Project Wallflower
The proposal I have settled on is Social Anxiety. This project is aiming to look at how people with social anxiety deal with everyday social situations. This is leading my research into the ways people cope with their illness and whether they will avoid social interaction and how this affects their everyday lives
People living with social anxiety suffer from more than just “shyness”, they live with a fear of socialising that can control their lives. Sufferers will not want to engage in social activity in the fear of being judged and people thinking their thoughts and views are stupid or worthless. This mind set takes over and makes it hard for people to engage in everyday activities such as speaking on the phone, shopping or being in large groups.
When in these situations panic and discomfort can set in, people’s heart rate will increase; shaking, sweating, tightness of the chest and possibly panic attacks are only a few symptoms people deal with. I think this is an interesting area because Social Anxiety is a mental illness that is only starting to be recognised by the general public. Social anxiety, along with many other mental illnesses, has a large stigma attached to it, making it hard for people to reach out and seek help.
One of the main treatments offered is CBT, cognitive behavioural therapy. CBT works by helping sufferers identify their unrealistic fears and working with a therapist to break these down into more realistic beliefs. Other treatments include anti-depression medication, relaxation and good diet and exercise.
From my early research, I have noted that when it comes to seeking help a lot of people turn to an online community for ¬self-help. Instead of professional medical help people will ask online communities what the best thing is to do in specific situations.
The how? My possible aim may be to create a product that instils enough confidence to help someone with social anxiety engage in social interaction.
I feel this project won't come without Challenges. My main current challenge is speaking to people who currently suffer with social anxiety. I plan to try get in touch with people through posting on Reddit threads and online forums. Asking about their first-hand experience of dealing with social anxiety and getting insights into how people overcame it.
I have also created some early links with the University mental health society and professionals that run the student support services within the University.
