Social Anxiety Treatment Program
Facing the challenges of social anxiety can make it hard for adolescents to seek treatment. Social anxiety disorder brings anxiety, fear, and even self-consciousness to social interactions, especially with strangers. Through a social anxiety treatment program, adolescents learn how to overcome emotional barriers that negatively impact social interaction. Social anxiety treatment aims to increase confidence, improve conversational skills, and encourage patients’ abilities to interact with others.
If you or someone you know suffers from social anxiety in the Greater Boston area, New Harbor Behavioral Healthcare in Dedham, MA, offers a comprehensive outpatient treatment center for adolescent patients that can support young people with social anxiety and related mental health issues.
Treatment Goals for Social Anxiety
Setting treatment goals for social anxiety helps adolescents improve their emotional well-being in social settings. This can lead to an overall improved quality of life. Some objectives for social anxiety treatment can include:
- Encourage the ability to talk with strangers
- Meet new people and make new friends
- Increase confidence in various social situations
- Make socializing enjoyable
- Improve confidence when speaking in group settings
- Feel less embarrassed by social mistakes
- Reduce feelings of fear, anxiety, nervousness, or embarrassment
During our initial phase of treatment at New Harbor, our team sets treatment goals with each client. We work to provide a further understanding of how each client can reach their goals through creating a personalized approach for every adolescent in our program.
Social Anxiety Treatment Plan
The exact cause of ADHD and SUD in adolescents is still unknown, but several factors may contribute to their development. These include genetics, brain development, environmental factors, and stress. Adolescents with ADHD may also be more prone to experimenting with drugs or alcohol, increasing their risk of developing SUD.
It is important to identify and address the underlying causes and risk factors for ADHD and SUD in adolescents to provide them with the most effective treatment and support.
Social Anxiety CBT Treatment
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps adolescents identify triggering factors of social anxiety in order to produce actionable strategies that combat these triggers. CBT encourages healthy attitudes and thoughts through coping strategies tailored to each individual. Not every individual experiences social anxiety the same way. Through CBT, each individual will learn the best methods for coping with their personal social anxiety symptoms.
Social Anxiety Disorder Test
Psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, and other mental health professionals can clinically diagnose social anxiety. They are responsible for helping adolescents understand the symptoms of their social anxiety so these young people can learn how to receive proper treatment. A social anxiety disorder test often comprises a verbal discussion and assessment of situations that may trigger anxiety. There is no medical test that can diagnose social anxiety disorder. Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals make the assessment based on how an individual expresses their feelings of social anxiety in certain situations.
Social Anxiety Signs and Symptoms
Because it may be difficult for adolescents with social anxiety to speak up about their struggles, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder.
Common signs and symptoms of social anxiety disorder in adolescents include:
- Avoiding or refusing to go to school or other social activities
- Lack of eye contact when socializing
- Speaking minimally or softly in social settings
- Avoiding being the center of attention
- Expressing fear or anxiety in social situations
- Avoiding talking to strangers
- Physical symptoms such as blushing, sweating, or trembling
- A shaky voice when speaking
Recognizing social anxiety signs and symptoms in adolescents is a key step to getting them the help that they need to overcome their struggles. Acknowledgement of these signs and symptoms can also help a mental health professional determine the best treatment.
At New Harbor Behavioral Health, our professionals specialize in the assessment and treatment of social anxiety to ensure that adolescents in the Greater Boston area receive the help they need to improve their overall quality of life. If you or someone you know is suffering from social anxiety disorder, call us at (781)498-6426 or fill out our client & family pre-screen questionnaire.
Massachusetts Towns & Cities We Serve
We accept adolescents for our social anxiety treatment program from the following cities and towns in Massachusetts:
Dedham
Westwood
Milton
Canton
Newton
Needham
Wellesley
Norwood
Brookline
Boston
West Roxbury
Roslindale
Walpole
Dover
Natick
Medfield
Randolph
Stoughton
Brockton
Norfolk
Sharon
Sherborn
All clients going through our social anxiety outpatient treatment programs are treated at our facility in Dedham, Massachusetts. These programs help clients manage symptoms of social anxiety to effectively enhance their ability to navigate social situations, regulate anxious thoughts, and cultivate greater confidence in social interactions.
If you live in these towns/cities, fill out a pre-screen form to get started through one of our adolescent treatment programs.
Getting Help for Adolescent Social Anxiety
Social anxiety in adolescents is a complex and challenging issue that requires comprehensive and individualized treatment. If you or a loved one is struggling with social anxiety, it is important to seek professional help for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan.