听说你也有社交恐惧症？| Social anxiety disorder in China
Even though the 12-month prevalence rate of social anxiety disorder (SAD) in China is 0.2 percent lower than in America (7.1–7.9 percent), there are nearly three million adults in need of mental illness treatment.
这两年，社交恐惧常常被大家挂在嘴边。事实上中国人的年患病率（0.2%）远低于美国人（7.1%-7.9%），但这仍然意味着有将近三百万人需要接受治疗。
The figure might be underestimated because for thousands of years the traditional medicine lacked the systematic methods to diagnose and to treat psychological disorder.
不过这个数字可能远被低估了。数千年来，中国传统医学中并没有系统诊断和治疗心理疾病的方法。
Also, because Chinese were reluctant to seek treatment for mental health problems. Therefore, people weren't aware of the symptoms of SAD and used to consider it "shyness" of one's personality.
而且多年来，中国人对治疗心理疾病有抵触情绪，导致人们往往忽视了社交恐惧的诸多症状，还将其与害羞和内向混为一谈。
However, the situation has changed in recent years, people are aware of the risk and danger of mental health issues.
令人欣慰的是，心理健康在近几年得到了重视。越来越多的人们意识到了心理问题的危害。
In today's culture, visiting a psychologist in China is not considered unpleasant or that the person having a consultation is "insane".
如今，中国人去看心理医生已不会让人听起来感到反感，或是被视作不正常。
Considering the cultural background, China's social anxiety expression is slightly different from western countries.
由于文化差异，社交恐惧症在中国的表现形式不同于西方。
社交恐惧是什么
According to Verywellmind, a website providing information about mental health, people from individualistic cultures will express social anxiety in terms of self-blame, while those from cultures of collectivism will highly experience shame.
网站Verywellmind指出，在个人主义文化背景下，人们更多地以自责来表达社交焦虑；而在集体主义文化中，社交恐惧表现为高度的羞耻感。
A study, "Social Anxiety Among Chinese People", also indicated a unique symptom: other concerned anxiety — fear of making others uncomfortable or influencing them in an undesired way.
一项名为《中国人的社交焦虑》的研究报告指出了一种独特症状：“他人相关焦虑”—— 害怕自己让别人不舒服或对别人产生不好的影响。
China is known as a country where social activities and interpersonal relationships are emphasized, especially in the workplace.
众所周知，社会活动和人际关系在中国职场中非常重要。
However, not everyone is comfortable enough to drink with unfamiliar co-workers, to chat with senior managers or to consciously acquaint with big shots and develop strong "connections".
但并不是每个人一开始就能在陌生的环境中如鱼得水，与同事喝得推心置腹，与领导谈天说地，或主动认识大人物并扩大人脉圈。
People who are not used to such social pattern or who simply prefer hanging out with intimate friends may overstate what they are going through.
有些人仅仅是不习惯这种社交模式或只喜欢与密友聊天。
It is common to feel anxious when giving a speech in front of a crowd, but for the majority of people, the degree of anxiety is helpful.
正常来讲，演讲时大家都会紧张不安，但对于大多数人，适度的焦虑是有益的。
It is also natural to feel uneasy when meeting plenty of new faces at once, but the feeling tends to fade away as time passes by.
在聚会上被陌生的面孔包围，人们多少都会感到不自在，但随着时间的推移，互相熟络之后这种不适感会逐渐消失。
People suffering from SAD, however, would become terribly anxious, dizzy and even feel like throwing up. They will not take a step forward to face the audience or to contact new friends.
可是，这些情况对于社交恐惧症患者是巨大的挑战，他们会异常焦虑、头晕甚至呕吐。即便主动迈出一步面对观众或联系新朋友都非常困难。
If you get sick of noisy parties or if you avoid saying hi to anyone you know when you come across them — you might have SAD.
如果你厌倦吵闹的派对，或者刻意回避与认识的人打招呼，这可能是社恐的症状。
However, if you like to spend time with close friends and if you are ignoring someone you don't have a good relationship with — then you should not label yourself as a patient of social phobia.
但如果你有三五好友，只是装作没看见关系不好的人，那就不要给自己贴上“社恐”的标签。
Chinese are more likely to experience GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) compared to SAD.
与社交恐惧相比，中国人更容易受广泛性焦虑症的困扰。
你焦虑吗？
GAD is a common disorder in highly competitive societies, where individuals can be stressed out by many external factors, such as study burden, workplace stress, housing price and so on.
在高度竞争的社会中，广泛性焦虑症比较常见。现代社会中学习负担、工作压力和住房价格等都是可能导致这一现象的外界因素。
Generalized anxiety disorder does not necessarily lead to SAD, even though the two disorders share some characteristics — such as a tendency to worry and anticipate the worst, unable to control anxiety and trouble sleeping.
广泛性焦虑症并不一定导致社交恐惧，但是两者有一些相似，比如都倾向于期待最坏的结果，无法控制焦虑感和饱受睡眠问题折磨等等。
The difference between the two disorders is that the anxiety in GAD is broad and not limited to particular situations or circumstances, but SAD is always triggered by social and performance situations.
同时两者的区别在于，广泛性焦虑适用于多样的非特定情景中，而社交恐惧一般与社交场合和需要展示自我的情况相关。
Both conditions involve a high degree of avoidance, but the underlying reason is likely to be different.
两种焦虑症都涉及高度的回避反应，但潜在原因不同。
Let's say that a man calls in sick on the day of a presentation at work.
举个例子，小明今天要在会议上做工作报告，但他突然打来电话请病假。这是为什么呢？
If this man has GAD, he might avoid the meeting, for fear that he has not put enough effort into the presentation and that he will never finish it in time.
如果他患有GAD，那么他逃会的理由就是担心自己会前准备不足，或者不能在规定时间内完成报告。
If this man experiences SAD, he might avoid the meeting out of the concern that no one will like his ideas or that others might notice that he sweats and shiver — while he talks.
但是在SAD的情况下，他逃会的理由会是担心没有人认同他的想法，或者担心别人注意到他讲话时出汗、发抖。
It is not wise to assume at will that you have SAD or GAD; the diagnosis entails sophisticated evaluation on the basis of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
随意称自己是“某症患者”是不可取的。评估病情是一个较为复杂的过程，一般会参考精神疾病诊断和统计手册（DSM-5）。
If you are worried about your mental health conditions, talk with the professional doctor about the symptoms you are having and receive treatment as soon as possible.
如果担心自己的精神健康状况，最好尽快联系专业的医生并接受治疗。
编辑：张曦，焦洁
实习：林语琴，Caroline Pimentel
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