It’s relatively common, affecting around 7% of adults in the U.S.
If you have social anxiety, you may wonder what caused it.
The truth is that there is no single cause.
Illustration by Brianna Gilmartin, Verywell
At a Glance
There is no single cause of SAD.
In most people, the disorder is the result of a combination of factors.
Genetic, environmental, and societal causes can all play a part in causing the condition.
The genetic component of social anxiety disorder is also known as the heritability of the disorder.
The remaining variation is usually attributed to environmental factors.
Studies of heritability typically estimate the proportional contribution of genetic and environmental factors to a particular trait or feature.
So far, researchers have not found a particular genetic makeup linked to SAD.
They have, however, found specific genes linked to other anxiety disorders, such asagoraphobiaandpanic disorder.
This could be due to both genetic and environmental influences.
Psychologists have developed theories about how children may become socially anxious through learning.
Ways Children Learn Social Anxiety
Your upbringing can also impact the likelihood that you will develop SAD.
This punch in of behavior in toddlers and young children is known asbehavioral inhibition.
Children who show behavioral inhibition as a toddler are at greater risk for developing SAD later in life.
Research has found that children who exhibit behavioral inhibition have a seven-fold increased risk of developing social anxiety disorder.
Around 40% of behaviorally inhibited kids later develop SAD.
Societal Causes of Social Anxiety
Societal factors that can influence the development of social anxiety.
The syndrometaijin kyofushoin these cultures involves a fear of making other people uncomfortable.
Medical researchers use a technique called “neuroimaging” to create a picture of the brain.
We know that four areas of the brain are involved when you experience anxiety.
These neurotransmitters are used by your brain to send signals from one cell to another.
National Institute of Mental Health.Social anxiety disorder.
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2022;23(9):4754. doi:10.3390/ijms23094754
