INTRODUCTION TO INNOVATIVE PROJECTS

COURSE NAME: IIP

COURSE CODE: PHY1999

SLOT: TC2

PROF: E. JAMES JEBASEELAN SAMUEL

 SOCIAL ANXIETY

PROJECT REPORT
Submitted for the course: Introduction to Innovative Projects

BY

JUBINA SHIRIN 17BCL0295

SRISANGARI C 17BCM0045
ABHISHEK VENKATAPRASAD 17BEC0020
BOGA
GAJULA ROHAN 17BEC0148
NEHAL BHATNAGAR 17BEC0459
ANSHUL GOYAL 17BEC0524
SENGUPTA SHOUVIK 17BEE0098

Name of faculty: E. JAMES JEBASEELAN SAMUEL

(SCHOOL OF ADVANCED SCIENCES)

MARCH, 2019
 CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report “Social Anxiety” that is being submitted by
“Jubina, Srisangari, Abhishek, Rohan, Nehal, Anshul and Shouvik” for
Introduction to Innovative Projects (PHY1999) is a record of bonafide work done
under my supervision. The contents of this project has neither been taken from
any other source nor have been submitted for any other CAL courses.
Place: Vellore
Date: 31st March, 2019

Signature of students:
Jubina Shirin
Srisangari C
Abhishek Venktaprasad Boga
Gajula Rohan
Nehal Bhatnagar
Anshul Goyal
Sengupta Shouvik

Signature of faculty: E. James Jebaseelan Samuel

 ACKNOLEDGEMENTS

We cordially thank our Prof. E. James Jebaseelan Samuel for his precious
guidance and opportunity given to us for completion of our project.

Thank you
Jubina Shirin [17BCL0295]
Srisangari C [17BCM0045]
Abhishek Venkataprasad Boga [17BEC0020]
Gajula Rohan [17BEC0148]
Nehal Bhatnagar [17BEC0459]
Anshul Goyal [17BEC0524]
Sengupta Shouvik [17BEE0098]
 ABSTRACT

Social anxiety is one of the most common disorders faced by people belonging to
various age groups. While some portion of the population fight their way out of
it, the rest still dwell in the pitiful plight. The main objective of this project is to
identify the candidates suffering from social anxiety from the student community
and analyze the prevailing reasons behind it and also provide plausible remedies
to encourage their social interaction and boost the level of confidence. A survey
was conducted which supported in achieving the goals of the project.
 INTRODUCTION
Social anxiety is a form of anxiety that results from the prospect of personal
evaluation in real or imagined social situations. People are interpersonally secure
in social settings when they do not have the goal of creating a particular
impression on others and hence are not immediately concerned about others'
evaluative reactions or they are attempting to create a particular impression and
believe they will be successful in doing so. In a large percentage of social
settings, however, people do not have such security. Although they may want to
create a particular impression, they may be uncertain about how to go about
doing so, think they will not be able to project the types of images that will
produce preferred reactions from others, think they will not project the quantity
of the image they seek or believe that some event will occur that will repudiate
their self-presentations, causing them to lose public esteem.
This is one of the major issues faced by the college going students. The cure to
this type of disorder is simple but it takes a lot of will power, courage and
confidence to permanently eradicate it from one’s life. The project throws light
on the amount of people facing the problem, their form of fears and also
elucidates the key to thwart social anxiety.
FROM THE SURVEY:
Mind Map
SYMPTOMS(Brain Storming):

Feelings of shyness or discomfort in certain situations aren't necessarily signs of social

anxiety disorder, particularly in children. Comfort levels in social situations vary, depending
on personality traits and life experiences. Some people are naturally reserved and others are
more outgoing.

In contrast to everyday nervousness, social anxiety disorder includes fear, anxiety and
avoidance that interfere with daily routine, work, school or other activities. Social anxiety
disorder typically begins in the early to mid-teens, though it can sometimes start in younger
children or in adults.

Emotional and behavioural symptoms

Signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder can include persistent:

 Fear of situations in which you may be judged

 Worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself
 Intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers
 Fear that others will notice that you look anxious
 Fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment, such as blushing,
sweating, trembling or having a shaky voice
 Avoiding doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment
 Avoiding situations where you might be the centre of attention
 Having anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event
 Enduring a social situation with intense fear or anxiety
 Spending time after a social situation analyzing your performance and identifying flaws
in your interactions
 Expecting the worst possible consequences from a negative experience during a social
situation
Physical symptoms

Physical signs and symptoms can sometimes accompany social anxiety disorder and may
include:

 Blushing
 Fast heartbeat
  Trembling
 Sweating
 Upset stomach or nausea
 Trouble catching your breath
 Dizziness or light headedness
 Feeling that your mind has gone blank
 Muscle tension

TREATING SOCIAL PHOBIA (Through lateral thinking):

The following treatment steps were obtained through the survey and thorough research based
on the topic.

Challenge negative thoughts

Step 1: Identify the automatic negative thoughts that underlie your fear of social situations.

Step 2: Analyze and challenge these thoughts.

Focus on others, not yourself

 Focus your attention on other people but not on what they’re thinking of you. Instead,
do your best to engage them and make a genuine connection.
 Remember that anxiety isn’t as visible as you think. And even if someone notices that
you’re nervous, that doesn’t mean they’ll think badly of you. Chances are other people
are feeling just as nervous as you or have done in the past.
 Focus on the present, rather than worrying about what you’re going to say or over
thinking about what’s already passed.
 Release the pressure to be perfect. Instead, focus on being genuine and attentive—
qualities that other people will appreciate.

Learn to control your breathing

 Sit comfortably with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Put one hand on
your chest and the other on your stomach.
 Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for 4 seconds. The hand on your stomach
should rise, while the hand on your chest should move very little. Hold the breath for 2
seconds. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds, pushing out at much air as
you can. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand
should move very little.
 Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on
keeping a slow and steady breathing pattern of 4-in, 2-hold, and 6-out.
Face your fears
  Don’t try to face your biggest fear right away. It’s never a good idea to move too fast,
take on too much, or force things. This may backfire and reinforce your anxiety.
 Be patient. Overcoming social anxiety takes time and practice. It’s a gradual step-by-
step progress.
 Use the skills you’ve learned to stay calm, such as focusing on your breathing and
challenging negative assumptions.

Make an effort to be more social

 Put an effort into doing something you enjoy, such as volunteering to work for an
NGO or being part of a campaign, anything that will give you an activity to focus
on while you are also engaging with a small number of like-minded people.

 Work on your communication skills. Good relationships depend on clear, emotionally-

intelligent communication. If you find that you have trouble connecting to others,
learning the basic skills of emotional intelligence can help.

Adopt an anti-anxiety lifestyle

 Avoid or limit caffeine – Coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks act as stimulants that
increase anxiety symptoms. Consider cutting out caffeine entirely or keeping your
intake low and limited to the morning.

 Get active – Make physical activity a priority—30 minutes per day if possible. If you
hate to exercise, try pairing it with something you do enjoy, such as window shopping
while walking laps around the mall or dancing to your favourite music.

 Add more omega-3 fats to your diet – Omega-3 fatty acids support brain health and
can improve your mood, outlook, and ability to handle anxiety. The best sources are
fatty fish like salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines, seaweed, flaxseed,
and walnuts.

 Drink only in moderation – You may be tempted to drink before a social situation to
calm your nerves, but alcohol increases your risk of having an anxiety attack.

 Quit smoking – Nicotine is a powerful stimulant. Contrary to popular belief, smoking

leads to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.

 Get enough quality sleep – When you’re sleep deprived, you’re more vulnerable to
anxiety. Being well rested will help you stay calm in social situations.
Using Strengths to Understand Social Anxiety
1.) Overuse of social intelligence
What it means: You are analyzing your thoughts and feelings too much. You might also
be quick to over-analyze the intentions and actions of others.
How this relates to social anxiety: You are probably giving extra attention to your
nervousness and worry and less attention to more balanced thoughts and other feelings (such
as excitement, interest, and hope).
2.) Overuse of humility
What it means: You have little interest in talking about yourself or any of your
accomplishments. When people praise you for doing something good, you feel
uncomfortable and awkward and say little to nothing.
How this relates to social anxiety: Humility is an important strength and can have social
benefits. However, too much humility in certain situations can lead to depriving others of
learning about you which makes difficult for them to connect with you.
3.) Underuse of zest
What it means: If others perceive you as coming across without even a moderate amount of
energy, you might be perceived as uninterested or lacking in enthusiasm. Zest is one of the
character strengths most connected with happiness, so in some situations, you might even
come across as “unhappy.”
How this relates to social anxiety: In order to contribute to social situations, you need to
express energy. If you are bringing forth too little of energy, you won’t contribute as much.
This underuse feeds your “avoidance” mechanism which is a problem because “avoidance of
fear” is a hallmark feature of all types of anxiety. Socially anxious people avoid what they
are afraid of, which further perpetuates the cycle of anxiety. Underuse of zest feeds this
process.
4.) Underuse of humor
What it means: In some social situations, you are especially serious and don’t smile,
joke, laugh, or see the lighter side of things. While that might be appropriate behavior at
times, there are situations where humor is particularly important—take, for example,
socializing with friends or co-workers at a restaurant.
How this relates to social anxiety: Socially, humor and playfulness are kings (or queens).
People generally want to be around funny or playful people. They want to laugh and have a
good time. If you underuse humor in social situations, you are essentially eliminating one of
the main pathways to connecting and socializing with others.
5.) Underuse of social intelligence
What it means: You are not particularly attuned to your own feelings or the feelings of
others. You pay little attention to social cues, body language, or the circumstances of the
social situation you are in.
How this relates to social anxiety: Social situations often require a subtle and nuanced level
of awareness of feelings and circumstance. People unaware of their own feelings, unable to
speak appropriately to those feelings, unaware of how others might be feeling, or unaware of
how to query and discuss others’ feelings are at a significant disadvantage. Furthermore,
those who sense this reality within themselves are prone to feel more anxious about this
disconnect. People with social anxiety may also misinterpret cues or misread body language,
further contributing to the problem.
6.) Underuse of self-regulation
What it means: You have some difficulties in managing your reactions to others or in
managing your feelings or personal habits. You may come across as lacking discipline (in
your speech and behavior).
How this relates to social anxiety: The best social interactions involve a balanced back and
forth of questioning, sharing, and communicating. If your self-regulation is particularly low
in these situations, you may appear insensitive to others. This can impact the interaction and
contribute to anxiety.
Johari Window

Known to us Unknown to us

 Feel stressed before tough

Known to others

situations
 Blushing  Abnormal voice
 Sweating  Person looks stressed
 Trembling  Lack of confidence
 shaky voice


Unknown to others

Hesitation to talk
 Fear of getting judged
 Worrying about embarrassing or
humiliating yourself …….
 Anxious
 Don’t want to be centre of
attention
 Hypersensitivity to criticism
SWOT

App to overcome Social Anxiety (SOCIO-ANXIOUS)

 Anxiety as a Warning Sign  Avoiding social situations
 Anxietyisasa Motivation
Socio-Anxious quick solution of social anxiety, it can provide quick advice when you
 Lack of Performance
 with
are stuck Preparedness
anxietytoand handle tough
fear, and it motivates you to fight through it.
situations

 Anxiety as a Built-In Warning  Social isolation

System  Severe mental problems
 A Positive Character Trait in  depression, alcohol abuse, and
Friendship suicide attempts
 Anxiety as a Plus in Leadership

App to overcome Social Anxiety (SOCIO-ANXIOUS)

Socio-Anxious is a quick solution of social anxiety, it can provide quick advice when you
are stuck with anxiety and fear, and it motivates you to fight through it.
CONCLUSION
Social anxiety has always been examined with a deficit-based approach—exclusively
looking at it as a weak trait in an individual. Newly published research shows how social
anxiety can be linked to strengths.

Overuse or underuse of our character strengths can lead to social anxiety like overuse
of social intelligence and overuse of humility. Humility means not talking much of our
accomplishment or achievements, but overuse of humility can cause others to not understand
us and eventually making it difficult for others to connect with us thus paving way for social
phobia. Overuse of social intelligence means analyzing our thoughts and feelings too much
like giving extra attention to your nervousness and worry.

The important remedies to cure social anxiety issue were collected and analyzed from the
survey and have been listed above. It does seem a little difficult to begin but once initiated
the outcome is highly optimistic. Consciousness in a social scenario is acceptable but
obsession is not. It’s always better to keep a self check in order to accept the faults of the self
and confidently face the world. In the end what really matters is how you portray yourself
and not how the society receives it.
REFERENCES
[1] Randy S. Burke, Robert S. Stephens, Social anxiety and drinking in college students: A
social cognitive theory analysis, Clinical Psychology Review (1999), Vol.19, 513–530.
[2] Deborah C. Beidel and Samuel M. Turner, Shy Children, Phobic Adults: Nature and
Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Book Reviews
1(2009), Vol. 5.
[3] Donna M. Gilles, Cynthia L. Turk, David M. Fresco, Social anxiety, alcohol
expectancies, and self-efficacy as predictors of heavy drinking in college students, Addictive
Behaviours (2006), Vol.31, 388–398.
[4] Annette M. La Greca, Nadja Lopez, Social Anxiety among Adolescents: Linkages with
Peer Relations and Friendships, Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology (1998), Vol. 26.
[5] Barry R. Schlenker, Mark R. Leary, Social Anxiety and Self-Presentation: A
Conceptualization and Model, Psychological Bulletin (1982), Vol. 92, 641-669.
[6] Murray B Stein, Dan J Stein, Social anxiety disorder, Lancet (2008), Vol. 371, 1115–25.
[7] Weeks JW1, Howell AN, The bivalent fear of evaluation model of social anxiety: further
integrating findings on fears of positive and negative evaluation Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy (2012), Vol.41, 83-95.
[8] Freidlin, P., Littman-Ovadia, H., & Niemiec, R. M. , Positive psychopathology: Social
anxiety via character strengths underuse and overuse Personality and Individual Differences
(2017), Vol.108, 50–54.
[9] Hope, DA, Heimberg, RG, & Turk, CL. Managing Social Anxiety, 2nd Edition, Oxford
University Press (2010).