Social Anxiety Disorder

Working with people that have mental illnesses can be very challenging. I have been a social worker for many years. Part of my job is to help people access services within their community. At times this means bring services to the person or family with in home services and other times it means setting up appointments at community mental health centers or private practice offices. In metro areas this is much easier to do because there are many providers of mental health services and public transportation to get the client to the appointment. In the rural area where I work this is a greater challenge. The services are not as readily available and there is not any public transportation. For this reason in home services are used more often in the rural areas, even if this may not be the best choice for the client.

There are many factors to consider when looking for services for clients. The main factor to consider is their diagnosis. The clients that have social anxiety disorder often prefer in home services because they do not need to leave their home, this is why it is not the best service for them. Part of effectively dealing with social anxiety disorder is facing the fears that the client has. It is more difficult for them to do this if they are not taken out of the comfort zone of their home. For my clients that experience social anxiety disorder I find as many reasons as possible to make them go out into the community. I ask them to meet me in my office, I have them set up their own volunteer drivers and I accompany those that are parents to their children’s school events. The main thing I do is not to take no for an answer. I disregard their excuses and honestly and openly talk about their anxiety.   People with social anxiety disorder experience physical symptoms. The symptoms vary from person to person and can include diarrhea, vomiting, racing heart rate, perfuse sweating, bloody noses, headaches and a number of other symptoms. The severity of the symptoms varies, but they are real. Instead of just accepting the statement that the person does not feel well I discuss the symptoms. I problem solve how they can take care of themselves when they are out in public. We review where the restrooms are. We locate the exits for the space we are in and sit close to one. I keep a conversation going to keep their thoughts occupied. Social anxiety disorder can be crippling for those that experience it, but it is also one of the easier mental health issues to address, especially if you have someone that is willing to walk you through social situations. Gradually the goal is to have the person go out on his or her own. When I do this I require them to bring me the program from an event or a brochure from an office visit.

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