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6 ways in which social anxiety ruins your life

Living with social anxiety impairs your life in more ways than one.

Written by Sandhya Raghavan | Updated : August 4, 2017 9:47 AM IST

Social Anxiety

How does the idea of meeting a whole bunch of people sound to you? Imagine being the cynosure of all eyes as they ask you to introduce and speak about yourself. If you are already sweating buckets by the mere thought of it, you should continue reading. People think being social anxiety is the same as shyness, but it is more than that. Those with social anxiety fear experience palpitations, shaking, breathlessness and sweating when they are expected to meet or talk to new people. It is a debilitating disorder that stops people from living lives to the fullest because of their deep fear of society. Here are some strange ways in which social anxiety can ruin people's lives.

Education

Poor educational qualifications: A 2003 study published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders [1] says that people with psychiatric disorders, especially social phobia was more likely to drop out of school. Socially anxious individuals experience a great degree of worry, depression and problems adjusting with people in educational institutions.  Also Read - Restless Leg Syndrome: What Triggers This Disorder?

Alone

Fewer friends: What's life without pals? Ask a socially anxious person that. People dealing with condition are less likely to make a lot of friends in their life, mainly because of their fear of meeting new people. Not surprisingly, a lot of their other social relationships also get impaired. This includes not getting along with relatives and spouses. [2]

Marriage

Less likely to marry: Sadly for those suffering from the disorder, the dream of finding a soul mate mostly remains unfulfilled. Socially anxious people have problems approaching and opening up to potential love interests. [3] Also Read - Wish To Lose Gut Fat? Here Are 7 Tips

Divorce

More likely to divorce: The ones lucky enough to find a partner may not stay married for too long. Social anxiety can precipitate into disagreements in the marriage. A study published in the Journal of the European Psychiatric Association backs the belief that divorce is common in those with social anxiety. [4]

Office

Take more leaves at work: Although majority of socially anxious people are employed, productivity at work is what they usually grapple with. They play truants at work, missing more days of work than the average person. They are also more likely to quit the job if it requires them to make presentations or put up performances. [5]

Money

Lower wages: A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry [6] revealed that the socially anxious were more likely to draw in lesser salary that the others. They earned wages that were 10 percent lower than the non-clinical population. [6] Also Read - 10 Tips To Protect Yourself From Dengue Fever