Social anxiety: a growing problem in modern-day society

An examination of social anxiety in the modern age and the unsociability of supposedly social networks.

Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash

No one openly talks about it. People mistake it for shyness or introversion. Yet, it seems to be more commonplace amongst our generation than we think. Social anxiety (a debilitating phobia of social interaction) has become something of a silent epidemic in recent years. Stemming from fears of judgement associated with past humiliating encounters, social anxiety can act as both a route to more major mental health problems and, from another perspective, as a thief of the joys of student life. As someone who has struggled with this mental health condition (and still does at times), I can certainly vouch for fellow sufferers when I say that it is a struggle to overcome, especially when the main way to challenge the consuming fear of social interaction is to go out and socialise. 

As a species, humans crave deeper connections which are often found in romantic relationships, but are equally important in friendships and family relations. When these are lacking they can cause us to feel socially out of place, resulting in feelings of loneliness. Coincidentally, loneliness is linked to several mental health problems, including social anxiety.

Those experiencing social anxiety feel more isolated and start to question their own identity. From my own experiences, there were periods when I felt I was losing myself as I let all my feelings take over my mind and, at times, I resorted to strategies aimed at distracting myself from those emotions. That only worsened the state I was in and it came to a point where I could no longer hold in my experiences. 

Over time, and after a couple of sessions with a cognitive behavioural therapy specialist, I began to gradually incorporate activities into my day that would allow my mind to become more focussed on myself and my present surroundings. From a simple stroll in the park to journaling daily, reading books specifically aimed at self-discovery or self-help and improving on my hobbies. All four of these activities can result in self-improvement and, consequently, greater self-love and appreciation. 

Another thing I worked on during the summer months of last year was abstinence from social media. Being part of the generation that has grown up with technological advancement and, more significantly, the rise of social media, there is now an increasing obsession with documenting our lives online. It's easy to forget that people usually share the highs, and rarely ever talk about the lows (unless it’s an anonymous confession I see hidden along the UCLove Facebook page timeline). 

Considerable amounts of time spent on social networking apps tend to provoke increasingly accentuated sensations of loneliness. In particular, Instagram has been deemed as the social platform most detrimental to mental health in a survey from 2017, jointly conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health and the charity Young Health Movement. This is not a surprise to me. Instagram can be a fuel for negative thoughts about our own lives in comparison to those of other people, despite the creative and social benefits of the network. 

Some have also become more dependent on these networks to establish relationships with others, starting to abandon any efforts in making real-life friendships and refraining from challenging their social phobia. The fluidity of human conversation seems to have disappeared over time and people rarely talk face to face anymore. Our phones are glued to our hands whenever we are out and about. There is a possibility that this general societal shift in behaviour has contributed to the rise in social anxiety cases. 

Overall, it is reasonable to say that regardless of the boundaries that are there, tempting those who are struggling away from facing their fears head-on, there is a way out. Because people are more at ease to express themselves online, primarily in an anonymous format, it is a blessing in disguise that we have these online blogs and confession pages allowing us to hide our identity whilst also discussing our problems. 

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