how did social phobia come about?

[thequietone]

I was watching something about chimpanzee society on TV and I started wondering. I'm no scientist, so cut me some slack before I begin I figure it must be an evolutionary defect.

My tentative theory:
Our ancestors quickly learned that social encounters were important because you could probably be banished or killed if you don't get along with the group. Some of the group members are leaders and some are followers trying to become leaders. Others are submissive and really don't want to be killed. They survive. Maybe this social fear of others is a left over survival technique from the ancient past??? What do you think? Or what have you read having to do with this topic?

 

[Reholla]

I read a book that mentioned something about it. It said something to the effect of our ancestors having anxiety just like we do today....being chased by a buffalo herd...etc. But this is the healthy kind of anxiety. It's not chronic. When our body's are in a chronic state of stress, we are thrown into a viscious cycle thats hard to break out of. Our body's are addicted to bad habbits. (The opposite of this means you can be addicted to GOOD things and break the neg. addiction. Think of some one you know who's happy. It seems like it would take a lot to "knock" them down. Its because of this positive addiction, and theres room in this world for everyone to achieve it)....OKAY sorry if I lost you there...anyways back to what I was saying. Back then, its good to have anxiety in situations (as is it is now), to run away from a herd of bufflalo and give you that extra adrenaline boost to out run the buffalo. But in our world today, we have the same kind of stress, if not more, but we're stuck behind a desk, talking on a cell phone, etc.

Thats just one explanation. Another is that maybe its always been around and people never knew its core was anxiety based. Think about it...people may just look at some one with anxiety as just really really shy. Maybe back then the "really really shy" people actually had SA, but no one ever knew about it or wanted to treat it. Not until really recently has anything psychologically based been given much credit. A loooong time ago if they thought you had something wrong they would crack your skull open...and then later found out that kills people. so they stopped doing it. (I'm glad were not at that level now!) And then even just up to a few years ago they practiced lobotmy's (like in One Flew Over the Coocoo's Nest). People way back when that had pshychological problems were treated like outcasts pretty much. Im just glad we live in world now where we dont have to suffer, and theres treatment out there.

 

[idunnoimnotcreativ]

I was watching something about chimpanzee society on TV and I started wondering. I'm no scientist, so cut me some slack before I begin I figure it must be an evolutionary defect.

My tentative theory:
Our ancestors quickly learned that social encounters were important because you could probably be banished or killed if you don't get along with the group. Some of the group members are leaders and some are followers trying to become leaders. Others are submissive and really don't want to be killed. They survive. Maybe this social fear of others is a left over survival technique from the ancient past??? What do you think? Or what have you read having to do with this topic?

That's definitely part of the answer. The thing you have to keep in mind thoughis that nowadays you arent likely to be smashed by an alpha male or something like that, so there's no reason to have anxiety.

 

[thequietone]

Maybe back then the "really really shy" people actually had SA, but no one ever knew about it or wanted to treat it. Not until really recently has anything psychologically based been given much credit. A loooong time ago if they thought you had something wrong they would crack your skull open...and then later found out that kills people. so they stopped doing it.

I'm glad they stopped cracking skulls open and killing people!!!! 8O You made a good point, though, Reholla. Not so long ago, there was no such thing as Social Anxiety Disorder. Whose to say it wasn't around from the very beginning? And then, no one would know what was wrong, just that something was and that is so much worse.

The thing you have to keep in mind thoughis that nowadays you arent likely to be smashed by an alpha male or something like that, so there's no reason to have anxiety.

:lol: :lol: I will try to remember that![/b]

 

[Phobologist]

I was watching something about chimpanzee society on TV and I started wondering. I'm no scientist, so cut me some slack before I begin I figure it must be an evolutionary defect.

My tentative theory:
Our ancestors quickly learned that social encounters were important because you could probably be banished or killed if you don't get along with the group. Some of the group members are leaders and some are followers trying to become leaders. Others are submissive and really don't want to be killed. They survive. Maybe this social fear of others is a left over survival technique from the ancient past??? What do you think? Or what have you read having to do with this topic?

I think they may still be planning to kill us after all..