Why do I get social anxiety? A clinical psychologist explains

This video is about why social anxiety occurs. You enter a social situation and your emotional brain senses potential danger. This triggers a string of beliefs I call “The Social Anxiety Equation”—then your threat system is automatically activated, and all of your self-protection mechanisms that make up the experience of SA kick in to save you: self-focused attention, high performance standards, worry and rumination, involuntary submission, your urge to escape, and all the physiological symptoms (like shaking, increased heart rate, shallow breathing). In treatment we are trying to break this chain of beliefs so your anxiety is harder and harder to trigger. If your emotional brain thinks you are safe, you won’t feel anxious.

We'll talk about:

0:00 - Intro
0:19 - The beliefs that make up “The Social Anxiety Equation”
1:09 - How Social Anxiety occurs, step by step
1:51 - How treatment works by breaking down the anxiety beliefs
2:27 - The 6 Socially Healthy Beliefs that prevent social anxiety
5:12 - You can work on these beliefs in my book

I'm Dr. Thomas Smithyman, a clinical psychologist making videos to help people overcome social anxiety.

QUESTION — Have a question about anything related to social anxiety? Post in the comments section of this video.

MY BOOK

ONLINE GROUP THERAPY
I’m co-leading an online self-compassion group with Marianne Stout, PhD. Open to TX residents.

ONLINE THERAPY
I'm not currently accepting new patients for online therapy.

INSTAGRAM

PODCASTS
📱 Subscribe and Listen to the Anxious in Austin Podcast here::

My mission here is to use video to help people overcome social anxiety. Most people with social anxiety never seek help, and those who do usually wait 16 years! Treatment is effective but people don't know about it. I'd like that to change, and I'd really appreciate any help.

PLEASE READ
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. do I

[ButerWarrior]

imma buy your book soon. Crazy how it’s just the thing I need!

[imthinkingthoughts]

But it’s not that it’s ’not true’ that someone could perceive and judge the person. It just much less likely than the person with social anxiety perceives. I have interactions with many people who have genuinely judged me for things (I have gotten unlucky)

[dalefrank-chadwick]

what's your thoughts on paranoia vs social anxiety. I believe when someone is more "paranoid" than socially anxious, their anxiety will not come down with exposure, but instead get worse, like with paranoid personality disorder or schizotypal pd.
love the content as always.
cheers.

[shannonwilliams]

I have social anxiety.I would like to see you address social anxiety when you can’t even go shopping far of people just being around you in a store.