A List of Mental Symptoms of
Social Anxiety Disorder -
And Why They Take Place

Here's a list of the mental symptoms of social anxiety disorder. 
Clicking here takes you further into the article to find out why they happen.

The mental symptoms of social anxiety disorder are,
essentially, bad habits

For example, focusing on yourself (being introspective) is a habitual process. Your mind has become conditioned to do that in social circumstances.

The more you repeat these bad habits, the stronger they get, and thus the worse the anxiety symptoms get. It's a nasty, vicious (but harmless) cycle, a bit like picking your nose. 

Why These Mental Symptoms of
Social Anxiety Disorder Take Place

Let's go through the specific symptoms of social anxiety disorder, to see why each one would happen:

Extreme focus on the self:

Social anxiety disorder is a dysfunctional reaction of the subconscious mind, telling the body that there's a threat. When you feel threatened, your number one priority is your own safety, so it's natural to switch your focus onto yourself.

Focusing on what to say next:

This is caused by being so worried at the consequences of the conversation dying, that you're trying too hard to keep it alive.

Finding it hard to think because the mind goes blank:

During bad anxiety there are so many uncomfortable sensations running around, that it's easy to switch your attention to them. This distracts you from thinking about what's happening in the environment around you.

Limiting beliefs & Assumptions:

These develop during the course of your whole life's experiences, and for so many reasons. 

In your early years, the beliefs and assumptions that your family have are absorbed by you. This is one possibility. 

Black and white thinking is another; whereby you might think that one or two occurrences of something bad indicate something permanently bad about you.

Imagining bad outcomes:

Past experiences may have taught you to see reasons why things will go badly again. It's a habit that can really gain momentum, and can be difficult to break.

Picturing physical symptoms happening:

This is caused by a fear of feeling the physical social anxiety symptoms, along with the assumption that others will think less of you if you show such symptoms. 

You picture it because you believe that you have a lot to lose if it happens.

Imagining what you look like to others:

Attempted mind reading is another technique used when 'under threat'. You want to know what the threat might do, so that you can be ready for it. It's a psychological attempt at self defence, only, in this situation, it just causes problems.

How To Reduce The Psychological
Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder

I know 7 ways that you can reduce the impact of social anxiety on your mind. My article Coping With Social Anxiety's Mental Symptoms can show you my 7 tips!

Whilst it may seem like your symptoms will last forever, they won't IF you decide to take control, and begin overcoming social anxiety.

Your symptoms are merely the result of some unfortunate behavioural conditioning that has happened to you. 

This means that you can be re-conditioned into new, non-anxious mental habits. 

When that happens, SA recedes to the normal level that most people feel.