Social phobia is the condition of being fearful or anxious about being in social situations to a degree that interferes with the ability to function in such situations. There are many different sources of social phobia support that can help people with severe social anxiety to function in social situations. Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapies are two of the most commonly effective forms of social phobia support. Support groups that provide social interaction in a controlled environment can also help those with social phobia. For some people, social ineptitude is the main cause of fear and anxiety and can be combated with social training.
In many cases, social phobia cannot be treated without professional therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of social phobia support that is intended to increase one's awareness of the specific thought processes that lead to anxiety. Being able to recognize and understand such thought processes can sometimes allow the anxious or fearful person to overcome them. Exposure therapy, also known as systematic desensitization, is based in gradual exposure to controlled social situations. Over time, this form of social phobia support should increase the patient's comfort in different social settings.
Support groups can provide both therapeutic help and a controlled social setting for those suffering from social phobia or anxiety. People with social phobias may feel less discomfort when they are aware that everyone around them feels similarly about social situations. They may, therefore, be more willing to attempt to socialize in spite of their social difficulties. This form of social phobia support may also involve role-playing activities or group trips to various places that cause some level of social anxiety or fear. Having support from a group can help such people to better handle such situations.
Some people feel social phobia because they lack or believe they lack appropriate social skills. They find themselves in new social situations and simply have no idea how they are supposed to behave. For such people, the best form of social phobia support may be social training. Social training often involves group work aimed at informing people of how they are supposed to behave in certain social situations. Armed with this knowledge, people with social issues can gain the confidence and knowledge necessary to function in social situations.
Lifestyle changes may be necessary, in addition to social phobia support, in order to bring about lasting change. Many people use alcohol to make themselves feel more comfortable in social situations. In the long run, this can make one dependent on alcohol to function socially at all. Other lifestyle practices, such as good diet, sufficient sleep, and an appropriate hygiene regimen, can also benefit those in need of social phobia support.