this morning I received a reply to my interview questions on my mail from miss Heena who is a counseling psychologist in a school. here is her full interview:
1. What are your views about social anxiety?
Social anxiety has become a very common phenomena in the last few years. This has been due to an increase in use of screens and interacting with others through social media. Face to face interaction has reduced significantly. People also lead very unrealistically ideal lives on social networking sites creating a large difference in who they portray themselves to be as and who they actually are. This also causes low self-confidence due to increasing demands on how they are supposed to be, thereby creating more anxiety.
2. How often do you get cases of people with social anxiety due to child abuse?
Severe emotional, physical and social neglect ( a form of child abuse) in early childhood can cause anxiety in people as they grow up. We see students very often resort people pleasing, conflict avoidance and general isolation as a means to alleviate anxiety. Cases of anxiety have increased in the last few years in the school with increasing academic competition & pressure, managing relationships and using time productively.
3. How does anxiety change one's personality?
Long term anxiety can change the physiology of the brain and modify the sympathetic nervous system response. It can cause people to be triggered very easily, be more prone to depression and hamper their daily stress response. If not treated in time, it can cause the issue to get more acute and disrupt daily functioning of the individual ( e.g. may become a recluse, agoraphobic etc).
4. What are distinguished signs of extreme anxiety?
Heart palpitations, dry throat, hyperventilation, low muscular strength, etc.
5. What kind of mental difficulties can a teenager face, due to trauma/abuse experienced as a child?
Anxiety disorders are very common. Eating disorders, conduct disorder and vulnerability to depression are common consequences of trauma experienced as a child. There are other mental health risks as well but that depends on the type of trauma.
6. Can there be a connection between anxiety, ADHD, ODD and PTSD?
There can be a biological connection between the above due to changes in the levels of various neurotransmitters. I haven’t experienced any case having all 4 of the above. It is a rare occurrence.
7. What would you like to say to someone who is suffering from social anxiety?
To know that there is help available and make the most out of therapy. Being honestly committed to therapy is the fastest way to get better at managing and alleviating anxiety. Effort needs to be put in to get healthy physically and mentally. Mental illness should not be used as an excuse to misbehave or be rude to others. Using one’s resources (time, energy, attention, priorities etc) effectively and productively is the easiest way to deal with situations like a champion.
thses were her replies to the questions asked. I will be analyzing the data collected from this interview in my next blog post.
Comentários