Which came first? Social Anxiety or Fear of Sweating

[ajohnson2]

My premise is this: A sweating episode -> Worry of future episodes -> Which causes more sweating -> social anxiety

The therapists I've spoken to believe it's Social anxiety -> Sweating -> Worry of sweating -> Which causes more sweating

So the question is which came first, social anxiety or the fear of sweating?

I had tremendous success using secure wipes. Literally overnight my anticipatory worries went away and so did the fear of sweating and social anxiety (in everything except extreme performance situations like a speech). Fast forward 4 years, I was starting a new job and was nervous about displaying sweating with all the new people I was meeting. I used avert and secure wipes for 2 or 3 days and once I saw I was dry I stopped avert, remained using secure wipes as a backup, and had no worries. I have facial sweating by the way.

I'm posting a poll here and interested to hear your experience. It's a very key question because the treatment options for the two are completely different. If you believe the root cause is the fear of sweating, you can overcome it with avert or another antiperspirant. If you believe social anxiety is the root cause, then there's everything from therapist work, mindfulness, and anxiety medication to consider.

 

[NickM]

I don't have social anxiety at all. My sweating anxiety is because I find sweating for no physiological reason to be extremely uncomfortable. It just feels bad. Now, I don't have facial sweating, so it may be a different story if I did.

Basically I sweat. I hate it. I think about it constantly, and I sweat more because I think about it so much.


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[86theHH]

My premise is this: A sweating episode -> Worry of future episodes -> Which causes more sweating -> social anxiety

The therapists I've spoken to believe it's Social anxiety -> Sweating -> Worry of sweating -> Which causes more sweating

So the question is which came first, social anxiety or the fear of sweating?

Your therapists are correct.
Here is the definition of social anxiety:
It’s the extreme fear of being scrutinized and judged by others in social or performance situations:

Something needs to cause the sweating which in this case is social anxiety. You don't just sweat unless you have a condition called hyperhidrosis.

Do you have hyperhidrosis? It sounds like you have social anxiety, which is not the same.

 

[jaim38]

I had SA as a child, way before pub.erty and the onset of sweating. I'd say fear of sweating worsens the SA.

 

[TLB]

I first noticed axillary hyperhidrosis (HH) when I was around 14. Then, when I turned 19/20 I noticed I had craniofacial HH, which now, is all I am bothered about. My axillary HH rarely bothers me now, because it's nothing compared to the craniofacial HH, in my opinion.

My anxiety shot through the roof when the craniofacial HH started and I had Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to counter my anxiety, and that did not work; now I am stuck like this, searching the net for preventative measures.

 

[saya]

My HH started around the age of 20 but I had always sweated more heavily than others with exercise, from the age of 20 i started getting constant axillary and plantar sweating even when sedentary.

I do have a fairly mild performance anxiety which affects me at work and I do generally have mild social anxiety, however I think these are mainly the product of dealing with the sweating more than the other way around, though there is certainly interaction between the two, I always sweat the most when I'm most stressed/anxious and sweating amplifies the stress/anxiety.

 

[Jezza]

This is a tough one for me...In the past I've mostly felt like it was sweating - anxiety - more sweating, in other words that it begins with a physical anomaly that is then in turn worsened by resulting anxiety as opposed to a mental thing that manifests itself as a physical symptom.

Over these last few years though I've come to realise more and more that a lot of factors that promote the development of SA have been in my life from a young age, even if I didn't (fully) recognize them at the time. In general I now think that one can have quite severe SA and not really be conscious of that.

Against the 'anxiety first' theory in my mind there are still three solid arguments. One is that taking beta or alpha blockers (taking away the anxiety) doesn't reduce my HH. Second is that there are many people that either claim themselves or that I know to be very anxious do not have HH. Lastly one would think that realisation of SA or treatment of it would lead to decreased sweating if it'd be the cause of the sweating. I've not been in treatment for it myself but from all accounts that I've read this doesn't happen.

But...Maybe, I think it's a long term exposure to stress/anxiety thing, where the body slowly but steadily gets out of balance and kind of reaches a tipping point where it can't relax and recover anymore. In many ways the kinda crude theory of 'overactive sympathetic nervous system' or stress response is in fact consistent with a lot of my experience with HH (aside from the sweating the fairly high BP and heart rate, bouts of sudden 'energy', poor circulation to extremeties (ice cold a lot), dry throat, fast yet inconsistent metabolism etc...). I often imagine it's like doing amfethamines all the time (though I haven't ever done that, promise), I just feel like I can never really relax.

 

[saya]

But...Maybe, I think it's a long term exposure to stress/anxiety thing, where the body slowly but steadily gets out of balance and kind of reaches a tipping point where it can't relax and recover anymore. In many ways the kinda crude theory of 'overactive sympathetic nervous system' or stress response is in fact consistent with a lot of my experience with HH (aside from the sweating the fairly high BP and heart rate, bouts of sudden 'energy', poor circulation to extremeties (ice cold a lot), dry throat, fast yet inconsistent metabolism etc...). I often imagine it's like doing amfethamines all the time (though I haven't ever done that, promise), I just feel like I can never really relax.

I know exactly what you mean and, apart from the dry mouth/throat, I have found Amitriptyline helps a lot with relaxing and combating that nervous energy. Maybe its just the anticholinergic effects but it definately helps me.

 

[waitingforfall]

Very, very good question....

 

[Sprawling]

My premise is this: A sweating episode -> Worry of future episodes -> Which causes more sweating -> social anxiety

This is a discussion we have had in the past. I'd say most people with HH agree with the above statement.

 

[ajohnson2]

I realize I left off a critical piece and I think this is what is holding me back. For example, I've been successfully carrying out dozens of exposures but still have the underlying fear.

The fear of what others might think if I sweat is the core issue. I am going to see an expert who is going to accompany me and do self-disclosure exposures, interoceptive exposures, etc. The key in his mind is the self-disclosure and asking strangers and maybe friends and colleagues what they would think.

It's going to be daunting at times but I am hopeful that this is going to help.

 

[uksam]

I realize I left off a critical piece and I think this is what is holding me back. For example, I've been successfully carrying out dozens of exposures but still have the underlying fear.

The fear of what others might think if I sweat is the core issue. I am going to see an expert who is going to accompany me and do self-disclosure exposures, interoceptive exposures, etc. The key in his mind is the self-disclosure and asking strangers and maybe friends and colleagues what they would think.

It's going to be daunting at times but I am hopeful that this is going to help.

Forgive my ignorance... What do you mean by carrying out exposures, and the type of exposures? Do you mean exposing yourself to situations where you would sweat in the hope of getting used to it/being able to cope with the situation better in the future?

 

[SweatySweater]

Forgive my ignorance... What do you mean by carrying out exposures, and the type of exposures? Do you mean exposing yourself to situations where you would sweat in the hope of getting used to it/being able to cope with the situation better in the future?

Yeah I think that what he means, also exposing to people (basically telling them) that you have hyperhidrosis and seeing there reaction.

The thing with me is that I tried avert a while back and it worked, I knew I had to "expose" myself to certain situations to see how effective it was but I kinda shyed away from that, so now I intend to do that a lot and see the outcome.

It just felt strange from sweating all the time to not sweating at all....like this shouldnt be happening I SHOULD BE sweating!

 

[ajohnson2]

Yes, I meant that going to different social events while on the secure wipes helped some but I still have the underlying fear. I think it's because I still don't have an accurate belief about what others think and intend on asking strangers what they would think and then also taking it a step further and self disclosing.

Here is the specific article from the person I'm going to see and how he helped a Danish rockstar overcome his fear. Also, I think it's important for me to stop using the secure wipes in these situations, something I'll confirm with him this week. http://feelinggood.com/2013/12/09/social-anxiety/

 

[SweatProblems21]

Yes, I agree with sprawling. Sometimes I am not sure what triggers my sweating episode, but as soon as it starts the psychological part kicks in and start thinking about it constantly. As usual, I start sweating more. Its really a vicious cycle. Has anyone tried any breathing exercises or quick meditation to help in these social situations that has shown any positive results at all?