Beyond shyness

We live in a fast-paced world and with that fast pace comes an increase in mental health problems for many people. This week we are taking a look at social anxiety and the causes behind it.

The amount of people who are struggling with social anxiety seems to be on the rise according to many recent reports. There are three main causes being attributed to this rise and they are screen time, world issues and the pandemic that we all went through.

People, and young people in particular, are spending huge amounts of time on their phones using social media to communicate with each other. This takes away our real-life interactions which are important on so many levels. Psychiatrists explain that people are preferring to speak to one and other online instead of face-to-face which is making the issue of social anxiety even worse.

The Covid pandemic, where most of us faced long amounts of time under lockdown, is also being blamed for the increase in social anxiety. The pandemic was hard on everyone and the isolation and lack of real interactions has proven to be detrimental to mental health.

It is important to be aware of the signs of social anxiety as there is help available if needed. Doctors explain that getting enough sleep and proper exercise is very important for mental health. If you or anyone you know is experiencing social anxiety, do not hesitate to seek help and speak to a doctor.