tag:theconversation.com,2011:/es/topics/social-anxiety-disorder-3627/articlesSocial anxiety disorder – The Conversation2022-06-16T12:24:29Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1719322022-06-16T12:24:29Z2022-06-16T12:24:29ZWhen texts suddenly stop: Why people ghost on social media<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457764/original/file-20220412-14-7bq4mt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5607%2C3732&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Research suggests that many people prefer ghosting rather than open and honest conversations that might lead to conflict and stress.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/man-with-hands-pressed-up-against-glass-behind-royalty-free-image/1015921616?adppopup=true">Yifei Fang/Moment via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Check your phone. Are there any unanswered texts, snaps or direct messages that you’re ignoring? Should you reply? Or should you ghost the person who sent them? </p>
<p>Ghosting happens when someone cuts off all online communication with someone else, and without an explanation. Instead, like a ghost, they just vanish. The phenomenon is common on social media and dating sites, but with the isolation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic – forcing more people together online – <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/haunted-the-trend-toward-ghosting/">it happens now more than ever</a>. </p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://www.wesleyan.edu/academics/faculty/rtdubar/profile.html">professor of psychology</a> who studies the role of technology use in interpersonal relationships and well-being. Given the negative psychological consequences of thwarted relationships – especially during <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696816658585">the emerging adulthood years</a>, ages 18 to 29 – I wanted to understand what leads college students to ghost others, and if ghosting has any impact on mental health. </p>
<p>To address these questions, my research team <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000343">recruited 76 college students</a> through social media and on-campus flyers. The sample is 70% female. Study participants signed up for one of 20 focus groups, ranging in size from two to five students. Group sessions lasted an average of 48 minutes each. Participants provided responses to questions asking them to reflect on their ghosting experiences. Here’s what we found. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Millions have been ghosted by romantic partners, friends or potential employers.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>The results</h2>
<p>Some students admitted they ghosted because they lacked the necessary communication skills to have an open and honest conversation – whether that conversation happened face to face or via text or email.</p>
<p>From a 19-year-old female: “I’m not good at communicating with people in person, so I definitely cannot do it through typing or anything like that.” </p>
<p>From a 22-year old: “I do not have the confidence to tell them that. Or I guess it could be because of social anxiety.”</p>
<p>In some instances, participants opted to ghost if they thought that meeting with the person would stir up emotional or sexual feelings they were not ready to pursue: “People are afraid of something becoming too much … the fact that the relationship is somehow getting to the next level.” </p>
<p>Some ghosted because of safety concerns. Forty-five percent ghosted to remove themselves from a “toxic,” “unpleasant” or “unhealthy” situation. A 19-year-old female put it this way: “It’s very easy to just chat with total strangers so [ghosting is] like a form of protection when a creepy guy is asking you to send nudes and stuff like that.”</p>
<p>One of the least-reported yet perhaps most interesting reasons for ghosting someone: protecting that person’s feelings. Better to ghost, the thinking goes, than cause the hurt feelings that come with overt rejection. An 18-year-old female said ghosting was “a little bit politer way to reject someone than to directly say, ‘I do not want to chat with you.’” </p>
<p>That said, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/08/PSDT_08.20.20.dating-relationships.full_.report.pdf">recent data suggests</a> that U.S. adults generally perceive breaking up through email, text or social media as unacceptable, and prefer a person-to-person conversation. </p>
<p>And then there’s ghosting after sex. </p>
<p>In the context of hookup culture, there’s an understanding that if the ghoster got what they were looking for – often, that’s sex – then that’s it, they no longer need to talk to that person. After all, more talk could be interpreted as wanting something more emotionally intimate. </p>
<p>According to one 19-year-old female: “I think it’s rare for there to be open conversation about how you’re truly feeling [about] what you want out of a situation. … I think hookup culture is really toxic in fostering honest communication.”</p>
<p>But the most prevalent reason to ghost: a lack of interest in pursuing a relationship with that person. Remember the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You”? As one participant said: “Sometimes the conversation just gets boring.”</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Breaking up is hard to do.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>The consequences</h2>
<p>Attending college represents <a href="https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2014.75.580">a critical turning point</a> for establishing and maintaining relationships beyond one’s family and hometown neighborhood. For some emerging adults, romantic breakups, emotional loneliness, social exclusion and isolation can have <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17031116">potentially devastating psychological implications</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000343">Our research supports</a> the idea that ghosting can have negative consequences for mental health. Short term, many of those ghosted felt overwhelming rejection and confusion. They reported feelings of low self-worth and self-esteem. Part of the problem is the lack of clarity – not knowing why communication abruptly stopped. Sometimes, an element of paranoia ensues as the ghostee tries to make sense of the situation. </p>
<p>Long term, our study found many of those ghosted reported feelings of mistrust that developed over time. Some bring this mistrust to future relationships. With that may come internalizing the rejection, self-blame and the potential to sabotage those relationships. </p>
<p>However, just over half the participants in our study said being ghosted offered opportunities for reflection and resilience. </p>
<p>“It can be partly positive for the ghostee because they can realize some of the shortcomings they have, and they may change it,” said an 18-year-old female. </p>
<p>As for the ghoster, there were a range of psychological consequences. About half in the focus groups who ghosted experienced feelings of remorse or guilt; the rest felt no emotion at all. This finding is not entirely surprising, given that individuals who initiate breakups <a href="https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.230">generally report less distress</a> than the recipients. </p>
<p>Also emerging from our discussions: The feeling that ghosters may become stunted in their personal growth. From a 20-year-old male: “It can [become] a habit. And it becomes part of your behavior and that’s how you think you should end a relationship with someone. … I feel like a lot of people are serial ghosters, like that’s the only way they know how to deal with people.”</p>
<p>Reasons for ghosting out of fear of intimacy represent an especially intriguing avenue for future research. Until that work is done, universities could help by <a href="https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/confidence-college-classroom/">providing more opportunities</a> for students to boost confidence and sharpen their communication skills. </p>
<p>This includes more courses that cover these challenges. I am reminded of <a href="https://www.trentu.ca/psychology/programs/undergraduate/undergraduate-course-listing">a psychology class</a> I took as an undergraduate at Trent University that introduced me to the work of social psychologist <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eI8Fqo4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Daniel Perlman</a>, who taught courses about loneliness and intimate relationships. Outside the classroom, college residential life coordinators could design seminars and workshops that teach students practical skills on resolving relationship conflicts. </p>
<p>In the meantime, students can subscribe to a number of <a href="https://www.gottman.com/blog/category/dating-premarital/">relationship blogs</a> that offer readers research-based answers. Just know that help is out there – even after a ghosting, you’re not alone.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171932/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Royette T. Dubar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With online use ever-increasing, so is the rise of ghosting – when friends decide to disappear into the social ether.Royette T. Dubar, Professor of Psychology, Wesleyan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1797572022-03-29T19:13:10Z2022-03-29T19:13:10ZFeeling socially anxious about returning to the office? You’re not alone<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454869/original/file-20220329-17-87yah1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5991%2C3961&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">studio republic/unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>While there is a general <a href="https://www.pwc.com.au/digitalpulse/report-future-of-work-hybrid-working.html">consensus</a> hybrid work is here to stay, going back to the office even some of the time might feel strange and overwhelming. Returning to the commute and re-establishing routines and relationships in the workplace is likely to be partly energising and partly exhausting. </p>
<p>Since <a href="https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/130/1/165/2337855?login=false">research</a> has shown employees can work effectively at home, workers are likely to be coming to the office for different reasons, including collaboration, learning and connecting with others. </p>
<p>And while many are looking forward to some time with their colleagues that isn’t on Zoom, there are downsides to manage. With employers giving up floorspace as more and more companies adopt a hybrid work model, the new office might be smaller, and noisier. For many employees, returning to the office will mean a return to the noise and distraction that is <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-management-and-organization/article/abs/openplan-office-noise-is-stressful-multimodal-stress-detection-in-a-simulated-work-environment/F3EF8D2DF47767F18CBF5C081D6AB3A0">among</a> the leading complaints employees have about their offices.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/even-google-agrees-theres-no-going-back-to-the-old-office-life-177808">Even Google agrees there's no going back to the old office life</a>
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<h2>Managing noise and interruption</h2>
<p>In addition to not having to commute, for many employees, fewer interruptions and less noise from coworkers were some of the key benefits of working from home. So returning to the office might feel like quite a shock.</p>
<p>My own <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-management-and-organization/article/abs/openplan-office-noise-is-stressful-multimodal-stress-detection-in-a-simulated-work-environment/F3EF8D2DF47767F18CBF5C081D6AB3A0">research</a> has measured the effects of typical open-plan office noise, finding significant increases in physiological stress and negative mood, even after a short exposure time.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132318307157">Research</a> has shown it can be difficult to concentrate in large open-plan office spaces. Using headphones and working in quieter break away spaces can <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/10/staying-focused-in-a-noisy-open-office">help</a>. </p>
<p>Taking breaks and getting outside is essential: spending time in nature has evidence-backed <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/work/wor2211">benefits</a> for our physical and mental health.</p>
<h2>Reconnecting</h2>
<p>In a landscape of virtually no conferences or live work events for the past two years, and long periods of working from home, many employees might feel uncertain about building relationships face-to-face. And with many employees having started their careers or moved jobs during the pandemic, a lot of us have never met some of our co-workers. It’s natural we might be feeling a bit rusty.</p>
<p>Getting out for a coffee, doing a walking meeting in nature or having a team lunch can be good ways to ease back into face-to-face interactions.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two women in business attire walking" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454871/original/file-20220329-21-4lw40d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Going straight into face-to-face work could induce anxiety in some people. Try starting with a team lunch or walking meeting.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">linkedin/unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>Managing stress and anxiety</h2>
<p>If you’re feeling stressed or anxious about returning to the office, you’re not alone.</p>
<p>Anxiety is the most <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/media/news/news/2017/10/07/can-you-name-the-most-common-mental-health-issue-in-australia#:%7E:text=Only%2013%20per%20cent%20correctly,the%20number%20who%20experience%20depression.">common</a> mental health disorder in Australia, and can have a significant effect on both work and our lives. And social anxiety – anxiety associated with social or performance situations – affects up to <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/social-phobia#bhc-content">13%</a> of Australians. </p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00100-3/fulltext">experts</a> point towards an end to the pandemic, concerns have been raised about a looming mental health pandemic. <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide">Data</a> from the World Health Organisation suggests the COVID pandemic has triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide, with young people and women most affected. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2019/stress-america-2019.pdf">Studies</a> by the American Psychological Association prior to the pandemic showed that for 64% of American adults, work was a significant source of stress, and the most common personal stressor. As we return to the office, this issue is more important than ever. In a June 2021 <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/returning-to-work-keys-to-a-psychologically-safer-workplace">study</a> by McKinsey of 245 employees who had returned to the office, one-third reported negative mental health impacts.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dressed-for-success-as-workers-return-to-the-office-men-might-finally-shed-their-suits-and-ties-153455">Dressed for success – as workers return to the office, men might finally shed their suits and ties</a>
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<p>Mindfulness – focusing our attention and awareness in the present – can be a useful tool for managing stress and anxiety in the workplace. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597820302727?casa_token=NcloEfJt4EsAAAAA:F2yKXCaI3u4dsYmiUo0qAcI8Qwo9Q0XD_Y85QSLz5bAji6TEG0NvTm8QqsX1AGgciXFzASbHDQ#b0090">Research</a> has shown mindfulness practices are beneficial for our well-being – including emotional exhaustion, psychological detachment, and stress. </p>
<p>Mindfulness has organisation benefits as well, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597820302727?casa_token=NcloEfJt4EsAAAAA:F2yKXCaI3u4dsYmiUo0qAcI8Qwo9Q0XD_Y85QSLz5bAji6TEG0NvTm8QqsX1AGgciXFzASbHDQ#b0090">including</a> for intrinsic motivation, work engagement, creativity, and conflict management. </p>
<p>To introduce mindfulness into your work day doesn’t mean you have to sit down for a 20 minute meditation (although that will help). Taking small breaks away from your desk and phone and focusing on your breath or a view of nature is a great start. While taking a few minutes to do this regularly in the day might not seem like much, the benefits add <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/basics/mindfulness#:%7E:text=Mindfulness%20is%20frequently%20used%20in,with%20rejection%20and%20social%20isolation.">up</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454870/original/file-20220329-21-1nqzs2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Taking small breaks away from your desk can help with mindfulness in the office.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">marvin meyer/unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>It’s also essential organisations have clear support structures in place to provide assistance to employees, such as knowing who to talk to if they are facing difficulties and access to counselling services in employee assistance programs.</p>
<h2>How to make it work</h2>
<p>Employers can take practical steps to make the return to the office easier. Starting slowly, with just one day in the office to begin with, can help employees adjust. Retaining flexibility around work hours on the days in the office will be important for employees who have benefited from the increased ability to balance their work and lives while working from home.</p>
<p>There is no one-size-fits-all approach and employers should be cautious about setting blanket policies. Creating a culture where employees feel comfortable to have conversations and to ask for help is essential. While there has been progress around the perceived stigma in discussing mental health at work, it’s important to recognise there is a long way to go. </p>
<p>It’s important to remember there are options outside of just home or office. Third locations such as co-working spaces give employees the ability to connect with others when they choose, as well as to create new networks and enjoy social connection.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179757/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Libby (Elizabeth) Sander does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many people will be feeling anxious about working around others again, after such a long period at home. There are a few things employers and employees can do to ease the transition.Libby (Elizabeth) Sander, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bond Business School, Bond UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1737162022-02-20T17:26:01Z2022-02-20T17:26:01ZAshamed of asking for technical support? You are not alone!<p>The spread of new technologies tied to a race for innovation, products and services’ growing interdependence and, more generally, <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-services-be-the-saviour-of-manufacturing-70081">the transformation of products into services</a> can also make them more complex to use. To help consumers, companies are introducing a wealth of instructions, tutorials and pictograms that can be difficult to understand, all too often leaving consumers even more <a href="https://theconversation.com/confusopoly-why-companies-are-motivated-to-deliberately-confuse-39563">confused</a>.</p>
<p>The scene is all too familiar: who has never scratched their head in front of a machine, a new device or trying to complete an online booking? While many innovations are often designed and implemented to ease the consumer’s daily life, they may also be the source of new problems. Consumers adopt various strategies to cope with these difficulties of use: online tutorials, help from neighbours or friends, but many, perhaps surprisingly, also end up dropping their new product or service altogether.</p>
<p>The reasons for not seeking help may be psychological. In the field of social psychology, over the last 40 years, researchers have been exploring help-seeking in various contexts, mostly focusing on medical and psychological help or on help-seeking in the classroom. It appears that not everyone is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/asking-help-coronavirus-hard-shame/2020/04/17/e1d3ef90-7e91-11ea-8013-1b6da0e4a2b7_story.html">comfortable asking for help</a> and that some individuals systematically seem to avoid seeking help. </p>
<p>Indeed, help-seeking may be perceived as threatening, as it may call into question the applicant’s personal competence in his or her own eyes. But he or she may also fear appearing incompetent in the eyes of the helper. Help-seeking also conflicts with important values for Westerners: autonomy and control. Finally, it may restrict one’s freedom of choice, for example when feeling forced to accept a commercial offer in return for the help given.</p>
<h2>Fear of appearing incompetent</h2>
<p>In our article to be published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/rme"><em>Recherches et Application en Marketing</em></a>, we explored one of the possible responses for the modern troubled consumer: seeking the supplier’s help. Although it appears to be a fairly obvious solution, it is not often used by consumers.</p>
<p>Through a series of studies, we sought to understand whether avoiding to seek help exists in a consumption context when a customer finds it difficult to use a product or service. A qualitative study and four quantitative studies (samples between 150 and 450 individuals) led us to the conclusion that more than a third – a significant and seemingly large proportion – of consumers tend to avoid asking for help.</p>
<p>These studies also enabled us to build a psychometric measurement tool to assess the tendency of each individual to be more or less avoidant. The common behaviour of help-seeking avoidance is based on two dimensions, stemming from the qualitative part of the study. The first dimension is the refusal to ask for help because it causes embarrassment or even shame for the asker, as one consumer we interviewed explained:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Sometimes you feel ashamed, because you are afraid that the person you are talking to might think you don’t understand anything.”</p>
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<p>The second dimension lies in the evaluation of the interlocutor. More specifically, in both their perceived willingness and their perceived ability to help, as illustrated by this statement of a consumer:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“[Companies] are all the same, they are always rude and they never solve your problems.”</p>
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<p>These two dimensions contribute to explain consumers’ intention to seek help or not. This research also highlights the relationship between the avoidance tendency and specific psychological traits such as an external <a href="https://dictionary.apa.org/locus-of-control">locus of control</a> (the tendency to attribute the cause of events outside one’s control to others, a specific context, for example), <a href="https://dictionary.apa.org/state-orientation">state orientation</a> (the tendency not to act) and <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/social-anxiety/">social anxiety</a>.</p>
<h2>Companies can take action</h2>
<p>Difficulties encountered are admittedly damaging for the consumer, but they are also ultimately damaging for the company. Indeed, a customer who cannot have full use of one’s product may abandon not only the product, but the brand. One may also express dissatisfaction or frustration and spread negative word of mouth. Incidentally, there is a high failure rate for high-tech product launches.</p>
<p>What can companies do to ease and encourage requests from their customers? First of all, they can act on the potential embarrassment. Indeed, it appears that help requested through a screen leads to less discomfort. In this respect, live chat is a very interesting tool to encourage the triggering of requests.</p>
<p>In addition, companies can communicate about their willingness and ability to assist their customers – and dedramatise assistance requests. Indeed, many companies still do not advertise on means available to contact them, often for fear of having to manage too many customer contacts. According to our research, this is interpreted by consumers as unwillingness to help.</p>
<p>Moreover, communicating the positive results of customers requesting help or, more generally, of contacts with the customer service would also be an effective lever. Finally, in addition to being beneficial for customer satisfaction, requests for help can have another positive impact: for example, they allow improvements to be made to products and services.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173716/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ben Voyer has received funding from the Cartier - ESCP - HEC Paris Turning Points Chair</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marion Sanglé-Ferrière ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>One person out of three does not dare to turn to the supplier in case of problems. Feeling of shame, as well as doubts about the ability of the person they are dealing explain that figure.Marion Sanglé-Ferrière, Maître de conférence en marketing, CY Cergy Paris UniversitéBen Voyer, Cartier Chaired Professor of Behavioural Sciences, Full Professor, Department of Entrepreneurship, ESCP Business SchoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1740092022-01-09T13:16:40Z2022-01-09T13:16:40ZHow social media can crush your self-esteem<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439352/original/file-20220104-15-1n279an.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C0%2C994%2C567&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Using social media increases our natural tendency to compare ourselves. How does this affect our well-being?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>We all have a natural tendency to compare ourselves to others, whether intentionally or not, online or offline. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.1.129">Such comparisons help us evaluate our own achievements</a>, skills, personality and our emotions. This, in turn, influences how we see ourselves.</p>
<p>But what impact do these comparisons have on our well-being? It depends on how much comparing we do. </p>
<p>Comparing ourselves on social media to people who are worse off than we are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000204">makes us feel better</a>. Comparing ourselves to people who are doing better than us, however, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000204">makes us feel inferior or inadequate instead</a>. The social media platform we choose also affects our morale, as do crisis situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>
<p>As a PhD student in psychology, I am studying incels — men who perceive the rejection of women as the cause of their involuntary celibacy. I believe that social comparison, which plays as much a role in these marginal groups as it does in the general population, affects our general well-being in the age of social media.</p>
<h2>An optimal level of comparison</h2>
<p>The degree of social comparison that individuals carry out is thought to affect the degree of motivation they have. According to a study by researchers at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, there is an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000204">optimal level of perceived difference between the self and others</a> that maximizes the effects of social comparison.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman sitting on a sofa, holding a cell phone in one hand and holding her head in distress with the other." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439759/original/file-20220106-23-1fjgtki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439759/original/file-20220106-23-1fjgtki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439759/original/file-20220106-23-1fjgtki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439759/original/file-20220106-23-1fjgtki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439759/original/file-20220106-23-1fjgtki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439759/original/file-20220106-23-1fjgtki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439759/original/file-20220106-23-1fjgtki.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When people compare themselves to others who appear to be better off, they feel inferior, disatisfied or inadequate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Specifically, if we see ourselves as vastly superior to others, we will not be motivated to improve because we already feel that we are in a good position. Yet, if we perceive ourselves as very inferior, we will not be motivated to improve since the goal seems too difficult to achieve.</p>
<p>In other words, the researchers note, beyond or below the optimal level of perceived difference between oneself and another, a person no longer makes any effort. By perceiving oneself as inferior, the individual will experience negative emotions, guilt and lowered pride and self-esteem.</p>
<h2>Unrealistic comparisons on social media</h2>
<p>Social comparisons therefore have consequences both for our behaviour and for our psychological well-being. However, comparing yourself to others at a restaurant dinner does not necessarily have the same effect as comparing yourself to others on Facebook. It is easier to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376482">invent an exciting existence or embellish certain aspects of things on a social media platform than it is in real life</a>.</p>
<p>The advent of social media, which allows us to share content where we always appear in our best light, has led many researchers to consider the possibility that this amplifies unrealistic comparisons.</p>
<p>Research shows that the more time people spend on Facebook and Instagram, the more they compare themselves socially. This social comparison is linked, among other things, to lower self-esteem and higher social anxiety. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A cartoon of a smiling woman on a social media post, but unhappy in real life." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439760/original/file-20220106-25-1u9f04t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439760/original/file-20220106-25-1u9f04t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439760/original/file-20220106-25-1u9f04t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439760/original/file-20220106-25-1u9f04t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439760/original/file-20220106-25-1u9f04t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=685&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439760/original/file-20220106-25-1u9f04t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=685&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439760/original/file-20220106-25-1u9f04t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=685&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many people share only positive moments in their lives on social media.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A study conducted by researchers at the National University of Singapore <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120912488">explains these results</a> by the fact that people generally present positive information about themselves on social media. They can also enhance their appearance by using filters, which create the impression that there is a big difference between themselves and others.</p>
<p>In turn, researchers working at Facebook observed that the more people looked at content where people were sharing positive aspects of their lives on the platform, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376482">the more likely they were to compare themselves to others</a>.</p>
<h2>COVID-19: Less negative social comparison</h2>
<p>However, could the effect of this comparison in a particularly stressful context like the COVID-19 pandemic be different?</p>
<p>A study from researchers at Kore University in Enna, Italy, showed that before lockdowns, high levels of online social comparison were associated with greater distress, loneliness and a less satisfying life. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110486">But this was no longer the case during lockdowns</a>.</p>
<p>One reason for this would be that by comparing themselves to others during the lockdown, people felt they were sharing the same difficult experience. That reduced the negative impact of social comparisons. So, comparing oneself to others online during difficult times can be a positive force for improving relationships and sharing feelings of fear and uncertainty.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Four female friends greeting each other on an online video call." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439761/original/file-20220106-19-19r7g0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/439761/original/file-20220106-19-19r7g0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439761/original/file-20220106-19-19r7g0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439761/original/file-20220106-19-19r7g0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439761/original/file-20220106-19-19r7g0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439761/original/file-20220106-19-19r7g0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/439761/original/file-20220106-19-19r7g0x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The shared difficult experiences of COVID-19 lockdowns reduced the negative impacts of social comparisons.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A different effect depending on the social media</h2>
<p>There are distinctions to be made depending on which social media platform a person is using. Researchers at the University of Lorraine, France, consider <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248384">that social media platforms should not be all lumped together</a>.</p>
<p>For example, the use of Facebook and Instagram is associated with lower well-being, while Twitter is associated with more positive emotions and higher life satisfaction. One possible explanation: Facebook and Instagram are known to be places for positive self-presentation, unlike Twitter, where it is more appropriate to share one’s real opinions and emotions.</p>
<p>Trying to get social support on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic may reactivate negative emotions instead of releasing them, depending on which social media platform a person is using.</p>
<p>Many things motivate us to compare ourselves socially. Whether we like it or not, social media exposes us to more of those motivations. Depending on the type of content that is being shared, whether it is positive or negative, we tend to refer to it when we are self-evaluating. Sharing content that makes us feel good about ourselves and garners praise from others is nice, but you have to consider the effect of these posts on others.</p>
<p>Yet overall, I believe that sharing your difficulties in words, pictures or videos can still have positive effects and bring psychological benefits.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174009/count.gif" alt="La Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sabrina Laplante ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>Comparing ourselves to people who are worse off than we are on social media should make us feel better. The opposite is true.Sabrina Laplante, Candidate au doctorat en psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1690892021-10-10T19:08:21Z2021-10-10T19:08:21ZWhy you might feel anxious after lockdown – and how to cope<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425388/original/file-20211008-16-1hj7rma.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3000%2C1998&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/rXrMy7mXUEs">Joice Kelly/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As lockdown eases today in New South Wales, and will do so in Victoria later this month, many people will begin readjusting to “normal” life.</p>
<p>Exiting lockdown after several months can lead to a range of feelings, from excitement and relief to stress and worry.</p>
<p>While it may seem counter-intuitive to feel anxious about returning to past freedoms and ways of life, it’s natural for such a major change to be stressful.</p>
<p>So why might it be anxiety-inducing, and how can you cope?</p>
<h2>Mixed emotions</h2>
<p>Humans are creatures of habit, and the lockdowns have persisted long enough for people to become comfortable with and accustomed to their lockdown daily routines – even those parts they don’t like. Reinventing a new daily routine takes effort, as it requires overriding our current habits and inertia.</p>
<p>Furthermore, some people may experience certain aspects of lockdown as beneficial, such as not commuting to work, spending more time with immediate family or roommates, and greater flexibility in work hours. People may miss these <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hpja.494">positive aspects</a> after lockdown ends.</p>
<p>Home may also have become associated with safety and control during lockdown, so resuming life in public can seem daunting.</p>
<p>What’s more, while lockdown may come to an end, there’s uncertainty regarding the pandemic’s future impact on our lives, creating a new backdrop of anxiety.</p>
<p>For all these reasons, many people may have mixed emotions – <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7875066/">including anxiety and fear</a> – about leaving lockdown.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People socialising and laughing outdoors" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425392/original/file-20211008-13-1hgmcfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425392/original/file-20211008-13-1hgmcfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425392/original/file-20211008-13-1hgmcfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425392/original/file-20211008-13-1hgmcfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425392/original/file-20211008-13-1hgmcfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425392/original/file-20211008-13-1hgmcfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425392/original/file-20211008-13-1hgmcfj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Home has been a safe space for many of us amid lockdown. So returning to ‘normal’ life may be challenging.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Everyone has experienced lockdown differently</h2>
<p>While everyone responds differently, returning from lockdown may be especially difficult for some groups of people.</p>
<p>In particular, people with psychological conditions associated with anxiety when outside the home or interacting with people <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7831769/">may have experienced less social stress than usual during lockdown</a>, if they weren’t faced with as many anxiety-provoking situations. These include some people with, for example, social anxiety, agoraphobia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or people on the autism spectrum. </p>
<p>At the same time, many of these people also felt <a href="https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-021-00424-y">greater loneliness and other anxieties during lockdown</a>, similar to the general population.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/most-of-us-will-recover-our-mental-health-after-lockdown-but-some-will-find-it-harder-to-bounce-back-169029">Most of us will recover our mental health after lockdown. But some will find it harder to bounce back</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<p>Other people may be experiencing strong anxiety or depression for the first time, or may feel overwhelming worry about contracting COVID or the impact of the pandemic.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00189/full">wealth of research</a> has shown that when people avoid situations that make them feel anxious, they may feel less stress immediately, but over time avoidance makes them feel as anxious or even more anxious in those situations in the future.</p>
<p>In contrast, engaging in these situations repeatedly helps reduce anxiety over time, as demonstrated by treatments like <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093533">exposure therapy</a>.</p>
<p>This process seems to manifest in lockdown. One study found that although college students’ social anxiety tended to decrease over the course of the academic year in recent years, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8117800/">anxiety remained high during this same period in lockdown</a>, perhaps due to decreased social interactions. </p>
<p>While reduced interaction with the public during lockdown may have eased social stress for some people, it may also make it more challenging to re-engage in these interactions now.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1382980154687954947"}"></div></p>
<h2>4 ideas to help you cope</h2>
<p>There are numerous strategies you can use to help you successfully cope with anxiety and worry as you leave lockdown behind.</p>
<p><strong>1. Expect a readjustment phase</strong></p>
<p>It can be helpful simply to remind yourself a period of readjustment is normal, given the unusual and stressful situation the world is facing, and any distress is generally temporary.</p>
<p>Keeping this in mind can lead to more realistic expectations for yourself and others who might be struggling, as well as greater <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.585270/full">compassion for yourself</a> and others. Allowing some downtime and leeway for bad days will facilitate a quicker and smoother readjustment.</p>
<p><strong>2. Talk to supportive friends</strong></p>
<p>Seeking support from others you feel comfortable with and talking about how you’re feeling is also important for many people, particularly as others may be struggling with the same feelings and challenges.</p>
<p><strong>3. Re-engage with fun</strong></p>
<p>You can also make an effort to do activities you generally find enjoyable and/or meaningful — particularly those you haven’t been able to do during lockdown and were looking forward to, even if you have mixed feelings now about doing them.</p>
<p><strong>4. Stay in the moment</strong></p>
<p>Deep breathing or <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.585270/full">mindfulness practice</a> can help people get through difficult emotions or situations following lockdown.</p>
<p>Although many things about the pandemic are out of our control, taking concrete steps to decrease your stress level — even in small ways — can help you feel better and more in control.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/languishing-burnout-and-stigma-are-all-among-the-possible-psychological-impacts-as-delta-lingers-in-the-community-167103">Languishing, burnout and stigma are all among the possible psychological impacts as Delta lingers in the community</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>When should you see a professional?</h2>
<p>For most people, anxiety and stress post-lockdown will be mild and will fade quickly as people settle back into their pre-lockdown routines.</p>
<p>However, there are some signs that indicate you may benefit from seeking professional help. These include experiencing distress or anxiety that persists for weeks and is impacting your ability to function well at work or at home.</p>
<p>Others may find they’re still managing to get through their day, but have strong worries about COVID or leaving the house that don’t go away and make it difficult to focus or be present. Lots of people may have bad days or occasional feelings like this, but help may be needed if these experiences are severe and/or persistent. If you are feeling hopeless and thinking of harming yourself, please seek help immediately.</p>
<p>While some people may require longer to readjust post-lockdown than others, there’s support available to help people return to their pre-lockdown lives and enjoy the freedoms that go along with it.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169089/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristin Naragon-Gainey receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (United States). The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.</span></em></p>Home may have become associated with safety and control during lockdown, so resuming life in public can seem daunting.Kristin Naragon-Gainey, Associate Professor, School of Psychological Science, and Director, Emotional Wellbeing Lab, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1484822020-10-29T13:51:30Z2020-10-29T13:51:30ZHikikomori: understanding the people who choose to live in extreme isolation<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/365764/original/file-20201027-19-11xu5h8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=46%2C0%2C5184%2C3453&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Hikikomori live in a state of extreme and distressing withdrawal.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/depressed-young-man-sitting-his-bedroom-466344536">Momentum Fotograh/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s pretty normal to sometimes feel like you want to hide away from the stresses and pressures of the outside world. In fact, shortlived periods of withdrawal can reduce acute stress responses and can help us overcome <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/10105-011">illness and exhaustion</a>. Periods of solace and isolation can also help with important phases of development – such as exploring one’s <a href="https://search.proquest.com/docview/195929016?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar">identity during adolescence</a>. </p>
<p>But some people don’t reemerge from natural periods of isolation. Instead, they show extreme and persistent withdrawal lasting for decades, causing distress to themselves and those who care for and support them. In Japan, this pattern of behaviour is so common it’s now known as “<em>hikikomori</em>”. </p>
<p>Problems with extreme social withdrawal in Japanese youth first gained attention during the 1990s. This is the period when Japan endured an economic “ice age”, which prevented many young people from <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00213624.2019.1594523?src=recsys">achieving their goals</a>. </p>
<p>Many responded by hiding away to conceal the shame they felt. For some, they didn’t re-emerge. The term hikikomori (derived from the verb <em>hiki</em> “to withdraw” and <em>komori</em> “to be inside”) was coined in 1998 by Japanese psychiatrist Professor Tamaki Saito. Saito chose the term to describe the many young people he saw who didn’t fit criteria for mental health diagnosis, but were nonetheless in a state of extreme, distressing withdrawal. </p>
<p>Hikikomori is currently viewed as a sociocultural mental health phenomenon, rather than a distinct mental illness. Given at least <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5775123/">1.2% of the population</a> (around a million people) are affected, hikikomori is a significant social and health problem. Hikikomori is also increasingly being identified in <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/30798886">other countries</a>. The term is now used across the world to describe anyone who fits the criteria.</p>
<p>There are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wps.20705">several core features</a> of hikikomori. This includes the affected person being physically isolated in their home for at least six months, cut off from meaningful social relationships, with significant distress and functional impairment – such as avoiding tasks where they might have to interact with someone, or deal with basic self-care needs. </p>
<p>Alongside physical isolation, hikikomori people show an extreme psychological detachment from the social world. Places where active social interaction is expected – such as a school or work – becomes impossible for the person. They remain socially disconnected from those around them whether they are outside their house or not. While some hikikomori people, called <em>soto-komori</em>, can manage some activities outside, they will rarely interact with people. Some may use the internet as a window on the world, but they often won’t interact with others. </p>
<h2>Shame and trauma</h2>
<p>Research shows traumatic experiences of shame and defeat are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6696793/">commonly reported as triggers</a> across cultures – such as failing important exams, or not securing a cherished job. It’s possible that Japan’s cultural value system may make this population more vulnerable due to the pressure for collective uniformity and the fear of <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25790914?seq=1">social shame</a>. Hikikomori people avoid re-traumatisation by choosing to opt out of the “normal” pathway set out for them by society. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317109268_Les_Hikikomori_ou_les_disparus-vivants_qui_ne_voulaient_pas_mourir">Our work</a> on the French hikikomori population and those from <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/06/01/lifestyle/prison-inside-japans-hikikomori-lack-relationships-not-physical-spaces/">other populations</a> show that although many wish society would forget them, they cannot and will not forget the world they left behind. Instead, they <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2018/february/japan-hikikomori-isolation-society/">passively observe the world</a> via online gaming and social media in a form of “social death”. Experts are also beginning to explore hikikomori’s <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-international/article/international-experience-of-hikikomori-prolonged-social-withdrawal-and-its-relevance-to-psychiatric-research/6853F26FF14159B1986F5680E210B6E">possible connection</a> with autism, depression, social anxiety and agoraphobia. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young man with glasses sitting in a dark room in front of his computer screen." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/365765/original/file-20201027-21-shto24.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/365765/original/file-20201027-21-shto24.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365765/original/file-20201027-21-shto24.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365765/original/file-20201027-21-shto24.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365765/original/file-20201027-21-shto24.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365765/original/file-20201027-21-shto24.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/365765/original/file-20201027-21-shto24.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many hikikomori watch the world using the internet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/thoughtful-young-man-glasses-thinking-using-440916112">Dean Drobot/ Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Not only does a hikikomori person lose many years of their life in isolation, the condition also affects their family. Typically, Japanese parents of hikikomori people dedicate years to ensure their child’s basic living needs are met. This means there are seldom natural triggers to push them to get help. Mental health as well as educational and social care services are too often focused on responding to more dramatic or visible problems. This leaves families feeling stuck and isolated. </p>
<p>As global recognition of hikikomori increases, the prevalence of the condition is <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190129-the-plight-of-japans-modern-hermits">likely to rise</a>. In turn, it will highlight the need for better treatment options. Currently, treatments focus on physical activity, rebuilding the capacity for <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-46885707">social interaction</a>, and taking a gradual approach to reengaging with work or study. Therapies that involve the <a href="https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2405-8440%2819%2936670-8">whole family</a> are also being tested. </p>
<p>Recovery may also involve <a href="https://theconversation.com/hikikomori-artists-how-japans-extreme-recluses-find-creativity-and-self-discovery-in-isolation-155420">helping hikikomori people</a> find ways of expressing their abilities and talents in a socially acceptable way. For example, the Japanese artist <a href="https://www.atsushi-watanabe.jp/english-1/">Atsushi Watanabe</a> used art and social activism to help his recovery from hikikomori. </p>
<p>The very nature of hikikomori means that reaching out for help is very unlikely. And perhaps this lifestyle choice could be seen as acceptable because of COVID-19 – especially given many of us are now working from home and are socialising using the internet. Fear of infection, job loss, and social disruption due to lockdown rules could also add to the risk of persistent social withdrawal and detachment for many people. </p>
<p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wps.20804">Our view</a> is that we need to be aware of a potential rise in extreme and persistent social withdrawl during the pandemic. Many young people may currently be feeling hopeless and may not see prospects for a new beginning, or may feel unable to reach their goals. Those that may have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic may also detach to avoid further shame and suffering. An increase in severe and persistent withdrawal will go unnoticed unless we ensure everyone can get the help they need to stay connected with society.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148482/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hamish J. McLeod has received funding for work on Hikikomori from The Sasakawa Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tadaaki Furuhashi receives funding from Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) in Japan</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maki Rooksby does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Traumatic experiences (usually of shame or defeat) lead many people across the globe to cut themselves off from social contact and withdraw from society.Maki Rooksby, Post-doctoral researcher, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of GlasgowHamish J. McLeod, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of GlasgowTadaaki Furuhashi, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Nagoya UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1489812020-10-29T02:51:16Z2020-10-29T02:51:16ZFear of going out? Here’s how Melburnians can manage anxiety when returning to ‘normal’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/366077/original/file-20201028-21-2nwxy0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6500%2C4330&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many Melburnians are joyous at the prospect of a return to socialising, as the city <a href="https://theconversation.com/today-marks-the-official-end-of-the-second-wave-in-victoria-as-old-freedoms-return-148626">regains some old freedoms</a> this week following significantly eased coronavirus restrictions.</p>
<p>Social media is <a href="https://twitter.com/kristian_silva/status/1321082385278980097">teeming with images</a> of people looking ecstatic about the end of lockdown.</p>
<p>But in stark contrast to these images, some people might feel nervous about socialising or going out again — especially those who were anxious before the pandemic. If you feel like your social skills are a bit rusty, you might feel more comfortable at home. And the fear of another lockdown might also make you want to avoid going out altogether.</p>
<p>And on top of these, there’s a raft of new and often complicated rules to understand, which can be overwhelming and draining. Then there’s the stress and pressure of making plans and having busy schedules again.</p>
<p>However, it’s important to remember there are ways to cope. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/today-marks-the-official-end-of-the-second-wave-in-victoria-as-old-freedoms-return-148626">Today marks the official end of the second wave in Victoria, as old freedoms return</a>
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<h2>Fear of going out</h2>
<p>It’s helpful to remember you’re in an unusual situation with no perfect map of how to cope, or a “right” or “wrong” way to get through it. For most people, the anxiety will naturally ease over time. It’s normal to feel anxious, nervous, apprehensive, and even overwhelmed, and equally normal to find yourself feeling excited or joyous. It’s also OK to take your time and slowly ease back into how things were before the lockdown started. </p>
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<p>It’s OK to say no to some events or situations if you don’t feel comfortable with them at first. </p>
<p>However, if you’re shy or nervous in social situations, avoiding social situations completely can make it worse. The more we avoid, the scarier socialising becomes, and the less chance we have to discover we often cope better than we expect.</p>
<p>To build your confidence, it can be helpful to take it step by step, using the principles of <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-exposure-therapy-and-how-can-it-treat-social-anxiety-64483">exposure therapy</a>. Begin by socialising with people you feel more comfortable with, and then gradually building up to larger crowds, such as in shops, pubs or other large venues. </p>
<p>It’s also useful to be conscious of negative thoughts that make you feel more anxious, and learn techniques to challenge and change these thoughts into more realistic or helpful ones that help you feel more confident. <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-cognitive-behaviour-therapy-37351">Cognitive behavioural therapy</a> teaches you practical techniques to manage anxious thoughts, and is available <a href="https://thiswayup.org.au/courses/the-social-anxiety-course/">online</a>. </p>
<h2>Coronaphobia</h2>
<p>Melbourne has <a href="https://theconversation.com/finally-at-zero-new-cases-victoria-is-on-top-of-the-world-after-unprecedented-lockdown-effort-148808">conquered its second wave</a> of COVID-19 and is now seeing very low new daily case numbers, with a 14-day rolling average <a href="https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1321562702108655617">of just 2.4</a>.</p>
<p>Although the risk of contracting COVID-19 is now much lower, it’s normal to still feel some anxiety about contracting it, or worry about unwittingly spreading the virus to your loved ones. The invisible nature of the virus, and the fact it can be spread by people without symptoms, is what’s had public health authorities and epidemiologists so concerned. And with a lot of exposure to public health messaging to stay safe and protect yourself and the community, it’s easy to have internalised these messages so much that the outside world feels dangerous.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0236562">research</a> at the Black Dog Institute with 5,070 Australian adults showed that while many feared contracting COVID-19, it was also common to worry about loved ones getting it.</p>
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<p>It’s normal to feel a bit worried about COVID-19, as you return to restaurants, pubs, cafes and workplaces. But there are <a href="https://theconversation.com/7-ways-to-manage-your-coronaphobia-138120">some signs</a> to look out for that your worries might be getting out of hand, and that it’s time to seek some help. </p>
<p>If you find it hard to stop worrying, the worries are persistent or intense, you constantly check yourself for symptoms, you actively avoid certain situations, you’ve become overly obsessive about decontaminating surfaces or your clothes, or if anxiety interferes with your life, you might find it helpful to chat to a psychologist. The best place to start is to talk to your GP to get a referral to a psychologist, or you can complete a brief online assessment to get evidence-based treatment recommendations, such as the Black Dog Institute’s <a href="https://onlineclinic.blackdoginstitute.org.au/">Online Clinic</a>. </p>
<p>There are also ways you can manage these anxieties, including by reducing the time you spend reading <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-too-much-news-is-bad-news-is-the-way-we-consume-news-detrimental-to-our-health-146568">media reports</a> about the virus, avoiding <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-dr-googles-making-you-sick-with-worry-theres-help-125070">googling about the virus</a>, and learning ways to help you feel safe, but also work towards returning to normal at a pace you feel comfortable with. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/7-ways-to-manage-your-coronaphobia-138120">7 ways to manage your #coronaphobia</a>
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<h2>Feeling overwhelmed</h2>
<p>Managing fear of another lockdown, anxiety about socialising, and fear of COVID-19 are all happening on top of rules like remembering to bring your mask with you and wear it. And no doubt many business owners and staff will be stressed about maintaining hygiene and ensuring their venues are COVID-safe. </p>
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<p>There are undoubtedly good reasons for these rules. But processing, internalising, and remembering the various rules can be draining, and put more cognitive load on people who may already feel tired, uncertain, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0236562">stressed</a> and overwhelmed. </p>
<p>It can help to learn techniques to break down what feels overwhelming into smaller, more manageable steps, and to write things down (like the rules!) so you’re not overloading your already taxed memory. It might also help to learn ways to combat stress, such as improving your sleep habits, doing physical activity, learning relaxation techniques, and sharing how you’re feeling with others so you feel supported and not alone.</p>
<p>Go a bit easier on yourself if you’ve been expecting too much of yourself, or are too self-critical. It also helps to take breaks away from work, and from stressful situations, including smaller mini-breaks during the day, but also longer breaks like a holiday.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-wonder-isolations-so-tiring-all-those-extra-tiny-decisions-are-taxing-our-brains-136965">No wonder isolation's so tiring. All those extra, tiny decisions are taxing our brains</a>
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<p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone
you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/148981/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jill Newby receives funding from the Australian Medical Research Future Fund, and the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation.</span></em></p>It’s helpful to remember you’re in an unusual situation with no perfect map of how to cope, or a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to get through it.Jill Newby, Associate Professor and MRFF Career Development Fellow, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1392072020-05-26T20:10:53Z2020-05-26T20:10:53Z7 tips to help kids feeling anxious about going back to school<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337292/original/file-20200525-55456-1yskn44.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=131%2C232%2C5044%2C3212&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Veja/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As COVID-19 lockdown measures are lifted, some children may experience social anxiety about the prospect of returning to school.</p>
<p>People with <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223165" title="Sub-types of safety behaviours and their effects on social anxiety disorder">social anxiety</a> may fear embarrassment or the expectation to perform in social situations, or worry exceedingly about <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YZ-BDwAAQBAJ" title="Exposure Therapy for Anxiety">people judging them poorly</a>.</p>
<p>In certain situations, people with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542195/" title="Neuroanatomy, Sympathetic Nervous System">anxiety</a> may find their heart beats quicker as adrenalin is released into their blood stream, more oxygen flows to the blood and brain, and even digestion may slow down.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-want-to-send-the-kids-back-to-school-why-not-try-unschooling-at-home-136256">Don't want to send the kids back to school? Why not try unschooling at home?</a>
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<p>These are helpful responses if you need to run away or fight danger. But social situations are generally not life threatening, and these physical symptoms can interfere with socialising. </p>
<p>People with social anxiety may fear looking silly, being judged, laughed at or being the focus of attention. For anyone, such experiences might be unwelcome but for those with social anxiety they pose an <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YZ-BDwAAQBAJ" title="Exposure Therapy for Anxiety">unacceptable threat</a>. </p>
<h2>Social anxiety in Australian children</h2>
<p>One Australian <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/news/publication-child-and-adolescence-mental-health-and-educational-outcomes-report" title="Child and Adolescence Mental Health and Educational Outcomes">report</a> found that about 6.9% of children and adolescents surveyed have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, 4.3% experience separation anxiety and 2.3% a social phobia.</p>
<p>Social phobia (social anxiety) is more common in adolescents, whereas separation anxiety (intense anxiety over leaving caregivers, such as parents) is more prevalent in children.</p>
<p>These figures only account for those who have a diagnosis of anxiety. They do not include undiagnosed young people who experience high stress in social situations. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337492/original/file-20200526-106842-nlt5vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=489&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Not all children will be happy to be back in school.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tom Wang/Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>Any recent prolonged absence from school may have increased social anxiety, as avoiding what you fear can make <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YZ-BDwAAQBAJ" title="Exposure Therapy for Anxiety">your fear become greater</a>. </p>
<p>This is because you do not get to learn that the thing you fear is actually safe. Your beliefs about the threat go unchallenged. </p>
<p>Anxiety can also increase through what pyschologists call reduced <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=YZ-BDwAAQBAJ" title="Exposure Therapy for Anxiety">tolerance</a>. The more children withdraw from the situations that cause them fear, the less tolerance they have for those situations. </p>
<h2>Anxiety can affect education</h2>
<p>The educational cost for students with anxiety is considerable.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://youngmindsmatter.telethonkids.org.au/NAPLAN">research</a> shows students with poor mental health can be between seven to 11 months behind in year 3, and 1.5 – 2.8 years behind by year 9. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-reasons-its-safe-for-kids-to-go-back-to-school-137064">5 reasons it's safe for kids to go back to school</a>
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<p>That’s because these students experience more absences from school, poorer connection to school, lower levels of belonging and less engagement with schoolwork. </p>
<h2>7 strategies to help overcome social anxiety</h2>
<p>So what can children do to overcome anxiety as they return to school? Here are some useful tips.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>deal with some of the physical symptoms. It is hard to think if your body is stressed. Use calming strategies like mindfulness or breathing exercises. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6137615/" title="How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing">Slowing your breathing</a> can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger and confusion. Useful apps to help you control your breathing include <a href="https://www.smilingmind.com.au/smiling-mind-app">Smiling Mind</a> (iOS and Android) or <a href="https://apkpure.com/breathing-bubbles/com.momentous.breathing">Breathing Bubbles</a> (Android only)</p></li>
<li><p>anxiety increases while using <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223165" title="Sub-types of safety behaviours and their effects on social anxiety disorder">avoidance techniques</a> such as avoiding eye contact, not raising your hand to answer a question or not attending school. So the most effective way to deal with social anxiety might be to face it. Allow your child to have small experiences of social success – give their opinion to one person, start a conversation with someone they know – so they can learn to feel safe in these social situations</p></li>
<li><p>fear and anxiety are normal and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-slow/201307/the-benefits-fear">benefit us</a> by helping us to respond efficiently to danger. Rather than read your body as under threat, think about the changes as helpful. Your body is preparing you for action</p></li>
<li><p>while avoiding your fears is not the answer, being fully exposed to them is not the answer either. Providing overwhelming social experiences may lead to overwhelming fear and failure, and may make anxiety sufferers less likely to try again - or at all. Start small and build their courage</p></li>
<li><p>supportive listening and counselling are less effective than facing your fears because these approaches can accommodate the fears. While you want to support your child by providing them with comfort and encouragement – ensure you also encourage them to face the fears that cause the anxiety</p></li>
<li><p>you cannot promise negative things won’t happen. It is possible you will be embarrassed or be judged. Rather than trying to avoid these events, try reframing them. Remember that we all experience negative social feedback, and this does not make you silly or of less value. It makes you normal. Or, rather than seeing it as embarrassing, maybe it can be funny</p></li>
<li><p>remember it is the “perception” that something is a threat – not the reality. Reasoning with your child to help them see your perspective may not change theirs. This reality only changes with positive real experiences. </p></li>
</ol>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gxxmV_PwFOc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Breathing Bubbles in action.</span></figcaption>
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<p>What we think is truth is often revealed as untrue when we face our fears. There is joy in social situations. Keep turning up to them.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-not-to-fall-for-coronavirus-bs-avoid-the-7-deadly-sins-of-thought-133069">How not to fall for coronavirus BS: avoid the 7 deadly sins of thought</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/139207/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mandie Shean does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Going back to school can be tough for children who suffer from social anxiety.Mandie Shean, Lecturer, School of Education, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1385172020-05-25T06:35:25Z2020-05-25T06:35:25ZCoronavirus lockdown made many of us anxious. But for some people, returning to ‘normal’ might be scarier<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/336313/original/file-20200520-152284-e1ck4d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C0%2C5354%2C3577&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many Australians have welcomed the gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions. We can now catch up with friends and family in small numbers, and get out and about a little more than we’ve been able to for a couple of months.</p>
<p>All being well, restrictions will continue to be lifted in the weeks and months to come, allowing us slowly to return to some kind of “normal”.</p>
<p>This is good news for the economy and employment, and will hopefully help ease the high levels of <a href="https://psychology.anu.edu.au/research/projects/australian-national-covid-19-mental-health-behaviour-and-risk-communication-survey">distress and mental health problems</a> our community has been experiencing during the pandemic.</p>
<p>For some people, however, the idea of reconnecting with the outside world may provoke other anxieties.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/7-ways-to-manage-your-coronaphobia-138120">7 ways to manage your #coronaphobia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Social distancing and mental health</h2>
<p>We <a href="https://psychology.anu.edu.au/research/projects/australian-national-covid-19-mental-health-behaviour-and-risk-communication-survey">surveyed</a> a <a href="http://methods.sagepub.com/Reference/encyclopedia-of-survey-research-methods/n469.xml">representative sample</a> of Australian adults at the end of March, about a week after restaurants and cafes first closed, and with gatherings restricted to two people. </p>
<p>Even at this early stage, it was clear levels of depression and anxiety were much higher than usual in the community.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, exposure to the coronavirus itself had minimal impact on people’s mental health. We found the social and financial disruption caused by the restrictions had a much more marked effect. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-all-doom-and-gloom-even-in-a-pandemic-mixed-emotions-are-more-common-than-negative-ones-138014">Not all doom and gloom: even in a pandemic, mixed emotions are more common than negative ones</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Many people in our survey reported the restrictions also benefited them in some way. Around two-thirds of people listed at least one positive impact coronavirus has had on them, such as spending more time with family. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337243/original/file-20200525-124860-1kidie1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/337243/original/file-20200525-124860-1kidie1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337243/original/file-20200525-124860-1kidie1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337243/original/file-20200525-124860-1kidie1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337243/original/file-20200525-124860-1kidie1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337243/original/file-20200525-124860-1kidie1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/337243/original/file-20200525-124860-1kidie1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">For many people, lockdown has been an opportunity to enjoy more time with family.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Another positive thing we’ve seen is communities coming together in new ways. For instance, teddy bears have appeared in windows for neighbourhood children to find, with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/659529201540181/">We’re Going On a Bear Hunt Australia</a> connecting more than 20,000 followers on Facebook.</p>
<p>More than half of our survey respondents were hopeful “society will have improved in one or more ways” after the pandemic.</p>
<h2>Adjusting to the ‘new normal’</h2>
<p>Our findings show adverse events can affect mental health and well-being in unanticipated and mixed ways.</p>
<p>Because we haven’t experienced anything like the coronavirus pandemic in recent history, we simply don’t know how our community will readjust as restrictions ease.</p>
<p>Some people may feel particularly anxious about reconnecting. For example, people with social anxiety might experience heightened anxiety about the prospect of socialising again.</p>
<p>One of the main evidence-based treatments for social anxiety is <a href="https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/ijct.2008.1.2.94">exposure</a> therapy. When social exposure is reduced, as has been the case over the last couple of months, social anxiety may flare up, making returning to social gatherings particularly daunting.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-is-stressful-here-are-some-ways-to-cope-with-the-anxiety-133146">Coronavirus is stressful. Here are some ways to cope with the anxiety</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Meanwhile, people who fear germs, such as some people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), might worry about re-entering public spaces. </p>
<p>Even people who don’t normally have these tendencies might share similar worries. Our survey found around half of Australians were at least moderately concerned about becoming infected with COVID-19.</p>
<p>People who experienced psychological conditions before the pandemic may be able to draw on skills they’ve learned through therapy to help them re-engage. But people without any prior experience of anxiety or depression could struggle more because they have never had to manage these conditions before.</p>
<h2>Tips for people who are feeling anxious</h2>
<p>Whether you have previously experienced anxiety or not, there are several strategies you can use to manage your worries around re-engaging. </p>
<p>One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/16506073.2016.1231219">effective</a> psychological approach to managing anxiety is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). </p>
<p>CBT involves learning about how your thoughts affect your mood, and developing strategies to manage problematic thinking patterns. Importantly, CBT can be <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16506073.2017.1401115">effectively delivered online</a>.</p>
<p>CBT might also include developing a social or germ “exposure hierarchy”. For instance, working up from seeing a few people briefly to longer interactions, with more people. There are some critical ingredients that make exposure therapy work though, so it’s important to get advice from a <a href="https://www.psychology.org.au/Find-a-Psychologist">psychologist</a> or follow an <a href="https://beacon.anu.edu.au/">evidence-based online program</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/336327/original/file-20200520-152284-lyex93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/336327/original/file-20200520-152284-lyex93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/336327/original/file-20200520-152284-lyex93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/336327/original/file-20200520-152284-lyex93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/336327/original/file-20200520-152284-lyex93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/336327/original/file-20200520-152284-lyex93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/336327/original/file-20200520-152284-lyex93.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If you’re feeling anxious about coming out of your isolation bubble, you’re probably not the only one.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2848393/">Mindfulness</a>, regular <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/3/187.short">exercise</a> and getting enough <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2018.10.006">sleep</a> can also help manage anxiety.</p>
<p>If you or someone you know is feeling distressed, it may also be helpful to contact relevant support services in your area – many of which now have telehealth options. </p>
<p>These may include your GP or a <a href="https://www.psychology.org.au/Find-a-Psychologist">psychologist</a>, or community services like <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a>, <a href="https://www.sane.org">SANE Australia</a>, or <a href="https://www.beyondblue.org.au/">Beyond Blue</a>.</p>
<h2>Things are likely to change over time</h2>
<p>The public health measures implemented to mitigate coronavirus risk have worked to stop the spread of the virus, but they’ve also disrupted the way we live. </p>
<p>There’s much speculation on what the future will look like, resulting in the “new normal” terminology. A key concern as we continue to navigate this new normal is our collective mental health.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/14/japan-suicides-fall-sharply-as-covid-19-lockdown-causes-shift-in-stress-factors">Japan</a> experienced a 20% decrease in suicides in April 2020 relative to April 2019. Yet predictive <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/calls-for-urgent-attention-to-covid-related-mental">modelling raises concerns</a> about suicide rates potentially rising after the pandemic recedes.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-isolation-a-feeling-138009">Is isolation a feeling?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>But it’s important to remember no model can perfectly predict the complex impacts of this unprecedented pandemic. </p>
<p>We’ll need ongoing data collection to assess how community mental health is faring over the coming months. And we’ll need to use this data to implement <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16719673">evidence-based</a> mental health strategies and policies as and when they’re needed.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/138517/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amy Dawel receives funding from The Australian National University. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Eryn Newman receives funding from The Australian National University. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sonia McCallum receives funding from The Australian National University.</span></em></p>Particularly for people with social anxiety, the prospect of reconnecting with the outside world could be daunting. But there are things you can do to make the transition a little easier.Amy Dawel, Clinical psychologist and lecturer, Australian National UniversityEryn Newman, Lecturer, Research School of Psychology, Australian National UniversitySonia McCallum, Postdoctoral Fellow, Research School of Population Health, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1277192020-01-22T03:19:40Z2020-01-22T03:19:40ZCan’t do what you need to do in a public toilet? You’re not alone – and there’s help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311270/original/file-20200122-117933-ffzg6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6000%2C3000&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Shy bladder, or paruresis, is classified as a form of social anxiety disorder.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most of us don’t give much thought to going to the toilet. We go when we need to go.</p>
<p>But for a small minority of people, the act of urinating or defecating can be a major source of anxiety – especially when public restrooms are the only facilities available.</p>
<p>Paruresis (shy bladder) and parcopresis (shy bowel) are little known mental health conditions, yet they can significantly compromise a person’s quality of life.</p>
<p>We don’t know how many people have shy bowel, but research has estimated around <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399916305542">2.8%-16.4% of the population</a> are affected by shy bladder. The condition is more common in males.</p>
<p>Our research explored the thought processes that underpin these conditions, with a view to understanding how they might best be treated.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/so-many-public-toilets-are-a-last-resort-why-not-a-restful-refuge-90381">So many public toilets are a last resort – why not a restful refuge?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What are the symptoms?</h2>
<p>Most of us will feel a little “grossed out” from time to time when using public toilets. But what we’re talking about here is different and more serious.</p>
<p>People with shy bladder and shy bowel experience <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2019/april/latest-thinking-on-paruresis-and-parcopresis">significant anxiety</a> when trying to go to the toilet, especially in public places like shopping centres, restaurants, at work or at school. Sufferers may also experience symptoms in their own home when family or friends are around.</p>
<p>Their anxiety can present in the form of increased heart rate, excessive sweating, rapid breathing, muscle tension, heart palpitations, blushing, nausea, trembling, or a combination of these.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311272/original/file-20200122-117907-1u4dxx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311272/original/file-20200122-117907-1u4dxx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311272/original/file-20200122-117907-1u4dxx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311272/original/file-20200122-117907-1u4dxx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311272/original/file-20200122-117907-1u4dxx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311272/original/file-20200122-117907-1u4dxx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311272/original/file-20200122-117907-1u4dxx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Most of us prefer to go to the toilet at home. But people with shy bladder or shy bowel may struggle to go anywhere else.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Symptoms range in severity. Some people who are more mildly affected can experience anxiety but still be able to “go”, for example when the bathroom is completely empty. Others may urinate or defecate with difficulty – for example their urine stream may be inconsistent. Some people will sit on the toilet and not be able to go at all. </p>
<p>In severe cases, sufferers may hold it in until they get home. This is uncomfortable and can even have <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/what-happens-when-you-hold-in-pee-science-2017">health consequences</a>, such as urinary tract infections.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-queues-for-womens-toilets-are-longer-than-mens-99763">Why queues for women's toilets are longer than men's</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Sufferers report difficulties relating to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/da.10061">employment, relationships and social life</a>. For example, they might avoid travelling, going to parties, or attending large events like sports matches because of their symptoms.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, people with shy bladder or shy bowel will often feel shame and embarrassment, making them less likely to seek help.</p>
<h2>It’s a type of social anxiety disorder</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm">DSM-5</a>, a manual designed to help clinicians diagnose mental health conditions, classifies shy bladder as a sub-type of social anxiety disorder.</p>
<p>The DSM-5 doesn’t make specific mention of shy bowel, but with more research we hope to see it included in the future.</p>
<p>Social anxiety disorder is characterised by an <a href="https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder">excessive fear of social situations</a>, including contact with strangers. People with the condition fear scrutiny by others, whether negative or positive evaluation.</p>
<p>We wanted to understand whether the thought processes that underpin shy bladder and shy bowel are similar to those demonstrated in people with social anxiety disorder.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-social-anxiety-disorder-36601">Explainer: what is social anxiety disorder?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Our research</h2>
<p>We canvassed <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-019-00376-w">316 undergraduate students</a> in an online survey on shy bladder and shy bowel. Some 72 participants (22.8%) self-reported symptoms of either one or both conditions.</p>
<p>We found these symptoms were influenced by particular patterns of thinking, including: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>a misinterpretation or distortion of information (for example, interpreting laughter in the restroom as being directed towards them)</p></li>
<li><p>fears around potential perceived negative evaluation (for example, a fear of being criticised for taking too long to defecate, or for sounds and smells produced during urination or defecation)</p></li>
<li><p>fears around potential perceived positive evaluation (for example, a fear of being evaluated too positively for a strong urine stream). </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Using statistical modelling, we found fear of negative evaluation was the factor most strongly associated with shy bladder or shy bowel symptoms. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311274/original/file-20200122-117933-ybe9l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311274/original/file-20200122-117933-ybe9l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311274/original/file-20200122-117933-ybe9l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311274/original/file-20200122-117933-ybe9l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311274/original/file-20200122-117933-ybe9l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311274/original/file-20200122-117933-ybe9l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/311274/original/file-20200122-117933-ybe9l0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A mental health professional is likely to be able to help.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">From shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Treatment</h2>
<p>While our study was small and more research is needed, the thought processes we identified as underpinning shy bladder and shy bowel are very similar to those we know predict social anxiety symptoms.</p>
<p>As such, people with shy bladder or shy bowel may benefit from the sorts of treatments that help people with social anxiety disorder.</p>
<p>Cognitive behavioural therapy, for example, <a href="https://www.psychology.org.au/getmedia/23c6a11b-2600-4e19-9a1d-6ff9c2f26fae/Evidence-based-psych-interventions.pdf">is known</a> to reduce social anxiety symptoms.</p>
<p>The best way to help people with these conditions will be addressing the thought processes behind shy bladder and shy bowel, especially concerns around the perceptions others might evaluate or criticise one’s urination or defecation. </p>
<p>As well as targeting unhelpful thinking, like all anxiety conditions, reducing avoidance through gradual exposure work (putting oneself in anxiety-inducing situations where one will build confidence and tolerance around anxiety) is also likely to help.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-way-to-go-to-the-toilet-squatting-or-sitting-63991">What's the best way to go to the toilet – squatting or sitting?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you can’t do what you need to do in a public restroom, know you’re not alone and you’re not going crazy. Shy bladder and shy bowel are genuine anxiety conditions and can have significant effects on your day-to-day functioning. </p>
<p>Discussing these symptoms with your doctor and/or mental health professional is likely to be an important step to freeing yourself from these conditions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127719/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Simon Knowles owns Mindovergut.com and its sub-domains (e.g. BBA.Mindovergut.com) which offers free online peer-reviewed evidence-based resources about gastrointestinal-related conditions.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kenley Kuoch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Anxiety around going to the toilet in a public place is a recognised mental health condition. We explored the thought processes behind shy bladder and shy bowel to better understand these disorders.Kenley Kuoch, PhD Candidate in Psychology, Swinburne University of TechnologySimon Robert Knowles, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1242672019-09-30T19:45:31Z2019-09-30T19:45:31Z1 in 3 young adults is lonely – and it affects their mental health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/294712/original/file-20190930-185407-orqbnv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">One in three 18 to 25 year olds reported feeling lonely three or more times in the past week.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/uFomxGheuGk">Todd Diemer</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>More than one in three young adults aged 18 to 25 reported problematic levels of loneliness, according to a new <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/loneliness-survey">report</a> from Swinburne University and VicHealth.</p>
<p>We surveyed 1,520 Victorians aged 12 to 25, and examined their experience of loneliness. We also asked about their symptoms of depression and social anxiety.</p>
<p>Overall, one in four young people (aged 12 to 25) reported feeling lonely for three or more days within the last week. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/loneliness-is-a-health-issue-and-needs-targeted-solutions-96262">Loneliness is a health issue, and needs targeted solutions</a>
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<p>Among 18 to 25 year olds, one in three (35%) reported feeling lonely three or more times a week. We also found that higher levels of loneliness increases a young adult’s risk of developing depression by 12% and social anxiety by 10%.</p>
<p>Adolescents aged 12 to 17 reported better outcomes, with one in seven (13%) feeling lonely three or more times a week. Participants in this age group were also less likely to report symptoms of depression and social anxiety than the 18 to 25 year olds. </p>
<h2>Young adulthood can be a lonely time</h2>
<p>Anyone can experience loneliness and at <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1745691615568999">any point in life</a> but it’s often triggered by significant life events – both positive (such as new parenthood or a new job) and negative (bereavement, separation or health problems). </p>
<p>Young adults are managing new challenges such as moving away from home and starting university, TAFE or work. Almost half (48%) of the young adults in our survey lived away from family and caregivers. Almost 77% were also engaged in some sort of work. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-ideas-of-adulthood-its-rights-and-responsibilities-are-changing-around-the-world-99669">How ideas of 'adulthood', its rights and responsibilities, are changing around the world</a>
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<p>Young people at high school may be buffered from loneliness because they’re surrounded by peers, many of whom they have known for years. But once they leave the safety of these familiar environments, they are likely to have to put in extra effort to forge new ties. They may also feel more disconnected from the existing friends they have. </p>
<p>During this transition to independence, young adults may find themselves with evolving social networks, including interactions with colleagues and peers of different ages. Learning to navigate these different relationships requires adjustment, and a fair bit of trial and error.</p>
<h2>Is social media use to blame?</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/294783/original/file-20190930-194829-1l9vz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/294783/original/file-20190930-194829-1l9vz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294783/original/file-20190930-194829-1l9vz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294783/original/file-20190930-194829-1l9vz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294783/original/file-20190930-194829-1l9vz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294783/original/file-20190930-194829-1l9vz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294783/original/file-20190930-194829-1l9vz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Social media has its positives and negatives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/m7zKB91brGo">freestocks.org</a></span>
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<p>The reliance on social media to communicate is often thought to <em>cause</em> loneliness. </p>
<p>No studies I’m aware of have examined the cause-effect between loneliness and social media use. </p>
<p>There is some <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28937910">evidence</a> that those who are lonely are more likely to use the internet for social interactions and spend less time in real life interactions. But it’s unclear whether social media use <em>causes</em> more loneliness.</p>
<p>While social media can be used to replace offline relationships with online ones, it can also be used to both enhance existing relationships and offer new social opportunities. </p>
<p>Further, a recent <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2019.0176">study</a> found that the relationship between social media use and psychological distress was weak. </p>
<h2>Is loneliness a cause or effect of mental ill health?</h2>
<p>Loneliness is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25910392">bad for our physical</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29684289">mental health</a>. Over a six-month period, people who are lonely are <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fabn0000162">more likely</a> to experience higher rates of depression, social anxiety and paranoia. Being socially anxious can also <em>lead to</em> more loneliness at a later time. </p>
<p>The solution isn’t as simple as joining a group or trying harder to make friends, especially if one also already feels anxious about being with people.</p>
<p>While lonely people are motivated to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19726219">connect with others</a> they are also more likely to experience social interactions as stressful. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18476760">Brain imaging studies</a> show lonely people are less rewarded by social interactions and are more attuned to distress of others than less lonely counterparts.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/294786/original/file-20190930-194866-1mz145w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/294786/original/file-20190930-194866-1mz145w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294786/original/file-20190930-194866-1mz145w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294786/original/file-20190930-194866-1mz145w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294786/original/file-20190930-194866-1mz145w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294786/original/file-20190930-194866-1mz145w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/294786/original/file-20190930-194866-1mz145w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Making friends can be a stressful experience.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/JBfdCFeRDeQ">Andrew Neel</a></span>
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<p>When lonely people do socialise, they are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19726219">more likely</a> to engage in self-defeating actions, such as being less cooperative, and show more negative emotions and body language. This is done in an (often unconscious) attempt to disengage and protect themselves from rejection. </p>
<p>Lonely people are also more likely to find reasons people cannot be trusted or do not live up to particular social expectations, and to believe others evaluate them more negatively than they actually do. </p>
<h2>What can we do about it?</h2>
<p>One way to address these invisible forces is to help young people think in more helpful ways about friendship, and to understand how they can influence others through their emotions and behaviours. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-parents-can-help-their-young-children-develop-healthy-social-skills-107431">How parents can help their young children develop healthy social skills</a>
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<p>Parents, educators and counsellors can play a role in educating children and young people about the dynamics of evolving friendships. This might involve helping the young person to evaluate their own behaviours and thought patterns, understand how they play an active role in building relationships, and to support them to interact differently. </p>
<p>More specific strategies could include: </p>
<ul>
<li>challenging unhelpful thinking or <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1088868310377394">negative views about others</a></li>
<li>helping young people identify their <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00604/full">strengths</a> and learn how they’re important in forging strong, meaningful relationships. If the young person identifies humour as a strength, for instance, this might involve discussing how they can use their humour to establish rapport with others.</li>
</ul>
<p>Educational programs can do more to address the social health of young people and these discussions can be integrated into health education classes.</p>
<p>Additionally, because young people are already frequent and competent users of technology, carefully crafted digital tools could be developed to target loneliness. </p>
<p>These tools could help young people learn skills to develop and maintain meaningful relationships. And because lonely people are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4021390/">more likely to avoid others</a>, digital tools could also be used as one way to help young people build social confidence and practise new skills within a safe space.</p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/many-people-feel-lonely-in-the-city-but-perhaps-third-places-can-help-with-that-92847">Many people feel lonely in the city, but perhaps 'third places' can help with that</a>
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<p>A cornerstone of any solution, however, is to normalise feelings of loneliness, so feeling lonely is seen not as a weakness but rather as an innate human need to connect. Loneliness is likely to negatively impact on health when it is <em>ignored</em>, or <em>not properly addressed</em>, allowing the distress to persist. </p>
<p>Identifying and normalising feelings of loneliness can help lonely people consider different avenues for action.</p>
<p>We don’t yet know the lifelong impact of loneliness on today’s young people, so it’s important we take action now, by increasing awareness and giving young people the tools to develop and maintain meaningful social relationships.</p>
<p><em>Michelle Lim, the author of this piece, is available for a Q+A on Tuesday the 1st October from 3pm-4pm AEST to take questions on this topic. Please post your questions in the comments below.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/124267/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle H Lim receives funding from Barbara Dicker Brain Sciences Foundation. The Young Australian Loneliness report was produced by VicHealth and Swinburne University of Technology.</span></em></p>Loneliness is often triggered by significant life events, and young people have these in abundance. But the solution isn’t as simple as joining a group or trying harder to make friends.Michelle H Lim, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1216302019-08-19T02:33:43Z2019-08-19T02:33:43ZWhy do I dwell on the past?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288256/original/file-20190816-136199-f4yqb7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1%2C4%2C997%2C661&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dwelling on the past, like writing in a diary, is part of being human and helps us form our identity. But not all memories are helpful.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-partial-portrait-black-female-author-1114940525?src=OFH0ZRmTHf5zgubAeBta-Q-1-11">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many of us enjoy writing in a diary, reading autobiographies or nostalgically reflecting with others about past times. </p>
<p>Why is remembering our past so important? Are there downsides? And what can we do if dwelling on the past bothers us?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-memory-9035">Explainer: what is memory?</a>
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<h2>Memories make us human</h2>
<p>Over several decades, researchers have shown remembering your past is fundamental to being human, and has <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.545.5603&rep=rep1&type=pdf">four important roles</a>.</p>
<p><strong>1. Memories help form our identity</strong></p>
<p>Our personal memories give us a sense of continuity — the same person (or sense of self) moving through time. They provide important details of who we are and who we would like to be.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-remember-our-youth-as-one-big-hedonistic-party-78995">Why we remember our youth as one big hedonistic party</a>
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<p><strong>2. Memories help us solve problems</strong></p>
<p>Memories offer us potential solutions to current problems and help guide and direct us when solving them.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/most-people-think-playing-chess-makes-you-smarter-but-the-evidence-isnt-clear-on-that-119469">Most people think playing chess makes you 'smarter', but the evidence isn't clear on that</a>
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<p><strong>3. Memories make us social</strong></p>
<p>Personal memories are essential for social interactions. Being able to recall personal memories provides important material when making new friends, forming relationships and maintaining ones we already have.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-power-of-our-song-the-musical-glue-that-binds-friends-and-lovers-across-the-ages-73593">The power of 'our song', the musical glue that binds friends and lovers across the ages</a>
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<p><strong>4. Memories help us regulate our emotions</strong></p>
<p>Our memories provide examples of similar situations we’ve been in before. This allows us to reflect on how we managed that emotion before and what we can learn from that experience.</p>
<p>Such memories can also help us manage strong negative emotions. For example, when someone is feeling sad they can take time to dwell on a positive memory <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.545.5603&rep=rep1&type=pdf">to improve their mood</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-food-affects-mood-and-mood-affects-food-24834">Health Check: how food affects mood and mood affects food</a>
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<h2>Memories help us function in our wider society</h2>
<p>Dwelling on our personal memories not only helps us as individuals. It also allows us to operate in our socio-cultural context; society and culture influence the way we remember our past. </p>
<p>For instance, in Western individualistic cultures people tend to recall memories that are long, specific, detailed and focus on the individual. </p>
<p>In contrast, in East Asian cultures people tend to recall more general memories focusing on social interactions and significant others. Researchers have seen these differences in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15335332">children and adults</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/remember-when-we-why-sharing-memories-is-soul-food-35542">'Remember when we...?' Why sharing memories is soul food</a>
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<p>Indeed, the way parents discuss past events with their children <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691610375555">differs culturally</a>.</p>
<p>Parents from Western cultures focus more on the child and the child’s thoughts and emotions than East Asian parents. So, there are even cultural differences in the ways we teach our children to dwell on the past. </p>
<p>People from Western individualistic cultures tend to recollect specific unique memories that reaffirm someone’s uniqueness, a value emphasised in Western cultures. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247780766_Why_We_Remember_and_What_We_Remember">In contrast</a>, in East Asian cultures memories function to assist with relatedness and social connection, a value emphasised in East Asian cultures.</p>
<h2>Memories and ill health</h2>
<p>As dwelling on the past plays such a crucial role in how we function as humans, it is unsurprising that disruptions in how we remember arise in several psychological disorders.</p>
<p>People with depression, for instance, tend to remember <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjc.12181">more negative personal memories</a> and fewer positive personal memories than those without depression. For example, someone with depression may remember failing an exam rather than remembering their academic successes. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/288254/original/file-20190816-136199-rbg65b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">People with depression are more likely to remember the bad times rather than the good.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-stressed-young-housewife-modern-kitchen-142814569?src=tUbO2N-XiJnb4Ya3ZI9UoQ-1-1">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span>
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<p>People with depression also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2834574/">have great difficulty</a> remembering something from a specific time and place, for instance “I really enjoyed going to Sam’s party last Thursday”. Instead they provide memories of general experiences, for instance, “I like going to parties”.</p>
<p>We have found people with depression also tend to structure their life story <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjc.12181">differently</a> and report more negative life stories. They also tend to remember periods of their life, such as going to university, as either distinctly positive or negative (rather than a combination of both).</p>
<p>Disturbances in memory are also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21219190">the hallmarks of</a> post-traumatic stress disorder. This is when unwanted, distressing personal memories of the trauma spontaneously pop into the mind.</p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-11135">Explainer: what is post-traumatic stress disorder?</a>
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<p>People with anxiety disorders also tend to have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735809001846">biases</a> when remembering their personal past. For instance, all of us, unfortunately, experience social blunders from time to time, such as tripping getting onto a bus or spilling a drink at a party. However, people with social anxiety are more likely to be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3260374/">consumed with feelings of embarrassment and shame</a> when remembering these experiences.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-social-anxiety-disorder-36601">Explainer: what is social anxiety disorder?</a>
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<p>Finally, an excessive, repetitive dwelling on your past, without generating solutions, can be unhelpful. It can result in emotional distress and in extreme instances, emotional disorders, such as <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2000-05424-015?doi=1">depression, anxiety</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17041914">post-traumatic stress disorder</a>.</p>
<h2>I don’t want to dwell on the past. What can I do?</h2>
<p>If dwelling on the past bothers you, these practical tips can help.</p>
<p><strong>Set aside a certain time of the day for your memories.</strong> You could write in a diary or write down your worries. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4679(199910)55:10%3C1243::AID-JCLP6%3E3.0.CO;2-N">Writing</a> about important personal experiences in an emotional way for as little as 15 minutes a day can improve your mental and physical health.</p>
<p><strong>Practice remembering specific positive memories from your past.</strong> This can allow you to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0504-3">engage differently</a> with your memories and gain a new perspective on your memories.</p>
<p><strong>Learn and practise <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-dont-yet-fully-understand-what-mindfulness-is-but-this-is-what-its-not-110698">mindfulness strategies</a>.</strong> Instead of dwelling on painful memories, a focus on the present moment (such as attending to your breath, focusing on what you can currently see, smell or hear) can help break a negative cycle</p>
<p>When dwelling on past memories <strong>try being proactive and generate ideas to solve problems</strong> rather than just being passive.</p>
<p><strong>See your GP or health practitioner</strong> if you’re distressed about dwelling on your past.</p>
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<p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121630/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Jobson has previously received funding from NIHR. </span></em></p>Remembering past events, experiences or emotions is a big part of being human. But if dwelling on the past is distressing, here’s what you can do to help.Laura Jobson, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/894282018-01-31T11:41:44Z2018-01-31T11:41:44ZOnline social networks can help fight social anxiety<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/203883/original/file-20180129-89590-ww8ab4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People feeling anxious about social interactions can find support and solace on social media.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cropped-image-young-redhead-woman-using-345410336">Dean Drobot/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Ever since online social networks were first created, people have wondered <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-social-networks-messing/">why they’re popular</a> and <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2011.09.013">how they affect users</a>. Researchers, practitioners and social commentators have <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2009/08/seeking.html">expressed concern</a> that they reduce more meaningful face-to-face interaction, leaving users <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.53.9.1017">depressed and lonely</a>. However, new research that I have conducted together with marketing professor <a href="https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/jberger/">Jonah Berger</a> suggests that social networks’ dissimilarities to more traditional communication methods can actually help some people connect better. </p>
<p>Proponents have long touted social networks’ ability to <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x">connect distant friends and relatives</a>. When a user posts a tweet or a Facebook status update, it is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/community/question/?id=445007948978311">visible to a group of people</a>, whether that is all of a user’s contacts or some subset such as fellow alumni of a school or residents of a particular neighborhood. </p>
<p><a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1013">Our research</a> shows that the quasi-personal nature of these kind of posts, which are written for people who know the writer and can respond, but which at the same time are shared more widely, can make connecting with others less threatening for people who experience social anxiety. </p>
<h2>How microblogs can aid communication</h2>
<p>People feel a need for social interaction, <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/record/1996-98402-020">especially when they feel sad, stressed or troubled</a>. Connecting with friends or family can help <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073908097189">soothe negative feelings</a>. But for some people, reaching out in person can feel daunting. People who are anxious about social interactions might wonder, “What if they don’t want to talk to me?” or “What if I’m bothering them?”</p>
<p>In our research, we found that sharing via tweets or Facebook posts – more broadly called “microblogging” – can <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1013">alleviate these concerns</a>. This method of communication, unique to social media, allows people to reach out to a large audience without having to direct their message to any one person who might be annoyed or busy. As a result, the person posting may have reduced anxiety about initiating social interaction.</p>
<p>Accordingly, we found that people who felt apprehensive or anxious about social interaction were actually <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1013">more likely to post or tweet</a> on social media sites. In one experiment, half of the participants were asked to write about a time they were at a party and felt anxious about interacting with others. The other half were asked to write about a neutral topic. </p>
<p>We then gave participants the opportunity to use their favorite social network for a few minutes, and afterward we asked what they did while online. People who had written about their social anxiety were more likely to microblog (tweet or post a status update) than those who had written about a neutral topic.</p>
<h2>Diving deeper into the results</h2>
<p>Importantly, our follow-up studies show that while experiencing social apprehension or anxiety increases microblogging, it decreases face-to-face sharing. Indeed, when we asked people about how they preferred to communicate with others, the ones prone to experience social anxiety were more likely to choose microblogging over reaching out face to face.</p>
<p>But microblogging is not the only way social networks let users connect with friends and relatives. Users can also send direct messages, which again do not require in-person interaction. Importantly however, unlike microblogs, they are usually directed at an individual, rather than a wider friend group. When we explored people’s interest in reaching out via direct message, we learned that experiencing social apprehension <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1013">does not increase direct messaging</a> and that the effect of social apprehension on sharing was unique to posting status updates or tweeting.</p>
<p>This finding tells us that the undirected nature of microblogs is key for socially anxious people, allowing them a new way to reach out to friends when they might not feel comfortable doing so otherwise.</p>
<h2>Sharing via microblogging can increase well-being</h2>
<p>Then we wondered: If some people feel more comfortable posting on social networks than they do directly interacting with friends and family members, might their way of using microblogging be a way to help them feel better?</p>
<p>Preliminary evidence from <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2013148">our research</a> suggests that writing to others who might respond – such as posting on online social networks – can help upset people feel better. In a laboratory study, we induced negative emotions by having participants take a brief multiple-choice test, and then by telling them they had not performed very well – regardless of how well they had actually performed. </p>
<p>Then we split the participants into four groups and asked each to write something. One group was asked to write about office products so as to serve as a neutral baseline comparison group. Members of the other three groups were asked to <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2013148">write about their emotions</a>: One group’s members were told their writing would be private. One group was told that what they wrote would be shared with someone who would not be able to respond. The last group was told their writing would be shared with someone who could respond.</p>
<p>After this writing exercise, we measured each participant’s well-being by asking them about how good, happy and relaxed they felt. The results showed that writing to someone who might respond helped people heal their negative feelings: Members of that group reported greater well-being. This healing did not result from writing in general, writing privately about emotions or even telling someone else about their feelings. </p>
<p>The potential for someone to respond made people feel better – even if nobody actually did reply. Our research did not identify exactly why the benefit occurred without receiving an actual response, but it could be related to others’ findings that anticipating the <a href="http://doi.org/10.1037/a0029227">potential of something occurring</a> can be particularly appealing.</p>
<p>This highlights the different ways that social networks can offer people unique and valuable communications options that don’t exist offline or in other online environments.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/89428/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Eva Buechel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Posting on social media, reaching a group of friends all at once, can make connecting with others less threatening for people who experience social anxiety.Eva Buechel, Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of South CarolinaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/902282018-01-25T19:11:51Z2018-01-25T19:11:51ZBack to school blues: how to help your child with shyness<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202532/original/file-20180119-80211-1amrvwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Excessively protecting your child and taking over, doesn’t allow them to learn through experience. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><hr>
<p><em>This <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/back-to-school-2018-48951">series</a> draws on the latest research on back to school transitions. In it, the experts explain how best to prepare children for school, and counter difficulties such as stress or bad behaviour.</em></p>
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<p>Around the end of January, <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/MediaReleasesByCatalogue/F2DC948819BBD3E4CA2582170018B83A">more than 3.5 million young people</a> will start or return to schools across Australia.</p>
<p>For most young people this is a time of high excitement and energy. The long holidays are coming to an end and they are looking forward to seeing old friends, making new ones, and being a grade higher. But the excitement is often tinged with a hint of trepidation – “who will be in my class”, “will they still like me”, “what teachers will I get”? For some young people, these worries can dominate their life. </p>
<p>The good news is parents can help their kids through it.</p>
<h2>What is shyness and social anxiety?</h2>
<p>Shyness is a <a href="https://doi-org.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/10.1007/s11199-013-0317-9">personality characteristic</a> that exists on a continuum across the community from very low to the highest levels. When we use the term shyness, we are usually referring to the upper levels – up to 40% of people describe themselves as shy. When shyness becomes very severe and starts to affect a person’s life, it can be diagnosed using the clinical term, “social anxiety disorder”. When diagnosed correctly, <a href="http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/9DA8CA21306FE6EDCA257E2700016945/$File/child2.pdf">around 2.5% of young people in Australia meet criteria for social anxiety disorder in a given 12-month period</a>.</p>
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<p><strong><em>Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/childhood-shyness-when-is-it-normal-and-when-is-it-cause-for-concern-60364">Childhood shyness: when is it normal and when is it cause for concern?</a></em></strong></p>
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<p>So, around one child in every typical Australian classroom will have this clinical disorder, and up to a dozen will be shy. </p>
<p>Socially anxious young people worry excessively about what others think of them and how they come across. They are very self-conscious and often freeze or become confused when they are the focus of attention. </p>
<p>Going back to school is the stuff of nightmares for these children. Some of the hardest experiences for a socially anxious young person will be found at school: meeting new kids, talking to authority figures, standing in front of a group, getting into trouble, and negotiating the hierarchies of the playground. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202534/original/file-20180119-80168-z8vorx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202534/original/file-20180119-80168-z8vorx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202534/original/file-20180119-80168-z8vorx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202534/original/file-20180119-80168-z8vorx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202534/original/file-20180119-80168-z8vorx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202534/original/file-20180119-80168-z8vorx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202534/original/file-20180119-80168-z8vorx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Going back to school can be a difficult time for shy kids.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>Shy youth <a href="https://doi-org.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/10.1007/s10802-005-9017-4">can make good friendships</a>, but usually have fewer friends than other kids. They are also more likely to be the targets of bullying. Many of these young people will be terrified at the prospect of going to school and the first few weeks will be especially hard. </p>
<p>Social anxiety can occur at any age – from kindergarten to the end of high school (and into adulthood). But it generally increases in the early <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00239.x/abstract;jsessionid=AC83D11D2B07810317C2734DEBE97851.f03t03">teenage years</a>, which is when most young people start to become more self-conscious. </p>
<p>Social anxiety is slightly more common in girls than boys. There is clearly a genetic aspect and parents of shy young people are often themselves slightly more shy than average. Aside from that, social anxiety cuts across society: it makes no difference whether families are rich or poor, from any particular cultural group, or married or divorced. </p>
<h2>How parents can affect social anxiety</h2>
<p>In our work at the Centre for Emotional Health at Sydney’s Macquarie University, we have found that parents can make a difference to their child’s social anxiety. This does not mean parents cause the problem, but they can help change it. </p>
<p>When their child is scared, a loving parent can think of nothing more important than protecting them. But excessively protecting your child and taking over, doesn’t allow them to learn through experience. </p>
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<p><strong><em>Read more: <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-facing-challenging-situations-can-prepare-your-child-for-school-89298">How facing challenging situations can prepare your child for school</a></em></strong></p>
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<p>In one <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.10.011">study</a> we asked children aged seven to 13 to prepare a two minute speech. For half of these children, we asked their mothers to help them extensively with speech preparation and more or less take over the task. The other half were told to only gently guide their child. We then asked the children to prepare a second speech by themselves and then deliver it to a small audience. Children whose mothers had taken over the speech-writing the first time showed more anxiety and tension when they delivered their second speech. </p>
<p>On the other hand, parents can help their child overcome social anxiety. We recently finished a large treatment <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.08.001">study</a>. The overall study was about treating all forms of anxiety (including social anxiety) and it looked at how we can step up the intensity of treatment when needed. </p>
<p>In the first step, parents of anxious children received a book explaining how to help their child and also spoke with a therapist on four brief occasions. After three months, 40% of these children were completely free from their presenting anxiety. </p>
<h2>How can you help your child?</h2>
<p>A lot of it is common-sense and practical skills. Shy young people can be taught to think more realistically about the things that worry them. “They will think I’m an idiot if I wear that” can be challenged by asking “what would you think of someone wearing it?”. “Everyone is staring at me” can be challenged by getting the child to look around and count how many people are actually looking. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202540/original/file-20180119-80197-1xiit60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202540/original/file-20180119-80197-1xiit60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202540/original/file-20180119-80197-1xiit60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202540/original/file-20180119-80197-1xiit60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202540/original/file-20180119-80197-1xiit60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202540/original/file-20180119-80197-1xiit60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/202540/original/file-20180119-80197-1xiit60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Shy children should be challenged and gently encouraged to face their fears.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>Shy young people should also be challenged to gently and gradually face their fears. For example, for a young person who is scared to speak to others, they could be challenged to speak to one or two “safer” kids every day for the next week. Then they could be asked to speak to a couple of slightly “harder” kids every day the following week, and so on. </p>
<p>Finally, if you find that you, as a parent, have a tendency to jump in and regularly help your child, try to get into the habit of asking yourself, “what would happen if I held back for a few minutes?”. </p>
<p>Extreme shyness and social anxiety can severely impact a young person’s life and can set them up for a future of missed opportunities. But we now have some good treatments and <a href="https://www.mq.edu.au/about/campus-services-and-facilities/hospital-and-clinics/centre-for-emotional-health-clinic/programs-for-children-and-teenagers">we are continuing to research</a> new ways of helping these young people. </p>
<p>If you have any concerns about your child, seek the opinion of a qualified mental health practitioner.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90228/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ron Rapee works for the Centre for Emotional Health at Macquarie University. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council. He is an author of Helping Your Anxious Child: A step-by-step guide for parents, from which he receives royalties and is an author of the Cool Kids program from which he receives no royalties. </span></em></p>Loving parent can think of nothing more important than protecting their shy children, but excessively protecting your child and taking over doesn’t allow them to learn through experience.Ron Rapee, Director of the Centre for Emotional Health and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/820492017-09-01T00:20:27Z2017-09-01T00:20:27ZBack-to-school anxiety? Here are seven simple solutions<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/184077/original/file-20170830-22218-16eshd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Understanding the source of child anxiety is important. Some fears may be easily soothed; others, such as fears of bullying, may require adult intervention.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As school starts up again this week, many children will return with excitement, happy to be reunited with teachers and friends. </p>
<p>Others will experience anxiety about this change in routine and the challenges offered by the school day. Sometimes this anxiety might become intense, or persist longer than is healthy.</p>
<p>The good news is that most young people adapt well and their anxiety reduces to normal levels within the first month of school. As a former teacher, and an educational psychologist, I can offer parents a few suggestions to help this adaptation happen faster.</p>
<h2>1. Understand the anxious brain</h2>
<p>From birth to age 11 or 12, children’s brains grow dramatically and <a href="http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/">neuronal connections are made rapidly</a>. This allows them to learn from many sources and amass important knowledge and skills (think about learning to talk, read, write and socialize). After that, the focus of brain development turns to <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1196/annals.1308.001/full">consolidating and integrating learning</a> while they gain a fuller understanding of the world and how they fit into it.</p>
<p>Whatever stage they are in, children and adolescents are reaching out to explore the world around them, embracing new experiences and facing challenge and change. These new experiences carry with them uncertainty, which has the potential to provoke anxiety.</p>
<p>In its purest form, anxiety is adaptive and helpful. It alerts us to potential risks in the environment around us, helping to ensure that we look before we leap. It keeps us close to those who will protect us. Unfortunately, the brain’s alarm system can become over activated and trigger anxiety in unnecessary circumstances, or evoke excessive anxiety that keeps us from doing things in normal daily life.</p>
<h2>2. Get a good night’s sleep</h2>
<p>Excitement and anxiety can affect sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep is important in helping us cope with stress. Some children get so worked up that they cannot sleep the night before school, or they wake up early. </p>
<p>In the evening, acknowledge your kids’ excitement about school, then try some warm milk (which releases tryptophan to help with sleep). Tuck them into bed to read a familiar story that might even be a little boring. Soft lighting and gentle music can also help. Melatonin is a natural substance that makes them feel sleepy, which can be used for a few nights if needed (consult a pharmacist). Bedtime routines are helpful. And electronics with screens should be shut off <a href="https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/how-blue-light-affects-kids-sleep">90 minutes before sleep</a>.</p>
<h2>3. Talk about morning anxiety</h2>
<p>Anxiety can present as tummy aches and tears, as well as irritability and avoidance of going to school. It is important to talk with your child about their worries and fears. But do not give in and let them stay home unless there is a really good reason. Staying at home will only reinforce their anxiety and make it worse in the end.</p>
<h2>4. Help kids transition</h2>
<p>It is normal for young children to experience some separation anxiety, especially if they have not previously had the chance to attend daycare or day camps. In this case, you might need to accompany them to the door of the school or classroom to help them transition to the teacher. </p>
<p>Sometimes, it helps to have another child with them. Your child can meet with their friend before school or even travel to school together, an approach that works well with older children and youth.</p>
<h2>5. Figure out the worries</h2>
<p>Ask your child what they are worried about. Once you have found out the cause or trigger for the anxiety, you can take steps to respond. Work together with your child to develop a plan that will help them be successful. </p>
<p>Sometimes problems will require adult intervention. The last thing you want to do is send your child off to school when they have real worries about being bullied or physically hurt by peers who have threatened them. Similarly, some youth can feel threatened by certain teachers or school staff who may not be respectful or sensitive to their needs. Of course, the anxieties may be exaggerated or unfounded but real problems should never be dismissed.</p>
<h2>6. Deal with your own anxiety</h2>
<p><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1005260311313?LI=true">Parental anxiety can affect children</a>. It helps if you talk to your partner or trusted friends about your anxiety. Is this your first child starting school? Try to connect with a more seasoned parent who can help make your journey easier.</p>
<h2>7. Know when to consult a specialist</h2>
<p>There are some types of anxiety that are more severe and require specialized support and treatment. It is important not to let these run on for too long without intervention, as these types of anxiety tend to persist if they are not treated. Anxiety also tends to run in families. </p>
<p>Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by frequent worrying about many topics and situations (including worrying about family members, peers and schoolwork) that provokes an impairing anxiety response. Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by marked anxiety at separation from significant adults. </p>
<p>Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by significant and impairing anxiety and self-consciousness in social situations, which can make it hard to talk or eat in groups. Panic Disorder (rare before age 13) is characterized by an unexpected adrenaline pulse that provokes a strong physiological anxiety response, which can make it difficult to stay in enclosed or public spaces.</p>
<p>Though it is common to experience some anxiety during the first month, most children will make a successful transition. If anxiety continues beyond that, you might need to consult with a specialist such as a child psychologist or pediatrician. An excellent resource that is useful for both transitional anxiety and clinical levels of anxiety is the book <a href="http://barronseduc.com/1438004834.html"><em>Keys to Parenting Your Anxious Child</em></a>.</p>
<p>Help your children to prepare, then you can enjoy the first weeks back at school just as much as your children do!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82049/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Lee Zwiers consults with the CanLearn Society in Calgary, Alberta, a non-profit society that supports people with attention and learning problems, as well as autism. He has a small independent consulting company that supports and trains psychologists and mental health professionals.</span></em></p>As the first days of school approach rapidly, an educational psychologist offers strategies for combating anxiety in children and teens.Michael Lee Zwiers, Assistant Professor Educational Psychology, University of CalgaryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/736972017-03-14T15:10:29Z2017-03-14T15:10:29ZHow friends and families can help those who are at risk of psychosis<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/159289/original/image-20170303-16382-snxnhq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Hearing voices can make you anxious.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Preethi Premkumar</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When you think of paranormal experiences it often conjures images of ghosts, aliens or witchcraft. But it can also include hearing voices, out-of-body experiences, or even strong spiritual or superstitious beliefs. Such experiences are quite common – <a href="http://orca.cf.ac.uk/30606/">75% of people in Britain</a> have said that they have had one or more paranormal experiences in their lifetime. These are usually fleeting though, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16004653">very few</a> report having paranormal experiences continuously over a two year period.</p>
<p>However, paranormal experiences can stabilise in a small proportion of people – those with a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15717986">schizotypal personality</a>, who have regular paranormal experiences which resemble milder forms of those seen in people who suffer from schizophrenia. Although only <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260930">0.6% of this group</a> will actually develop psychosis, they may experience high levels of social anxiety which can lead them to avoid social interactions. </p>
<p>However, <a href="http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/13104/">research has shown</a> that this avoidance is seen less in those who have supportive friends and family. It means that this support could actually reduce the chances of developing psychosis. </p>
<p>People with a schizotypal personality <a href="http://labs.psychology.illinois.edu/kwapil_lab/Brown%20et%20al%202008.pdf">often have poor social interactions</a> because they find them unrewarding and can have difficulty maintaining focus in social situations. They often fear that <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14780880903304550">others will ridicule them</a> or dismiss their experiences, and that telling others about their paranormal experiences would devalue their beliefs. But what makes those with paranormal beliefs struggle with social interaction in this way? </p>
<h2>Abnormal responses to praise</h2>
<p>A brain imaging study in 2012 revealed <a href="http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/13104/">what happens in the brain</a> when schizotypal people are in social situations. Their brains were imaged while they viewed scenes depicting social rejection. The researchers found that these people disengaged brain areas associated with social pain and the ability to empathise with others, to stop them from being hurt in a way that those without experiences did not.</p>
<p>People who have paranormal experiences not only actively distance themselves from social rejection, but may also unconsciously <a href="http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26624/">direct their attention towards it</a>. When those with paranormal experiences viewed scenes of either social acceptance, or even <a href="http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/12741/">criticism from a close relative</a>, nothing unusual is seen in the brain. However, when they heard praise from a close relative, they activated the insula and thalamus areas – which assess the importance and reward value of an event – less than those who do not have paranormal experiences. This implies that people with paranormal experiences actually find praise unrewarding.</p>
<h2>Family influences</h2>
<p>People with schizotypal personality often have poor communication with their families, and are more likely to <a href="http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/12741/">experience hostility</a> than others. It’s also unfortunate that, in those who “hear voices” in their heads, the disempowering social interactions they have with their families leads the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20041419">voices they hear to also become disempowering</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160307/original/image-20170310-15265-1qfmjhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160307/original/image-20170310-15265-1qfmjhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/160307/original/image-20170310-15265-1qfmjhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/160307/original/image-20170310-15265-1qfmjhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/160307/original/image-20170310-15265-1qfmjhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/160307/original/image-20170310-15265-1qfmjhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/160307/original/image-20170310-15265-1qfmjhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Paranormal experiences are often not believed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ghost-haunted-house-mysterious-woman-horror-420971914?src=4smXff4ubgpEN0X9dIE91A-1-4">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The way in which those with paranormal experiences talk about their family communications is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8408961">often described as “odd”</a>. When people with paranormal experiences were recorded during an interview about people in their life that they resented, they displayed more avoidant and hostile behaviours compared to those without such experiences. This in turn made the interviewer feel more anxious and angry – a reaction that would not help any situation. </p>
<p>In order to help, the family could offer more emotional support, by being more accepting and less critical about their relative’s paranormal experiences. They could also be more encouraging about the person’s discussion of their paranormal experiences.</p>
<p>People who do not normally have paranormal experiences are more likely to believe in such things if they thought that a person in a professional capacity <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ898951">also believed</a> in it or if the scientific community accepted those beliefs. Although a family may not believe in the paranormal, they could try to believe that the person has an experience of some type – whether these really have paranormal origins or not – so that the person with these experiences feels more personal satisfaction when they talk about them.</p>
<p>One study taught individuals how to disclose their paranormal beliefs to others in <a href="http://www.atpweb.org/jtparchive/trps-34-02-01-029.pdf">ten weeks of training</a>. They reported that by writing about their self-development and sharing it with like-minded people, they found more meaning in life and felt less stressed.</p>
<p>Sharing their paranormal experiences with people they can trust allows those with schizotypal personality to overcome social alienation, experience personal growth and feel less anxiety. If a person with schizotypal personality could share their experiences with their family and have a wider acceptance of their paranormal experiences, then this could help to reduce the social exclusion they feel. Close family and friends who show more emotional support can reduce the risk of them feeling distressed – and even help them from developing psychosis.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/73697/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Preethi Premkumar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>People with paranormal beliefs often experience social rejection. But for those at risk of psychosis, support is important for prevention.Preethi Premkumar, Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Psychology, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/644832016-11-24T02:32:22Z2016-11-24T02:32:22ZExplainer: what is exposure therapy and how can it treat social anxiety?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/142473/original/image-20161020-8826-11vyzn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Social anxiety is considered a disorder when people have an excessive fear of negative evaluation or judgement triggered by social or performance situations.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-428366179/stock-photo-dramatic-portrait-concept-of-anxiety-and-fear-intense-look-through-the-hands-covering-the-face.html?src=zoA6C5NsSX6h_68B6e8TJw-1-8">Camila Paez/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most of us experience a level of social anxiety at some point in our lives. We worry about what people think of us, about being excluded, about being judged or humiliated. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Social%20Anxiety%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">Social anxiety</a> is characterised by an excessive fear of negative evaluation or judgement, triggered by social or performance situations. For social anxiety to be considered a disorder, the person must also be distressed by their social concerns or report a disruption in their life. They may find it difficult to interact with work colleagues, to make friends, or even to have brief conversations with others. </p>
<p>Excessive social anxiety <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27124713">makes us feel lonely</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12950433">reduces our quality of life</a>. Social anxiety disorder is the most <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18374843">common anxiety disorder</a> and begins as early as 11 years of age.</p>
<p>Exposure therapy – where people face their feared social situations, with the guidance of a therapist – is one form of treatment that can be used to reduce excessive social anxiety symptoms. So how does it work?</p>
<h2>Avoidance and safety behaviours</h2>
<p>Although it’s normal to want to avoid social situations that make us uncomfortable, social fears almost always become worse when we avoid those situations. </p>
<p>Avoidance can mean a conscious decision to avoid a dreaded social situation, such as deciding not to go to a party, or it can mean using “<a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioural-and-cognitive-psychotherapy/article/the-importance-of-behaviour-in-the-maintenance-of-anxiety-and-panic-a-cognitive-account/B3BAA0EFEF179C99BBCA5F983B05A534">safety behaviours</a>” to cope with or avoid a perceived threat.</p>
<p>Overt safety behaviours might include wearing a hat to cover your face, away from scrutiny. Covert acts involve mental actions, such as excessive effort in memorising a speech before giving it.</p>
<p>People with excessive social anxiety often attribute feeling safer or averting a distressing social situation to the fact they carried out these safety behaviours. For example, “no one looked at me in a weird way because I wore a hat”, or “the speech went OK because I made the effort to memorise it all”. </p>
<p>The problem is, when safety rules becomes established, actions become conditional on them. For example, “the only way I can be safe from scrutiny is to keep my face hidden”. Safety behaviours need to be addressed, or they can <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005789405800887">undermine treatment</a> and <a href="http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0005791607000055/1-s2.0-S0005791607000055-main.pdf?_tid=ac4c1996-8c24-11e6-ab6a-00000aab0f02&acdnat=1475800161_24fbf140a28404d7a162e57ca6625247">end up maintaining</a> the person’s anxiety levels.</p>
<h2>What is exposure therapy?</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796715300802">Exposure therapy</a> is where people face a feared social situation until their anxiety decreases or the anxiety-related expectancies are disrupted. </p>
<p>It’s a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15022272">well-researched treatment</a> for anxiety disorders and is usually done within <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-cognitive-behaviour-therapy-37351">cognitive behaviour therapy</a>, which also addresses the underlying unhelpful thoughts.</p>
<p>Exposure to the source of social anxiety is confronting, but it’s possible to achieve your goals with professional guidance. A trained therapist is able to identify the source of these social concerns, how severe they are and whether this has stopped you from doing what you would like to do. </p>
<p>More importantly, a trained therapist can identify and address any unhelpful thoughts and beliefs you may carry.</p>
<p>There are different <a href="http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/anxiety/exposure-therapy-anxiety-disorders">variations</a> of exposure strategies and the choice of which type to use is dependent on the situation. Real world confrontation, such as speaking in front of a large audience, is one possibility, but it may not always be possible. </p>
<p>Vividly imagining the feared situation, role-playing with the therapist and using technology such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Meta-analysis+of+technology-assisted+interventions+for+social+anxiety+disorder">virtual reality</a> can also deliver exposure. Other modes of delivery include flooding (tackling the most difficult task straight away) or systematic desensitisation (often combined with relaxation exercises). </p>
<p>Therapists often grade the level of exposure to social situations that make the person distressed, from easiest to hardest, to ensure the process is safe and tolerable. There is, however, a risk that therapists deliver these treatments too quickly and too much, which can cause distress and a reluctance to try again. Treatment may also be approached in an overly cautious way, which slows down its <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796716301425">effectiveness</a>.</p>
<h2>How does it work?</h2>
<p>Say your feared social situation is going to a party. Here’s an example of how graded exposure therapy might play out:</p>
<p><strong>1) Rank</strong> how anxious you feel about going to different types of parties. You can use a 0 to 100 scale (0 refers to no anxiety at all or 100 very anxious) or rank it from lowest to very high anxiety (as below). </p>
<iframe src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/puj2g/1/" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" oallowfullscreen="oallowfullscreen" msallowfullscreen="msallowfullscreen" width="100%" height="455"></iframe>
<p><strong>2) Select</strong> a task lower down on the list. This is a task that you find difficult but feel you can succeed in. If you are unable to stay engaged with this task, go back and select an easier task.</p>
<p><strong>3) Stay</strong> in the situation until your anxiety reduces.</p>
<p><strong>4) Repeat</strong> it until the task becomes easy. Only move to a more difficult task when you feel comfortable with your current task.</p>
<p><strong>5) Reflect</strong> on what happened and what you can take away from the exercise. Some of your predictions of social disasters, for instance, may not have occurred.</p>
<p>Always target something you can succeed in. In this example, option two or three may be too difficult for you to work on. But you may be able to manage option four (having lunch with colleagues).</p>
<p>Don’t rely on your safety behaviours. For example, you may find that you spend a lot of time fiddling with your mobile or drinking too much alcohol to feel more comfortable. If you feel a need to use any of your safety behaviours, first select a task you feel more comfortable with.</p>
<p>Don’t feel like you have to get rid of all your anxiety. It is normal to feel socially anxious. And don’t expect your social anxiety to go away immediately.</p>
<p>Finally, practise again until you feel more comfortable. You can move to a more difficult task only after you feel comfortable with the previous task.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that individual cognitive-behaviour therapy is the single <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(14)70329-3/abstract">most effective</a> treatment for those with <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg159/chapter/1-Recommendations">social anxiety disorder</a>, more so than exposure therapy alone. So while exposure therapy may help, it’s best if it forms part of an individual cognitive-behaviour therapy plan.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/64483/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle H Lim receives funding from the Barbara Dicker Brain Sciences Foundation. </span></em></p>Exposure therapy, where people face their feared social situations, is one treatment that can be used to treat social anxiety. So how does it work?Michelle H Lim, Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/651972016-09-23T03:43:09Z2016-09-23T03:43:09ZTrump and Clinton debate strategies that can make anyone a better public speaker<p>Public speaking is an anxiety-inducing task for most us, yet it’s also a necessary one, whether you’re a corporate CEO, a high school teacher or a presidential candidate. And like the rest of us, candidates stumble when speaking in public. </p>
<p>Donald Trump’s tendency to speak off the cuff, for example, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/us/politics/donald-trump-campaign-gop.html?_r=0">has long rattled</a> his campaign aides, even as it’s also a source of his popularity. His <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/09/trumps-guide-to-winning-through-gaffes-214269">numerous gaffes</a> are infamous – from insulting women, war heroes and most minority groups to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/16/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-guns-secret-service/">taunting Hillary Clinton’s bodyguards</a> to disarm. </p>
<p>Clinton’s biggest problem is of a different nature. She has struggled to overcome the persistent impression that she’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/02/05/heres-what-the-research-tells-us-about-whether-sexism-is-hurting-hillary-clintons-prospects/">inauthentic, cold and distant</a>. This is something that she and her team have <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/07/31/hillary-clinton-warm/">worked on</a> a great deal recently. </p>
<p>The candidates’ most important public speaking event is coming up: the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, which The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/30/us/politics/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-debate.html">calls</a> “the most anticipated in a generation.” No wonder, as the perceived winner has <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/14/the-presidential-debates-will-almost-surely-decide-the-election.html">generally gone on</a> to win the election. </p>
<p>While presidential candidates face the same obstacles speaking in public as the rest of us, their stakes couldn’t be higher. Fortunately for Clinton and Trump, there are research-based strategies to become more effective orators – techniques that we can use too.</p>
<h2>Debate prep 101</h2>
<p>As Trump and Clinton prepare for the debates, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-debate-prep-clintons-careful-case-vs-trumps-wrestlemania/2016/08/27/ce05291c-6bbb-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6_story.html">prominent media outlets</a> have been evaluating what they need to do to win. <a href="http://nation.foxnews.com/2016/09/20/inside-look-trump-campaign-debate-prep">Trump’s challenge</a> is staying calm and on point, while <a href="http://www.npr.org/2016/09/22/494901644/how-clinton-and-trump-are-preparing-for-the-first-presidential-debate">Clinton’s</a> is to convey emotions and avoid coming off as distant and isolated. </p>
<p>However, the most important thing for both candidates will be staying on top of their mental game. Both are <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/30/us/politics/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-debate.html">trying to figure out</a> ways to rattle their opponent and make them appear unworthy of the presidency.</p>
<p>Being mentally fit means dealing with the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/13/most-common-fears-forbeslife-cx_avd_1214commonfears.html">very common fear</a> of public speaking, known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossophobia">glossophobia</a>. Yet public speaking is vital not only in politics but also in many careers, especially in business as one progresses into senior management and leadership positions.</p>
<p>Fortunately, a little work can go a long way in building confidence and addressing these fears. <a href="https://www.academia.edu/5431076/Public_speaking_treatment._Trainer._trainee">Research shows</a> that those with some training in public speaking not only improve their own communication but can successfully teach others to give better speeches. </p>
<p>As a <a href="http://intentionalinsights.org/trump-feels-your-anger-andanxiety-how-neuroscience-helps-explain-trump-triu">scholar of the role emotions play in public life</a>, I teamed up with Patrick Donadio – a <a href="http://www.communicatingwithimpact.com/home.html">speech coach with over 30 years of experience</a> providing leaders with <a href="https://sellfy.com/p/BbAE/">useful presentation tips</a> – to figure out the best strategies to address oratorical fears. Together, we came up with a set of research-informed techniques that anyone can use – including candidates for the highest office in the land.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/138889/original/image-20160922-25460-1jmhm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/138889/original/image-20160922-25460-1jmhm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/138889/original/image-20160922-25460-1jmhm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/138889/original/image-20160922-25460-1jmhm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/138889/original/image-20160922-25460-1jmhm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/138889/original/image-20160922-25460-1jmhm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/138889/original/image-20160922-25460-1jmhm5d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The first debate, between Nixon and Kennedy, showed the consequence of appearing nervous.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/scriptingnews/2542066071/in/photolist-4SCKFn-4KsmnW-cEKv5Y-fkScao-7HQLPD-aPkDEz-dJTkVc-aPkCL6-aPkDa6-aPkCpF-aPkDox-aPkCAH-aPkD1T-GoHTm-5ohngk-5omazG-5omHBj-5ohs8K-amWFt6-GoHTJ-aJd9Ac-5ohrS4-5om8Zo-6sh7ZK-5ogSo6-5ogU2F-5omHtE-5om92W-5omHW7-5omGiJ-aJd9xM-5ogSp4-5ohs32-5ogSFt-5ogSM6-5om9c3-4EbLux-5ogU7e-5omHdG-5omFtd-5ogSHk-5omvvm-GoHTb-8pCitK-5om8Db-5omFCA-5om91E-5omaBy-5omJG3-5ogSyz">Dave Winer/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Dealing with fear</h2>
<p>In the first-ever televised <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/kennedy-nixon-debates">presidential debate</a> between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1960, the former appeared sweaty and nervous, while the latter looked calm and well-prepared. </p>
<p>On election day, JFK won the popular vote by a meager 0.2 percent. As 6 percent of voters claimed that the debates that year were the deciding factor, both Clinton and Trump would be wise to focus on managing any potential anxiety they might experience to avoid Nixon’s fate. </p>
<p>Sure, some anxiety is useful. It gets the <a href="http://journals.lww.com/jonmd/Citation/1964/12000/THE_PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY_OF_ANXIETY__WITH_A_REVIEW_OF.9.aspx">adrenaline pumping</a> and can give you energy and enthusiasm. Still, beyond that, if you don’t deal with the fear, you’re unlikely to do well no matter how hard you try. <a href="http://intentionalinsights.org/living-intentionally-3-steps-to-gaining-agency">Intentional thinking</a> strategies can help you manage your emotions – and the source of your fear.</p>
<p>It’s helpful to remember that your fear is not unique. There would not be as much <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03637758109376055">extensive research</a> on speech anxiety if it were. Knowing that this is a common phenomenon should relieve some of the fear, as it shows that you are not alone.</p>
<p>Clinton, for example, <a href="http://www.vox.com/2016/9/8/12851878/hillary-clinton-control-emotions-sexism-humans-new-york">learned as a young woman</a> to control her emotions, which has served her well. Now, however, she needs to do the opposite and overcome fears she may have showing her emotions to avoid <a href="http://www.vox.com/a/hillary-clinton-interview/the-gap-listener-leadership-quality">being perceived</a> as cold and aloof. </p>
<p>In turn, Trump may need to overcome any anxiety he may experience about not being <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-donald-trump-debate-2016-7">sufficiently knowledgeable</a> about the issues at hand.</p>
<h2>Positive thinking wins the day</h2>
<p>One way to do that is to <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/10/07/353292408/why-saying-is-believing-the-science-of-self-talk">boost your mood</a>.</p>
<p>Give yourself a pep talk and psyche yourself up. Some people meditate, others pray, others listen to music and others jog. You can <a href="http://www.thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/264489-obama-i-curse-to-deal-with-stress">even curse</a> to relieve the stress, as does President Barack Obama. There are many ways to elevate your mood.</p>
<p>Similarly, try <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950">positive thinking</a>. Study after study has revealed that positive thinking helps address stress and anxiety and leads to better mental and physical health. In the context of speech-making, remind yourself that you know more about the topic than the audience does. You may not be a global expert, but, chances are, if you’ve done your research, you’ll know more than the vast majority of listeners.</p>
<p>This is <a href="http://www.npr.org/2016/09/22/494901644/how-clinton-and-trump-are-preparing-for-the-first-presidential-debate">probably not as big of a concern</a> for Clinton, who is well-known as a policy wonk, but Trump is less practiced and so would be wise to give himself a pep talk before he walks on stage.</p>
<h2>Take care of your body</h2>
<p>Even if you use the strategies above, you may get a little nervous right before you get up to speak. You may also experience some excess energy. Don’t try to get rid of it all – believe me, you can’t – but you do want to eliminate some of it. Try “tense and relax” techniques.</p>
<p>For example, you could <a href="http://intentionalinsights.org/7-surprising-science-based-hacks-to-build-your-willpower">clench and relax</a> your fists. Clench your fists really hard and then release them. If you notice a lot of tension in your neck, try shoulder shrugs. Push your shoulders up to your ears, hold them there for 10 seconds, and release. Former Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker, for instance, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/06/politics/gop-pre-debate-rituals-republican-cleveland/">goes for a run</a> before debates.</p>
<p>Finally, make sure you’ve had enough sleep, water and a good meal before giving your speech, and don’t forget to use the restroom. You don’t want to have an embarrassing moment <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/20/finally-an-explanation-for-hillary-clintons-long-bathroom-break/?_r=0">like Clinton did</a> during a debate when she was late coming back from a bathroom break. </p>
<h2>Visual prep and practice</h2>
<p>Most importantly, practice what you want to convey and how you want to convey it to gain more confidence and speaking exposure. </p>
<p><a href="http://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-exposure-therapy/">Studies show</a> that gradual exposure to fear-inducing stimuli – known as <a href="http://www.div12.org/sites/default/files/WhatIsExposureTherapy.pdf">exposure therapy</a> – combined with relaxation techniques such as those described above is a safe and effective means of decreasing anxiety and building confidence. </p>
<p>Since it is especially helpful to simulate the exact environment in which your speech will take place, another way to do that is to try practicing in the same location you will be giving it and imagine what it will be like when you’re doing it live. </p>
<p>Clinton and Trump, for example, may want to make a quiet visit to the Hofstra University auditorium, where the first debate will be held. </p>
<p>If doing that is impractical for you, try <a href="http://psychcentral.com/lib/guided-visualization-a-way-to-relax-reduce-stress-and-more/">visualization</a>, a strategy that doesn’t require you to leave your home. It involves visualizing yourself delivering a perfect speech in front of a rapt audience. This <a href="https://mdsoar.org/handle/11603/2234">research-based</a> strategy is <a href="http://fiercegentleman.com/visualize/">widely employed</a> in a similar way by top athletes and actors, such as Will Smith, Tiger Woods and Venus and Serena Williams. </p>
<p>Clinton’s <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/10/who-will-win/497561/">background</a> in previous political debates gives her an edge there, as she can easily imagine what it’ll be like more precisely than Trump. </p>
<p>Visualization doesn’t replace actual practice, of course. When you do practice, it’s still optimal to create an environment that simulates the situation well. For instance, if you’re planning to give a presentation to potential investors, ask friends or colleagues to role play and ask tough questions. </p>
<p>Both Clinton and Trump are engaging in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/08/30/why-the-presidential-debates-could-really-matter-this-time/?utm_term=.f1507d4f803c">thorough preparations</a>. We know that Clinton <a href="http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016/09/trump-and-clinton-prepare-for-first-presidential-debate/">is doing</a> mock debates, which will likely serve her well during the event itself. We have no confirmation of whether Trump is doing the same. </p>
<p>The candidates also <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/hillary-clinton-prepping-for-two-trumps-at-debate-1474415274">need to study each other</a> as much as they study the content, since their goal is to win, not just to convey information. If your goal in public speaking is to outdo a competitor, as in a debate or contract bid, you must study that opponent and make sure that you take advantage of her/his weaknesses, while defending against her/his strengths. </p>
<h2>From first speech to inaugural address</h2>
<p>These tips, widely used by experienced speakers like Trump and Clinton, can <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/da.20090/abstract">help anyone minimize the impact</a> of speaking anxiety. The sooner you get up in front of a group, realize that you have something important to say and say it, the sooner you’ll get rid of your fear.</p>
<p>Speaking is a skill that grows stronger with practice and weaker with disuse. The secret to improving your speaking skills is experience. </p>
<p>Remember, your first speech may be your worst speech, but you will keep getting better and less anxious going forward. After all, not even presidential candidates become excellent public speakers overnight.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/65197/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is the leader of Intentional Insights, a nonprofit organization that popularizes research-based strategies from behavioral sciences for a broad audience. Several links are to research-based articles from the Intentional Insights website. </span></em></p>Even Trump and Clinton have oratorical anxieties. Here are some research-based strategies presidential candidates and the rest of us can use to overcome them.Gleb Tsipursky, Assistant Professor of History, The Ohio State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/574722016-06-27T01:31:28Z2016-06-27T01:31:28ZHow do children learn to detect snakes, spiders and other dangerous things?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/128099/original/image-20160624-28362-1wzt9bj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">How do kids develop fears?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59733540@N00/151133370/in/photolist-emAFL-4ej2SY-5TnRw3-cKiDfE-4zQNML-3HcxGw-s4PkgV-cNBf8W-bQdgSV-CqJyt-8b9gRs-5TwvyE-dUD3ty-qwL6e-ecgtJK-nqS1wX-dyBYmi-bZSg5f-9bVz1q-odkuJL-8xAufS-hKzXkJ-58TVG6-727qfi-auyiBx-4kLVEW-kSzwP-68RhWS-4LAh4w-nHjqS9-oas4yh-rokjrW-tEsAP-k9RcPN-nH9Yg9-3UN759-pJWfht-bzqa5p-rCHrXt-8SxTyh-bZS8Yd-exhg4K-3KNXMy-sqFhRh-9bVzRs-aKUcW-4VhoCZ-avkRuq-9hdCaX-5fDZGL">Craig Bradshaw</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Outdoor activities are a fun and exciting part of summertime for children, but they can also be filled with natural (and unnatural) dangers, like fast-moving cars, steep cliffs, crashing waves and even the occasional bear. </p>
<p>Despite these daily hazards, most kids make it to the end of the day unscathed, other than the occasional scraped knee. </p>
<p>Research shows children have an ability to detect threat quickly. How are perceptions of what’s safe and what’s threatening in the outside world shaped from an early age? </p>
<h2>Detecting natural threats</h2>
<p>Because detecting threat would have been advantageous for human survival, <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/rev/108/3/483/">researchers</a> have theorized that humans have a predisposition to detect certain kinds of natural threats very quickly. These threats would consist of things like snakes and spiders, or animals that would have threatened the reproduction of our ancient human ancestors.</p>
<p>Consistent with this theory, <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2001-18060-008">psychologists</a> have found that when presented with photographs of threatening images like snakes and spiders and nonthreatening images like flowers and mushrooms, adults are quicker to identify the threatening than the nonthreatening images.</p>
<p>In my own lab, we study how children and babies – who lack significant experience with snakes and spiders – respond to these creepy-crawlies. </p>
<p>In one study, we presented three-year-olds and adults with a series of nine pictures arranged in a 3-by-3 matrix on a touchscreen. One of the pictures was always the target, and the other eight were distractors. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/128100/original/image-20160624-28391-jdoykq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/128100/original/image-20160624-28391-jdoykq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128100/original/image-20160624-28391-jdoykq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128100/original/image-20160624-28391-jdoykq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128100/original/image-20160624-28391-jdoykq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128100/original/image-20160624-28391-jdoykq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128100/original/image-20160624-28391-jdoykq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children detect threatening things such as spiders more quickly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkmoose/78246099/in/photolist-7V2QF-3Bnsvn-6v7ieu-aBEwM4-aotxQH-ay2vzr-3BvmLe-ay2uTV-ay5cZb-ay5dto-ay5doj-ay2uPn-7xKTv-3BndDs-fvMKK-gwea3-6HDDUw-MM3sw-65vsvF-dpmz2C-h9APhr-ay2vfR-ay5dyN-ay5d3Y-ay5dqh-Vk7K6-aDkcHQ-3BnSNw-8cPU5R-3BwXKF-7gQKfR-8xXmvu-3BuSgx-3BmVbQ-fiVvHD-55PPag-ay2uLM-4phGWj-dv1aP-4MG8BZ-qtrqX9-nyvJuM-3YRviq-i2bKmn-oaE396-3BhUkp-3BvcTg-ds7vki-8Qf5Ub-6J1oL5">Anthony Easton</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When the targets were <a href="http://pss.sagepub.com/content/19/3/284.short">snakes</a> and <a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2010.04.005">spiders</a>, children and adults were much faster at finding them than when the targets were flowers, mushrooms, frogs, caterpillars or even cockroaches. </p>
<p>We found <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20121878">similar results</a> when we tested babies using a simplified version of the task: After presenting 9- to 12-month-olds with two images at once – one snake and one flower – we found that the babies turned their heads more quickly to look at snakes than at flowers.</p>
<p>This finding extends to animals as well. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19450020">Research</a> from a lab in Japan reported that even monkeys detect snakes more quickly than flowers.</p>
<h2>Learning to detect threat</h2>
<p>At first blush, it seems as though my research supports the idea that humans have an evolved predisposition to detect natural threats very quickly.</p>
<p>However, further <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724980543000204#.V0-D1NdjsQY">research</a> has shown that adults quickly detect a variety of <em>unnatural</em> threats as well, threats like guns, needles and knives. </p>
<p>Since these man-made threats weren’t around when humans were evolving, the evolutionary theory can’t explain why we detect these things so quickly as well. The fact that we do suggests that rapid threat detection of dangerous objects can be learned.</p>
<p>Several lines of research support this idea. My own <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699930802542308#.V0-EuNdjsQY">work</a> has shown that although preschool-aged children detect needles very quickly (more quickly than pens), they do not detect knives particularly quickly (when compared to spoons). </p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/128101/original/image-20160624-28362-1p1vyzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/128101/original/image-20160624-28362-1p1vyzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128101/original/image-20160624-28362-1p1vyzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128101/original/image-20160624-28362-1p1vyzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128101/original/image-20160624-28362-1p1vyzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128101/original/image-20160624-28362-1p1vyzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/128101/original/image-20160624-28362-1p1vyzw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Experience with injections makes children fearful of them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/proimos/7015509987/in/photolist-pNMach-pNKrfa-5xjoMv-bFWjGK-HvZmP-qLqacw-bx7cSV-38M6XA-kfeE3-38Gwpi-Lmg3i-7Y9UsD-7Yd9SG-ntC63y-7JDTp2-8HziQW-oJXSdL-6zJhW9-cnvUKS-p4Mqsi-HvZdk-bbntCM-gxaus-6hc9f2-9T9rNz-6VAPuu-p4Gxzt-psvwSt-p4FrMa-p4GwPv-4WyVY4">PROAlex Proimos</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Importantly, these results seem to be related to negative experience with the objects: While the children had a great deal of experience with inoculations, they were not allowed to handle knives at home and had never been cut by one. Thus, children might have learned to detect needles (but not knives) very quickly via the negative experience of an injection.</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699930801993973">research</a> with adults from another lab has shown that after being conditioned to associate the occurrence of an unpleasant electric shock with nonthreatening animals like dogs, birds or fish, the adults learned to detect these animals very quickly – just as quickly as they detected snakes and spiders.</p>
<p>Together, this research suggests that although learning might not be involved in the detection of snakes and spiders, humans can easily <em>learn</em> to detect a variety of threats very quickly as well – that is, after they learn that they are indeed threatening.</p>
<p>One final factor that leads us to detect threatening objects very quickly is emotion – either our emotional state, or our propensity to behave emotionally (as dictated by our personalities).</p>
<p>For example, in another study, I found that adults who <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/emo/14/4/701/">watched</a> a scary movie clip were faster to detect anything – even a very simple shape – faster than adults who watched a neutral clip. </p>
<p>Further, individuals who have a specific phobia <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2001-18060-008">detect</a> the object of that phobia faster than nonphobic adults. Similarly, both adults and children with social anxiety <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&uid=2006-23058-001">detect</a> social signals of threat (like an angry face) more quickly than their nonanxious counterparts.</p>
<h2>Human threat detectors</h2>
<p>This body of research demonstrates that humans can acquire a propensity to detect various kinds of threats through different mechanisms. An ability to detect natural threats like snakes and spiders is developed early. The detection of unnatural threats is learned through negative experience. Finally, we can detect any object (threatening or not) very quickly given a fearful or anxious state of mind. </p>
<p>Together, this flexibility in responding quickly to whatever happens to threaten us makes humans (even very young children) highly effective threat detectors. </p>
<p>This ability is important, as it gives us the freedom to explore potentially new and scary things, while at the same time alerting us when something in the environment might be worth keeping an eye on.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/57472/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vanessa LoBue does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>When 9- to 12-month-olds with presented with two images at once – one snake and one flower – researchers found that the babies turned their heads more quickly to look at snakes than at flowers.Vanessa LoBue, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Rutgers University - NewarkLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/604582016-06-10T11:59:22Z2016-06-10T11:59:22ZWomen are far more anxious than men – here’s the science<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/125532/original/image-20160607-15028-a974j9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Anxiety: gender specific.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/dsm-5">Anxiety disorders</a> – defined by excessive fear, restlessness, and muscle tension – are debilitating, disabling, and can <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/ca/academic/subjects/medicine/mental-health-psychiatry-and-clinical-psychology/anxiety-disorders-theory-research-and-clinical-perspectives">increase the risk for depression and suicide</a>. They are some of the most common mental health conditions around the world, affecting around <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24448889">four out of every 100 people</a> and costing the health care system and job employers <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10453795">over US$42 billion each year</a>. </p>
<p>People with anxiety are more likely to miss days from work and are less productive. Young people with anxiety are also less likely to enter school and complete it – translating into <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/ca/academic/subjects/medicine/mental-health-psychiatry-and-clinical-psychology/anxiety-disorders-theory-research-and-clinical-perspectives">fewer life chances</a>. Even though this evidence points to anxiety disorders as being important mental health issues, insufficient attention is being given to them by researchers, clinicians, and policy makers.</p>
<p>Researchers and I at the University of Cambridge wanted to find out who is most affected by anxiety disorders. To do this, we conducted a <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.497/abstract;jsessionid=83EDFFA49AF80E29292577FA363F232C.f02t04">systematic review</a> of studies that reported on the proportion of people with anxiety in a variety of contexts around the world, and used <a href="http://www.prisma-statement.org/">rigorous methods</a> to retain the <a href="http://amstar.ca/Amstar_Checklist.php">highest quality studies</a>. Our results showed that women are almost twice as likely to suffer from anxiety as men, and that people living in Europe and North America are disproportionately affected. </p>
<h2>Why women?</h2>
<p>But why are women more likely to experience anxiety than men? It could be because of differences in <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735809000671">brain chemistry and hormone fluctuations</a>. Reproductive events across a woman’s life are associated with hormonal changes, which have been <a href="http://www.psychiatrist.com/JCP/article/Pages/2013/v74n04/v74n0415.aspx">linked to anxiety</a>. The surge in oestrogen and progesterone that occurs during pregnancy can increase the <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/dsm-5">risk for obsessive compulsive disorder</a>, characterised by disturbing and repetitive thoughts, impulses and obsessions that are distressing and debilitating. </p>
<p>But in addition to biological mechanisms, women and men seem to experience and react to events in their life differently. Women tend to be more prone to stress, which can increase their anxiety. Also, when faced with stressful situations, women and men tend to use different coping strategies. </p>
<p>Women faced with life stressors are more likely <a href="https://theconversation.com/rumination-and-remedy-five-ways-to-improve-your-outlook-19527">to ruminate</a> about them, which can increase their anxiety, while men engage more in active, <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735809000671">problem-focused coping</a>. Other studies suggest that women are more likely to experience physical and mental abuse than men, and abuse has been linked to the <a href="http://hrccatalog.hrrh.on.ca/InmagicGenie/DocumentFolder/copinganxietyphobias.pdf">development of anxiety disorders</a>. Child abuse has been associated with changes in brain chemistry and structure, and according to <a href="http://hrccatalog.hrrh.on.ca/InmagicGenie/DocumentFolder/copinganxietyphobias.pdf">previous research</a>, women who have experienced sexual abuse may have abnormal blood flow in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in emotion processing.</p>
<h2>The anxious West</h2>
<p>Our review also showed that people from North America and Western Europe are more likely to be affected by anxiety than people living in other parts of the world. It is unclear what could be accounting for these differences. It could be that the criteria and instruments we are using to measure anxiety, which were largely developed on Western populations, might not be capturing <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22781489">cultural presentations of anxiety</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/126081/original/image-20160610-29225-22pnw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/126081/original/image-20160610-29225-22pnw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126081/original/image-20160610-29225-22pnw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126081/original/image-20160610-29225-22pnw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126081/original/image-20160610-29225-22pnw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126081/original/image-20160610-29225-22pnw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/126081/original/image-20160610-29225-22pnw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">London: an anxious city?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/dl2_lim.mhtml?src=11Ch5qtQui-WUv2tiuDndA-1-50&clicksrc=download_btn_inline&id=425809774&size=medium_jpg&submit_jpg=">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Anxiety might be manifested differently in non-Western cultures. For example, social anxiety in the West is typically manifested as an intense fear of social situations, high self-consciousness, and fear of being judged and criticised by others during interactions and performance situations. </p>
<p>However, in Asia, a closely related construct is <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22781489"><em>taijin kyofusho</em></a>, which manifests as persistent and irrational fears about causing offence and embarrassment to others, because of perceived personal inadequacies. In addition, people from other cultures might feel too embarrassed to disclose symptoms of anxiety that people in Western cultures are comfortable discussing – this would mean that the figures reported in studies on developing and underdeveloped parts of the world might be <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/ca/academic/subjects/medicine/mental-health-psychiatry-and-clinical-psychology/anxiety-disorders-theory-research-and-clinical-perspectives">underestimates of the true proportions</a>. </p>
<p>Most of the research on mental health has also been done in Europe and North America, and very few studies have examined anxiety in other parts of the world. There could indeed be large differences in the burden of anxiety between cultures, but further research using better anxiety assessment methods is needed on this.</p>
<p>Either way, we now know that anxiety disorders are common, costly, and associated with substantial human suffering. We also know that women and people living in developed countries seem to be most affected. This awareness of who is disproportionately affected by anxiety can help direct health service planning and provision, and treatment efforts. </p>
<h2>What can be done?</h2>
<p>Anxiety disorders tend to start early in life, are chronic, and more than a decade can elapse between the time when symptoms develop and help is <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/ca/academic/subjects/medicine/mental-health-psychiatry-and-clinical-psychology/anxiety-disorders-theory-research-and-clinical-perspectives">first sought from the doctor</a>. At this point, the anxiety has become quite severe and other mental health problems, such as depression, have developed. This makes successful treatment of any of the disorders <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/ca/academic/subjects/medicine/mental-health-psychiatry-and-clinical-psychology/anxiety-disorders-theory-research-and-clinical-perspectives">much harder</a>. </p>
<p>Early recognition of symptoms is important so that treatment can be administered. Many people have turned to cognitive behavioural therapy, which has been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety. There is also medication, and there are lifestyle changes people can make to improve their mental health, such as engaging in regular physical activity, doing mindfulness meditation and yoga.</p>
<p>Knowing that anxiety is more prevalent among Western and female populations, however, is a valuable step forward.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/60458/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Olivia Remes aknowledges the support of the National Institute for Health Research School for Public Health Research.</span></em></p>New research reveals some startling findings and discovers the problem is worst in the West.Olivia Remes, PhD Candidate, University of CambridgeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/418042015-05-28T05:28:36Z2015-05-28T05:28:36ZYour smartphone could be good for your mental health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82949/original/image-20150526-24757-13c7cn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Self-help</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When it comes to mental health, technologies such as smartphones and social media networks are almost always discussed in terms of the dangers they pose. Alongside concerns expressed in <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/11486167/Are-smartphones-making-our-children-mentally-ill.html">the media</a>, some experts believe that technology <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/adhd-awareness/does-technology-cause-adhd.aspx">has a role</a> in the rising rates of mental health problems. However, there is also evidence to suggest your smartphone could actually <a href="http://www.nhsconfed.org/%7E/media/Confederation/Files/Publications/Documents/the-futures-digital.pdf">be good</a> for your mental health.</p>
<p>The brain is a sensitive organ that reacts and adapts to stimulation. Researchers have looked into smartphone usage and the effects on the day-to-day plasticity of the human brain. They found that the finger movements used to control smartphones are <a href="http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/12/25/smartphone-use-alters-our-brains/79111.html">enough to alter</a> brain activity.</p>
<p>This ability of technology to change our brains has <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/adhd-awareness/does-technology-cause-adhd.aspx">led to questions</a> over whether screen-based activity is related to rising incidence of such conditions as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or an increased risk of depression and insomnia. Technology has also <a href="http://cyberbullying.us/cyberbullying_and_suicide_research_fact_sheet.pdf">been blamed</a> for <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13632752.2012.704684">cyber-bullying</a>, isolation, communication issues and <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00548.x/abstract">reduced self-esteem</a>, all of which can potentially lead to mental ill health.</p>
<h2>Positive potential</h2>
<p>However, focusing only on the negative experiences of some people ignores technology’s potential as <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3841358/">both a tool</a> for <a href="http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gregory_Gahm/publication/23458726_Soldier_attitudes_about_technology-based_approaches_to_mental_health_care/links/0a85e53360459de11d000000.pdf">treating mental health issues</a> and for improving the quality of people’s lives and promoting emotional well-being. For example, there are programmes for depression and phobias, designed to help lift people’s moods, get them active and help them to overcome their difficulties. <a href="http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta97/resources/guidance-computerised-cognitive-behaviour-therapy-for-depression-and-anxiety-pdf">The programmes</a> use guided self help-based cognitive behavioural principles and have proven to be very effective.</p>
<p>Computer games have been used to <a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/view/517561/the-computer-game-that-helps-therapists-chat-to-adolescents-with-mental-health-problems">provide therapy</a> for adolescents. Because computer games are fun and can be used anonymously, they offer an alternative to traditional therapy. For example, a fantasy-themed role-playing game <a href="https://research.sparx.org.nz">called SPARX</a> has been <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2598">found to be</a> as effective as face-to-face therapy in clinical trials.</p>
<p>Researcher David Haniff has created apps aimed at <a href="http://www.bcs.org/upload/pdf/ewic_hc07_popaper4.pdf">lifting the mood</a> of people suffering from depression by showing them pleasing pictures, video and audio, for example of their families. He has also developed a computer game that helps a person examine the triggers of their <a href="http://issuu.com/onlinetherapyinstitute/docs/tiltiss9/9">depression</a>. Meanwhile, smartphone apps that play subliminal relaxing music in order to distract from the noise and worries of everyday living have been proven to be beneficial in <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140318111900.htm">reducing stress</a> and anxiety.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82951/original/image-20150526-24760-1trpggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82951/original/image-20150526-24760-1trpggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82951/original/image-20150526-24760-1trpggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82951/original/image-20150526-24760-1trpggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82951/original/image-20150526-24760-1trpggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82951/original/image-20150526-24760-1trpggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82951/original/image-20150526-24760-1trpggn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Doctor on call.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>Technology can also provide greater access to mental health professionals through email, online chats or video calls. This enables individuals to work remotely and at their own pace, which can be particularly useful for those who are unable to regularly meet with a healthcare professional. Such an experience can be both empowering and enabling, encouraging the individual to take responsibility for their own mental well-being.</p>
<p>This kind of “telemedicine” has already found a role in child and adolescent <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19302764">mental health services</a> in the form of online chats in family therapy, that can help to ensure each person has a chance to have their turn in the session. From our own practice experience, we have found young people who struggle to communicate during face-to-face sessions can be encouraged to text their therapist as an alternative way of expressing themselves, without the pressure of sitting opposite someone and making eye contact.</p>
<p>Conditions such as social anxiety can stop people seeking treatment in the first place. The use of telemedicine in this instance means people can begin combating their illness from the safety of their own home. It is also a good way to remind people about their appointments, thus improving attendance and reducing drop-out rates.</p>
<h2>New routes to treatment</h2>
<p>The internet in general can provide a gateway to asking for help, particularly for those who feel that <a href="http://www.mentalhealthcare.org.uk/discrimination_and_stigma">stigma is attached</a> to mental illness. Accessing information and watching videos about people with mental health issues, including high-profile personalities, helps to normalise conditions that are not otherwise talked about.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TcPRF9slENI?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>People can use technology to self-educate and improve access to low-intensity mental health services by providing <a href="http://www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/supportforum">chat rooms</a>, <a href="https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/join-the-conversation">blogs</a> and <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/low-mood-stress-anxiety.aspx">information</a> about mental health conditions. This can help to combat long waiting times by providing support earlier and <a href="http://www.opsba.org/files/2014CYMHS_PS5_Handout1.pdf">improving the effectiveness</a> of treatment.</p>
<p>More generally, access to the internet and use of media devices can also be a lifeline to the outside world. They allow <a href="http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z/I/internet/">people to connect</a> in ways that were not previously possible, encouraging communication. With improved social networks, people may be less likely to need professional help, thus reducing the burden on over stretched services.</p>
<p>Research into the potential dangers of technology and its affect on the brain is important for understanding the causes of modern mental health issues. But technology also creates an opportunity for innovative ways to promote engagement and well-being for those with mental health problems. Let’s embrace that.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/41804/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s not all isolation and cyber-bullying: technology offers access to communication and therapies that could help sufferers of mental illness.Joanna Rodriguez, Senior tutor, University of SurreyNadine Page, Teaching Fellow (Integrated Care), University of SurreyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/407312015-04-23T18:07:12Z2015-04-23T18:07:12ZHere’s what it feels like to be invisible – less anxious<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/79148/original/image-20150423-25525-c77dvm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Nothing can get to me now</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/90490.php">Staffan Larsson/Karolinska Institutet</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Recent advances with so-called meta-materials have shown that a <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6011/1622">practical invisibility cloak</a> might one day be possible. But a new study has approached the scenario from the other direction, asking <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/2015/150423/srep09831/full/srep09831.html">what it would feel like to be invisible</a>. The answer, it turns out, is it would make us feel more confident. </p>
<p>The research was carried out using an extension of the classic <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v391/n6669/full/391756a0.html">rubber-hand illusion</a>. In this experiment, a participant views a dummy hand being stroked with a brush, while also feeling a similar brush stroking their real hand, which is hidden behind a curtain. If the brush-stroking they are viewing on the rubber hand is synchronised with the stokes on their real hand, a powerful illusion can be produced; that the dummy hand is their own hand. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sxwn1w7MJvk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Rubber hand experiment.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A number of interesting variations on this basic experiment have been demonstrated. For instance researchers at Royal Holloway have shown that inducing this sense of ownership of a darker-skinned hand subsequently <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3750641/">reduces implicit racial biases</a> in Caucasian participants. A further elaboration of this basic effect uses <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0010564">virtual-reality goggles to change the visual perspective</a> of a participant, so as to induce the sensation that their entire body has been “swapped” with a mannequin, or even another person.</p>
<h2>Powerful illusion</h2>
<p>The illusion works because of the way that the brain integrates information from different senses, and the powerful role that sensory information can have in guiding perception. The <a href="http://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223%2810%2900826-7/abstract?cc=y">effect can be boosted</a> by the use of drugs such as ketamine, which can lead to very powerful sensations of ownership of the rubber hand. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/79145/original/image-20150423-25527-1ohye5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/79145/original/image-20150423-25527-1ohye5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/79145/original/image-20150423-25527-1ohye5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/79145/original/image-20150423-25527-1ohye5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/79145/original/image-20150423-25527-1ohye5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/79145/original/image-20150423-25527-1ohye5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/79145/original/image-20150423-25527-1ohye5p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">I fee calm as a cucumber.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/garryknight/5559407567/in/photolist-9tgqbB-6mDC2k-ojr9AE-81cLfd-ctAbmU-9UHtmN-fCVdRF-7dtda5-p4jgWS-4YTefA-6iGd3u-dyGzWb-oHunB-nsLCe-5Wp8zm-gmyygn-JAxXy-gmye9N-gmy21i-gmxPSA-gmyxPF-92EnPJ-5bWHP1-64KEh8-gmywWZ-gmxN5N-292FSu-6vy7rR-7jTzqj-6XXPm2-nT7zFU-9aHx77-5oZGg3-66nTka-7LdDpv-4YP5Xn-fhbtRn-oaXkyu-5KEAZs-8f2L4d-CrRPs-53buTE-4xPZU7-f9HafQ-6YxQs9-nEQP8c-NnUoG-b59bmc-7SaSax-6sQYoE">Gary Knight/flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the new study, participants wore virtual-reality goggles which gave them the perspective of a mannequin placed opposite them. An experimenter then used two brushes to synchronously brush the participant’s and the mannequin’s stomach region, and the participants looked down at theirs and the mannequin’s stomach as the brushing occurred. With this procedure they successfully induced the illusion that the mannequin’s body was the participants own. </p>
<p>To create the sense of being invisible, the mannequin was then removed, and the participants were shown the visual perspective of a camera mounted on the wall, in the same position as the mannequin’s head had been. The experimenter then brushed empty space (as well as the participant’s own stomach), and this successfully produced the sensation that the participant had an “invisible” body.</p>
<h2>Invisibility in treating social anxiety?</h2>
<p>The researchers were also interested in looking at how having an invisible body would affect social behaviour. To test this, they placed the participant in front of an audience of serious-looking people. The participants reported significantly less stress and anxiety when they were “invisible” compared to when they had a visible (mannequin) body. </p>
<p>These results contribute to a general hot topic in psychology and neuroscience right now: embodied cognition. For many years researchers have been content to study the brain and mind as a discrete system, divorced from the body in which it’s housed. However, recently there has been a growing awareness that brain and psychological function is heavily influenced in a variety of ways by physical effects on the body. </p>
<p>This latest experiment elegantly demonstrates that changes in our body perception can have wide-ranging influences on our emotional and social behaviour, and raises the possibility that virtual-reality procedures like those used in the new study may even find an application in the clinical treatment of social and emotional disorders.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/40731/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matt Wall does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Researchers have created an experiment that gives participants the illusion of being invisible.Matt Wall, Researcher in Brain Imaging, Imperial College LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/300922015-03-27T03:00:34Z2015-03-27T03:00:34ZLife is full of uncertainty, we’ve just got to learn to live with it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/76046/original/image-20150326-12275-me2fun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">While it can make negative events worse, uncertainty also makes positive events more exciting. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/boomerangtantan/10560890164/in/photolist-h6ejHb-4r3Tmp-g3JXwS-fBjrgG-eQNgvi-ftaaMu-g32BLt-g322Ez-g3244N-g32vTg-g31Ug5-g31QqE-g32kZ8-g32jwD-g31Mgq-g32fyD-g32e82-g32cCZ-g31EXy-g329t2-g328mx-g31xeg-g324z4-g321yK-g31VKM-g31T8n-2ZNMg8-kQTxWt-3dCMAu-cKhQM-exDiUK-38Gv7T-drtY8X-ad6vNB-cs5zAy-47YA86-eg9aXy-4v7ouJ-55YFcd-fW5hiH-fW5ph3-fW5kpS-fgRbkL-2Czpd2-fsXYXP-7S8XTs-f1N65E-dKZKKc-drrRC8-f1N9D5">Disillusion./Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/xge/72/6/847/">Experiments dating back to the 1960s</a> show people have <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/3/1/96/">less of a reaction</a> to viewing an unpleasant image or experiencing an electric shock when they know it’s coming than when they’re <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3175533/">not expecting</a> it. That’s because uncertainty, a <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1111/cpsp.12077">long-known cause of anxiety</a>, makes it difficult to <a href="http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v14/n7/abs/nrn3524.html">prepare for events</a> or <a href="http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1586/ern.12.82">to control them</a>.</p>
<p>People vary in their desire to minimise uncertainty. Those who <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/134/2/163/">react by worrying</a> focus on potential threats and risks such as “what if I don’t get the promotion?” or “what if I get sick?”. Worry can be useful when it leads to adaptive behaviours that reduce threat, but chronic worry may cause harmful levels of stress that can affect heart health and the functioning of the immune system, among other things.</p>
<p>Our bodies may display subtle reactions to uncertainty, which we may not notice. <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886902000910">One experiment</a> showed people who dislike uncertainty had increased blood pressure when anticipating threat. When our bodily reaction is a strong one, we tend to recognise and label it as anxiety, but when it’s more subtle, we often fail to see it despite its effect. </p>
<p>These internal reactions to uncertainty are normal, but they can lead us to act in impulsive ways that undermine our self-confidence, so it’s important to become aware of them.</p>
<h2>Not all bad</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000578941100075X">Dislike of uncertainty</a> is associated with a number of mental health issues including eating disorders, social anxiety, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/16506073.2011.622130#.VOLltbDLfuR">anxiety disorders and depression</a>. And people who say they <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088761851000174X">dislike it immensely</a> report more of these disorders occurring at the same time.</p>
<p>But not everything about uncertainty is bad news; while it can make negative events worse, uncertainty also makes positive events more exciting. </p>
<p><a href="http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2010/12/17/0956797610393745">In an experiment</a> about the contribution of uncertainty to romantic attraction, a group of female university students were told that attractive males had seen their profile and may or may not have liked them. Meanwhile, a second group was told the attractive males had definitely liked them. The women who were not certain about whether they were liked were more attracted to the men than those certain about being liked.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/76047/original/image-20150326-12305-1embi9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/76047/original/image-20150326-12305-1embi9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76047/original/image-20150326-12305-1embi9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76047/original/image-20150326-12305-1embi9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=430&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76047/original/image-20150326-12305-1embi9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76047/original/image-20150326-12305-1embi9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76047/original/image-20150326-12305-1embi9p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Our bodies may display subtle reactions to uncertainty that we may not notice.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rabih/277759056/in/photolist-qxA6f-9waEHi-9sN54L-6i5hBX-7Hf6mv-i9WXqx-7d2iEk-e3wYQT-h4m5mH-8fkDP2-dVVH1b-ap8DaG-9qRvJo-9sN4WS-giSbd7-9Qp7B7-nxdpvu-q56nfF-bC5SuG-5h6UUw-5xCyXS-5cWZYH-cEMtCG-7Ca5rS-5xCDJw-91Yfz3-r2Yvts-cEMsTW-5xCBQh-5xy7BV-9sK4NM-7ubWrT-aN8ZSX-6NWxcv-7v4gYV-6Ru7Ln-i2Bkio-6TmzMj-8ADP5g-nRvec8-bnJyPn-5ra1Qv-nxdNPa-ptnb6X-3f1UFa-2RHeE1-357HeL-7mKaHh-5aXES-8BgnrM">Rabih/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Difficulties arise when our responses to uncertainty are inflexible and rely on <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167876011001528">attempts to control</a> it. The more we try to avoid the distress uncertainty brings, the less we’re able to develop the ability to effectively handle uncertain situations. And if we choose to focus on <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/apl/88/6/1057/">avoiding distress</a>, we may not stretch ourselves by trying out new activities, for instance, or speaking to new people. This reaction can prevent us from having positive experiences that build our self-confidence. </p>
<p>Indeed, rigidity, which is the opposite of flexibility, underlies unhealthy responses to many psychological problems. We know this from psychological research in thinking styles and perfectionism. As life is never perfect, we need to be at ease with making mistakes, learning from them and <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cpsp.12077/full">lowering or changing our goals</a> when they are thwarted. People who are flexible tend to be more willing to reflect on disappointments, access appropriate emotional support and be less self-critical.</p>
<h2>Managing uncertainty</h2>
<p>Many of us struggle with uncertainty, so here are a few things you can do to help manage it.</p>
<p>1) Decide whether an issue is important. Most people feel vulnerable when faced with a threat to their health, for instance, or a big event such as the sale of their house. But, sometimes a bodily reaction to uncertainty will be triggered in less obvious circumstances. Work, finances, competition, parenting and friendships all have potential to spark discomfort, tension and other negative feelings.</p>
<p>2) Take action when your uncertainty reaction has been triggered and recognise its effect on your body. If it’s causing anxiety, do a <a href="http://youtu.be/TIItPMs5b4U">short meditation</a>. This may not only be of immediate help but will also assist by making you mindful of how your body reacts to uncertainty. Ultimately, it might help you tolerate feelings of uncertainty rather than spend time on fruitless worry.</p>
<p>3) Recognise thought errors that try to pull you into worry. “<a href="http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/docs/BB-5-Unhelpful%20Thinking%20Styles.pdf">Catastrophising</a>”, for instance, is the tendency our minds have to exaggerate all the things that could go wrong. Once we recognise this human tendency, we can learn to challenge or even ignore our worries. </p>
<p>4) Don’t get taken for a ride by an uncertain situation or your reaction to it. Allow yourself to have negative feelings; they are normal after all. If you need to, talk to someone about your concerns and come back to your own ability to withstand disappointment. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/76048/original/image-20150326-12275-1ce7e0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/76048/original/image-20150326-12275-1ce7e0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76048/original/image-20150326-12275-1ce7e0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76048/original/image-20150326-12275-1ce7e0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76048/original/image-20150326-12275-1ce7e0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76048/original/image-20150326-12275-1ce7e0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/76048/original/image-20150326-12275-1ce7e0r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Uncertainty is a part of life and it can’t be avoided.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicubunuphotos/5262645427/in/photolist-dvDfuy-dvxF8P-9igEdx-gybqGD-923r8Z-8qMcRP-eSiQ21-9j5L6e-8ebdSa-8fmt2M-hkLA2y-eP9cki-5nmKnj-fgTmgR-dvDf27-dvxEdH-dvxEVK-dvDfY7-dvDf8L-dvxEAk-cKqC2-Cj17h-zZ5P9-cKrfE-cKqBZ-cKqBW-cKo5V-951v7q-DXzef-DXzee-DRxvy-DRxvw-DRxvs-DRxvc-cKrRN-cKrfQ-cKqC1-cKqBX-cKqBV-cKo5W-cKo5Y-9qX2rt-i8rcBp-i8iLbP-9qX3TT-9r8pFE-5ATfVN-4iVv3B-912HaB-915NfA">Nicu Buculei/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Sitting with uncertainty requires patience. In order to build patience, you may need to set a realistic time frame on when the current situation will be resolved and postpone thoughts about it until that time has elapsed. In the meantime, absorb yourself in an activity that you enjoy or that has the power to distract you. </p>
<p>5) If the uncertainty resolves and you do experience a major disappointment, open up to trusted others. Allow yourself to reflect on what this means to you. The more we open up and talk with others, the more emotions disperse (slowly but surely). The process of reflection and allowing feelings is different to indulging worries about uncertainty. </p>
<p>Being open to this process allows us to adjust our expectations and move our energy and goals to areas where our expectations can be met. If a promotion at work does not come through, for instance, you may choose to put time into a sport or music, which you may not previously had time to prioritise. </p>
<p>Uncertainty is a part of life and it can’t be avoided. The best way to deal with it is to learn techniques that help you live with it, without the accompanying worry.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>If you would like to learn about whether reactions to uncertainty can be altered in <a href="http://www.centreforemotionalhealth.com.au/pages/keepcomposed.aspx">school programs</a>, or in <a href="http://centreforemotionalhealth.com.au/pages/Research.aspx">one-session</a> internet-delivered programs for adults, <a href="http://centreforemotionalhealth.com.au/pages/Research.aspx">click here</a>, or email enoughworry@mq.edu.au</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/30092/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Danielle Einstein is Director of Distinct Psychology, a clinical psychology specialist practice in Bondi Junction.</span></em></p>Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of life but for many people, it triggers harmful levels of stress. The good news is that there are a number of things you can do to handle uncertainty better.Danielle Einstein, Postdoctoral Fellow and Clinical Psychologist, Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/366012015-01-27T08:37:03Z2015-01-27T08:37:03ZExplainer: what is social anxiety disorder?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70075/original/image-20150127-24549-z6qqx0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People with social anxiety disorder believe they will be rejected when others see how anxious and awkward they are.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rashmiravinray/3647045776">rashmi ravindran/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Most of us would admit to feeling shy from time to time, or anxious about public speaking: the larger the crowd the greater the terror. It’s also not unusual to feel awkward while making small talk with unfamiliar (or uninteresting) people. But a significant number of people find these situations utterly mortifying. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Social%20Anxiety%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">Social anxiety disorder</a> (or SAD) is diagnosed when the fear of criticism or rejection by others becomes chronic and debilitating. People with SAD see themselves as incompetent and inferior, and others as judgemental and hostile. They believe they will be rejected when others see how anxious and awkward they are, or hear the stupid or boring things they say.</p>
<p>While criticism is an occasional and unpleasant part of life for most of us, people with SAD believe they will be criticised and rejected virtually every time they are around other people. They also believe that there is a high personal cost to being criticised – if others criticise me then I <em>am</em> a failure.</p>
<p>SAD dictates what courses can be studied (those that don’t require speaking in front of the class), what jobs can be applied for (able to be done alone and preferably from home), what hobbies can be engaged in (solitary ones), and who fits the bill as a potential life partner (those not requiring a chaperone to parties and work functions). </p>
<p>Without a strong sense of self (who I am) and self-acceptance (I am worthwhile, even with all my foibles) it is exceedingly difficult to express our preferences and get our needs met by others. Unsatisfying relationships with domineering friends and partners are therefore common for people with SAD. Low self-esteem, social isolation and depression can follow.</p>
<p>In some ways, the digital age makes life easier for people with SAD. A full day’s work can be done online without seeing another person. Social media create the illusion of friendship with just a few simple clicks. But the very human need for genuine connection remains unmet.</p>
<h2>What are the symptoms?</h2>
<p>Sweating, blushing, heart palpitations, trembling and an urge to escape are common physical symptoms of social anxiety. People with SAD become highly self-conscious and imagine that others can clearly see these signs of anxiety. They expect to be judged as weak and incompetent as a consequence.</p>
<p>Avoidance is the most popular strategy for managing social anxiety. That prevents any possibility of being criticised but also robs sufferers from discovering that criticism is far less likely (and less traumatic) than expected.</p>
<p>When social situations can’t be avoided more subtle ways of trying to prevent criticism are relied upon, such as using alcohol as a social lubricant, mentally rehearsing conversations, or staying quiet. But these strategies can backfire and actually <em>cause</em> the criticism they were trying to prevent.</p>
<h2>How common is SAD?</h2>
<p>The most recent Australian <a href="http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00048674.2011.624083">National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing</a> found that 8.4% of adults will meet criteria for SAD in their lifetime. That’s one in 12, or around 1.3 million Australians. </p>
<p>Yet suffers believe they are alone. Shame prevents people from discussing their fears, which reinforces the sense of isolation.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70110/original/image-20150127-19287-2dysyq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/70110/original/image-20150127-19287-2dysyq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70110/original/image-20150127-19287-2dysyq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70110/original/image-20150127-19287-2dysyq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70110/original/image-20150127-19287-2dysyq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70110/original/image-20150127-19287-2dysyq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/70110/original/image-20150127-19287-2dysyq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Many people with SAD describe feeling humiliated while giving presentations at school.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/s/school+presentation/search.html?page=1&thumb_size=mosaic&inline=63920527">Simone van den Berg/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>SAD usually develops during adolescence and early adulthood, with many sufferers reporting lifelong shyness. Half report significant and debilitating social anxiety before the age of 13. </p>
<p>More women experience SAD than men, but interestingly, a relatively equal proportion of men and women seek treatment for the problem. Cultural expectations that men be dominant and assertive might drive a greater proportion of male sufferers to treatment.</p>
<h2>What causes SAD?</h2>
<p>SAD is most likely to be <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15501555">caused</a> by a combination of nature and nurture. Studies have shown that two identical twins are more likely to have anxiety problems than two non-identical twins, which tells us that our genes probably play a role.</p>
<p>Our individual temperaments also seem to be important. Children who are extremely shy are more likely to develop SAD later in life, although most children will grow out of their shyness.</p>
<p>Many people with SAD describe experiencing “social traumas” early in life, including bullying, abuse, or feeling humiliated while giving presentations at school. </p>
<p>Overly critical or perfectionist parents may also set unrelenting social standards that their child feels unable to meet. Social anxiety ensues as the child assumes they will therefore fail to meet <em>everyone’s</em> expectations.</p>
<h2>What can you do about SAD?</h2>
<p>SAD can be persistent without effective treatment, so it’s important to seek help early. </p>
<p>Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is the psychological treatment with the most evidence to support its effectiveness. CBT involves identifying and <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796714002046">challenging negative thoughts and self-images</a> by gradually confronting the feared social situations. As the perceived social threat starts to diminish during treatment, so too do the distressing physical symptoms of anxiety. </p>
<p>CBT has been effectively delivered individually and within groups. <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013196#s1">Internet-based therapy</a> is also proving to be effective for some people, suggesting that the internet can be therapeutic and not just a form of avoidance. Medication can also be helpful.</p>
<p>A fortune cookie I once received proffered the following advice: “<em>You would care far less about what others thought of you, if you knew how seldom they did</em>.” This is the essence of what people with SAD need to discover. Others are often far too preoccupied with themselves to spend much time judging others.</p>
<p>Managing social anxiety opens up a world of choices to engage with life and pursue what is truly important and valuable without an excessive fear of rejection. The goal isn’t to become the most outgoing, gregarious or confident person at the party. The goal is to attend the party if you choose, without having to hide in the corner.</p>
<hr>
<h2>For online treatment materials, visit:</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=40">Shy No Longer</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/types-of-anxiety/social-phobia">beyondBlue</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mindspot.org.au/about-anxiety">Mindspot Clinic</a></li>
</ul>
<p>To take part in an intervention study for social anxiety at the <a href="http://healthsciences.curtin.edu.au/teaching/psych_adult_clinic.cfm">Curtin Psychology Clinic</a> in Perth Western, Australia, phone 08 9266 3436.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/36601/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter McEvoy receives funding from a Department of Health, Western Australia, Merit Award.</span></em></p>Most of us would admit to feeling shy from time to time, or anxious about public speaking: the larger the crowd the greater the terror. It’s also not unusual to feel awkward while making small talk with…Peter McEvoy, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/318862014-11-04T05:30:45Z2014-11-04T05:30:45ZFeeling anxious makes it harder to stop feeling anxious<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/63349/original/kxb4rrqw-1414692718.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Worry feeds worry.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-139494050/stock-vector-editable-vector-silhouette-of-a-man-sitting-with-his-head-in-his-hand-background-made-with-a.html?src=Rk2zvzsEINccu3OjDPyXMA-2-23">Images sourced from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Anxious people tend to perceive their world in a more threatening way. That is, the more anxious a person is, the more likely they are to notice threatening things around them. This is called the <a href="https://theconversation.com/anxiety-makes-us-more-biased-to-threat-but-exercise-can-change-our-perception-30110">threat bias</a>. </p>
<p>Some researchers believe that the threat bias makes it harder for people to get rid of anxiety disorders because they get stuck in a loop - they feel anxious, they start noticing threatening things in their environment, and this in turn makes them even more anxious.</p>
<p>However, the threat bias isn’t just something that people with anxiety disorders experience. Everyone can have trouble keeping worrying thoughts and feelings of anxiety out of their minds. And there are things you can do to make it easier for your brain to inhibit worrying thoughts.</p>
<h2>Why inhibition is good for you</h2>
<p>Scientists think the threat bias exists because anxiety affects our inhibition, which is our ability to stop thoughts or behaviors from happening. A person with good inhibition, for example, would be better at refusing dessert when trying to diet, because they have an easier time inhibiting that behavior. Our ability to inhibit depends on our ability to pay attention and stay focused. When people are really anxious, inhibition becomes difficult.</p>
<p>Having trouble focusing your mind can make it harder to inhibit certain thoughts. For instance, children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties with attention and inhibition. Imagine putting a dish of candy in front of a group of children and telling them not to touch any. While some children won’t eat the candy, children (or even adults) with ADHD would find this more difficult because they would have a harder time <a href="http://www.researchgate.net/publication/14207307_Behavioral_inhibition_sustained_attention_and_executive_functions_constructing_a_unifying_theory_of_ADHD/file/3deec52dea3fbd9d38.pdf">inhibiting this behavior</a>.</p>
<p>In fact, this is why medications like Ritalin or Adderall are helpful in managing ADHD. These drugs are psychostimulants, which means they provide the attention boost people with ADHD need in order to decrease certain problem behaviors and help improve concentration.</p>
<h2>Searching for danger</h2>
<p>But what about anxiety? Well, some <a href="http://tu-dresden.de/die_tu_dresden/fakultaeten/fakultaet_mathematik_und_naturwissenschaften/fachrichtung_psychologie/i1/allgpsy/lehre/pruefungsliteratur_KN_2013/Eysenck-2007.pdf">researchers</a> think that increased anxiety makes our brains search for danger. </p>
<p>Imagine being home alone, hearing a creak or a strange noise, and expecting a burglar to jump out at any second. This adaptation is useful because it ensures that you are ready in case there really <em>is</em> someone sneaking up the stairs. Overusing this system, however, can mean that people are anxious all the time, leading to fatigue, racing thoughts, and physical symptoms of anxiety like restlessness, insomnia or irritability. </p>
<p>But most of the time, a creak is just a creak, not a burglar about to leap out of the shadows. But what is the cost if you always feel this anxious? Researchers have found that people who are more anxious tend to have poorer inhibition, which means they have a harder time stopping anxious thoughts. </p>
<p>When this threat-detection system goes into overdrive it can cause serious problems and significantly deteriorate how well people function: like flashbacks in post-traumatic stress disorder or intrusive thoughts in obsessive-compulsive disorder.</p>
<h2>Measuring inhibition</h2>
<p>In our <a href="http://www.biomotionlab.ca">lab</a> we had participants complete something called a <em>Go/No-Go task</em>. We presented a series of letters on a computer screen and the participant’s job was to press the space key only when they saw the letter X, which occurred 75% of the time. </p>
<p>People often made mistakes and pressed the space key when they saw letters other than X. This gave us a way of measuring of how well people were able to inhibit their response to press the space key when other letters came up (i.e., the No-Gos).</p>
<p>We also measured our participants’ social anxiety using a questionnaire, and measured their threat bias using a visual <a href="http://theconversation.com/anxiety-makes-us-more-biased-to-threat-but-exercise-can-change-our-perception-30110">perception task</a>. </p>
<p>We found a link between a person’s level of social anxiety, their level of threat bias and their inhibitory ability. People who were more anxious <a href="http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Abstracts/HeenanBBCS14.pdf">tended to have poorer inhibition</a> and this poorer inhibition was associated with a greater threat bias. This supports the argument that anxious people are unable to keep threatening thoughts from entering their conscious awareness. </p>
<h2>Keeping worry at bay</h2>
<p>So what does this mean for you? Anxious thoughts often pop into our heads. What our research suggests is that improving our brain’s ability to inhibit thoughts and behaviors should also help with keeping out worrying thoughts. Think back to that creaky house. If you were able to inhibit those worrying thoughts a bit better, you would be less likely to jump to the conclusion that a burglar is in the house every time you hear a noise. </p>
<p>One way to help your inhibitory ability is to get enough sleep. People who are overtired don’t have the attention or focus needed for proper inhibition. If you are lacking a few hours of sleep each night, you will be less likely to inhibit worrying thoughts from entering your mind.</p>
<p>Exercise helps, too. In previous research, we discovered that just <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0099902">10 minutes of exercise</a> or relaxation techniques led to people to perceive their world as less threatening.</p>
<p>Alcohol might initially help you fall asleep, but it can disrupt or delay rapid eye movement (<a href="http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm#dreaming">REM</a>) sleep. This part of our sleep cycle is associated with dreaming and with forming memories. Therefore, your cognitive abilities will typically be much stronger after a night where you didn’t drink (but you knew that, right?).</p>
<p>Worrying thoughts are easier to battle if you are at least on a level playing field. So try and rest up! Get some exercise! And next time you start to worry, consider whether those thoughts are really crossing your mind because the phone bill could mean life or death, or whether you are exhausted and just can’t keep those thoughts away.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/31886/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adam Heenan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Anxious people tend to perceive their world in a more threatening way. That is, the more anxious a person is, the more likely they are to notice threatening things around them. This is called the threat…Adam Heenan, PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology, Queen's University, OntarioLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.