make mental health recommendations and diagnoses, there are a few things you can check yourself to determine if you are likely to have social anxiety disorder.

Let's start with the symptoms.

Symptoms of Social Anxiety

The symptoms of social anxiety are similar in nature to many other forms of anxiety, but they only present during social situations.

Some of the symptoms those with social anxiety experience include:

• Intense fear about future social events
• Nervousness when meeting new people
• Increased heart rate or hyperventilation in social situations

If you feel these symptoms in social situations, especially when there is no discernible reason for them, you may have social anxiety.

How common is social anxiety?

About 12% of Americans have some degree of social anxiety. That means, in a group of 20 random people, there is a good chance at least two have social anxiety.

What's the difference between being shy and having social anxiety?

While there is a considerable amount of overlap, the main difference between shyness and true social anxiety is the severity and duration of symptoms.

For people who are shy, their nervousness around social situations fades as they get to know the new people. As the event progresses, they tend to ease up and become more relaxed and extroverted.

People with social anxiety, by contrast, usually only feel symptoms lighten if they are in a group of people they know very well.

Social anxiety symptoms also tend to be far more severe, and usually require some sort of masking so that others don't notice them.

Can I self-diagnose social anxiety disorder?

Because social anxiety disorder is an official mental health condition, only a licensed therapist or psychologist can make a diagnosis.

However, you can take a personal stock of your symptoms to assess the likelihood that you have social anxiety.

Unofficial Social Anxiety Test

If you are concerned about your mental health, you should book an appointment with a therapist.

In the meantime, here is an unofficial, informal self-test for assessing whether you may have social anxiety.

Rank yourself from one to ten for each of the following statements, with one being "I don't think this describes me well at all." and ten being "I feel that this describes me perfectly."

• My heart pounds at the thought of meeting a new person.
• I often find excuses to skip social events.
• I get extremely nervous in public places.
• I only feel comfortable around people I know very well.
• I become anxious when a friend introduces me to someone new.

Add up your answer to each question. If you scored higher than a 50, you may have social anxiety.

What To Expect From Social Anxiety Testing

During an official social anxiety screening session, you'll start with some logistics.

Usually, the therapist will have you sign some paperwork and fill out a medical history. Because the symptoms of anxiety in general can often be caused by a physical illness, your professional will want to ensure that you have an otherwise clean bill of health from a physician.

Once the paperwork is done, your therapist will discuss your symptoms with you and ask some questions about your social habits and how you feel during certain situations.

The therapist will also take time to discuss why those feelings of anxiety arise. In later sessions, you may unpack any trauma or external emotional factors that may be contributing.

If you are found to have social anxiety disorder, the therapist will recommend a treatment plan, which may involve medication, therapy, or coping techniques for social situations.

Do therapists diagnose social anxiety disorder?

Yes: only a licensed mental health professional is authorized to diagnose and subsequently treat social anxiety disorder.

Find a Therapist for Social Anxiety Testing

If you think you may have social anxiety, it's strongly recommended that you find a therapist you trust and talk to them about your options for screening and treatment.

At Williamsburg Therapy Group, our staff of doctoral-level anxiety psychologists is on hand to diagnose and treat social anxiety disorder in Austin residents

Give us a call to be matched with the right therapist for you, or simply book an appointment online. Feeling better may be closer than you think!