Is Social Anxiety on the rise in America?

lilly354

Active member
I am noticing more and more people coming forward saying they have issues with anxiety, especially social anxiety. For the longest time I felt like I was alone with this. I struggled to make friends growing up so I kept the few I had even though they treated me horribly. As I got older, my anxiety became worse and I started having panic attacks. I really felt alone.

Today, I was speaking to my mom about it and she told me a lot of people in our family have social anxiety issues. She mentioned her friend, a few co-workers, and even my own father has had issues with it.

Is it more common in America these days or are people simply speaking out about it more?
 

Ransfordrowe

Well-known member
Im from England but there are simalarities between the US and England.A fast paced 24 hour 7 days a week city culture.Lots of different kinds of people crammed into cities.Lots of noise,competion for jobs,housing etc.Factors like that lead to alot of stress and this leads to anxiety I think for those with a predisposition for those illnessees.I know not ever one lives in cities but Im talking about were most people live,i.e a city.The high levels of prescription of antidepressives in the US,England kind of backs up that anxiety is on the rise.
 

Hot_Tamale

Well-known member
Im from England but there are simalarities between the US and England.A fast paced 24 hour 7 days a week city culture.Lots of different kinds of people crammed into cities.Lots of noise,competion for jobs,housing etc.Factors like that lead to alot of stress and this leads to anxiety I think for those with a predisposition for those illnessees.I know not ever one lives in cities but Im talking about were most people live,i.e a city.The high levels of prescription of antidepressives in the US,England kind of backs up that anxiety is on the rise.
I agree with you on almost everything, I think it's well written. I just don't agree with the last part because I don't think the number of prescriptions written by doctors is a reliable indicator of anxiety levels in the U.S. & England. Anti-anxiety / anti-depressive meds are on the top of the list of most abused drugs in America and doctors pass out prescription drugs like candy to keep the drug lobbyists happy. Or I've just seen too many biased documentary television shows.
 

lily

Well-known member
My sister even admitted to me that she has social anxiety =( but it's not to the point she has to be medicated. I'd say it's the societal standards out there put in front of us and influences from others who used to be in our lives and think they're better than us.
 

lily

Well-known member
i do hear of a lot of people having anxiety, etc there's something wrong w/ society, they're away from the love of God and the loyalty/trust God has. if i knew i can trust someone and that they love me even if i still feel i have some flaw then i wouldn't have anxiety.
 

kittymoon

Member
It has to do with the very fast paced society. All this stress imposed upon us. It's a rat race and we are all expected to accomplish something, otherwise we would be punished for it. It's about bills, and bills, and bills. People expecting us to conform. And deadlines and pressure from outside forces.
 
Im from England but there are simalarities between the US and England.A fast paced 24 hour 7 days a week city culture.Lots of different kinds of people crammed into cities.Lots of noise,competion for jobs,housing etc.Factors like that lead to alot of stress and this leads to anxiety I think for those with a predisposition for those illnessees.I know not ever one lives in cities but Im talking about were most people live,i.e a city.The high levels of prescription of antidepressives in the US,England kind of backs up that anxiety is on the rise.
Absolutely right, Ransfordrowe.:perfect:

It is such a hyper competitive, dog-eat-dog type of world now.
You have to compete with more people for more things in life constantly now, on a much greater scale than people had to even 30-40 years ago.

You never know if anyone new you meet in any area of your life, is going to end up being a friend or your opponent. :sad:
 
It has to do with the very fast paced society. All this stress imposed upon us. It's a rat race and we are all expected to accomplish something, otherwise we would be punished for it. It's about bills, and bills, and bills. People expecting us to conform. And deadlines and pressure from outside forces.
Exactly. :sad:

The pressure to accomplish "success" in your life; career, financially, socially etc is more intense now.

People used to be able to feel content with something that was considered "average", but made them happy.

But now "average" is judged as being a failure to achieve! No wonder more and more people are scared of being judged a failure, by anyone they meet, hence the anxiety of being around people.
 
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