Scopophobia: Fear of Being Stared At in Teens | Symptoms & Treatment
╰┈➤ Well, it is normal to be anxious and uncomfortable when someone is staring at you, especially at the onset of puberty when you are more sensitive about your looks, your identity, and your friend circle. However, some teens and adolescents get extremely frightened when they feel that someone is staring at them. So, this is where the “fear of being stared at” or “scopophobia” comes in. Not only does it have effects on social skills, but it might even prevent one from attending class activities, having conversations, delivering presentations, and having one’s picture taken. This article aims at understanding the symptoms of this condition, causes, and its relation to social anxiety disorder to determine whether self-consciousness to this extent should be addressed or not. What Is Scopophobia? Scopophobia refers to extreme fear or uneasiness you feel when you notice someone is staring at you. However, this fear can be very intense for a teenager suffering from scopophobia, even if there is no real cause for the fear. Well, the problem starts when this fear goes beyond just being self-conscious. It makes teens reluctant to answer questions in class, eat in front of others, make eye contact, take part in any kind of activity, and participate in social events. On the other hand, in relation to social anxiety, scopophobia is at the top of the list to talk about, because fear of being watched or judged is a major symptom of social anxiety disorder. Scopophobia, however, does not exist as a specific diagnosis. Symptoms and their consequences are important, rather than diagnosis itself. Moreover, the difference between self-consciousness and scopophobia is very important to understand for teenagers. Teen years come with great concern about one’s appearance, popularity, and other people’s opinions. It is normal for them to be self-conscious, but fear that interferes with life needs attention. What Does Scopophobia Feel Like? To a teenager, scopophobia feels like being in “Spotlight” even though there may not be any real focus on him. The teenage sufferer may believe: “They are all looking at me.” “They will notice something humiliating.” “They will think that I look weird.” “I don’t know where to look.” “What if I shake or blush?” “I must leave here.” So, such thoughts can trigger the fight or flight response of the body. Scopophobia Symptoms in Teens: Well, Scopophobia does not always manifest itself in a very obvious manner. Mostly, teens go into isolation and adopt weird ways to escape from the limelight. So, you can see the following symptoms in such teens Emotional Symptoms: Emotional symptoms include: Severe embarrassment Fear of judgment Being constantly self-conscious Fear of interacting with new people Public blunder phobia Fear of looking foolish Severe eye contact aversion Permanent fear of being observed Behavioral Symptoms: You may observe a teen doing the following: Steering clear of crowds Not willing to speak up in class Hate of speaking in public Preferring seats in the back of a classroom Avoiding photos Covering one’s face Avoiding eye contact Eating alone Skipping social gatherings Avoiding extracurricular activities Requesting to stay at home from school Physical Symptoms: The physical symptoms of this disorder can include: Blushing Sweating Shaking Pounding heart Nausea Dizziness Tightening of muscles Trouble speaking Feeling mentally blank Breathing troubles Moreover, the physical symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be similar and involve avoiding people and situations, difficulty with eye contact, trembling, sweating, and fear of negative judgments. Why is Scopophobia so Hard for Adolescents? Well, the adolescent age stage brings increased identity consciousness and peer acceptance. Teenagers frequently experience concerns related to: Appearance Friendship Academic performance at school Social networks Dating Being popular Belongingness Making mistakes For example, imagine a teenager who knows the answer to a teacher’s question but does not want to lift his hand due to fear that all eyes will be on him. So, this is not due to a lack of knowledge on the part of the students. Instead, the fear of being noticed has become an obstacle in showing their knowledge. Eventually, this may have an impact on self-confidence, relationships, and school attendance. Scopophobia vs. Normal Self-Consciousness vs. Social Anxiety Disorder At times, most teenagers do get embarrassed when people stare at them. That does not necessarily mean that they are suffering from scopophobia or social anxiety. However, the main difference lies in the degree and effects of that fear. According to Medline Plus, anyone who suffers from fear of being judged, watched, or ridiculed might be exhibiting some of the signs of social anxiety disorder. Normal self-consciousness: Normal confusion or self-consciousness states that a teenager may get scared before making a presentation. However, he still goes ahead with it. Scopophobia: The teenager may develop extreme anxiety that causes the teenager to avoid presentations, classes, parties, or any other activity, for that matter. Social Anxiety Disorder: Social anxiety disorder is usually characterized by fear of situations in which the teenager could be judged, criticized, rejected, or embarrassed, thus interfering significantly with the teenager’s life activities. For instance, a teenager who suffers from social anxiety may be afraid of: Speaking in class Meeting new people Talking to teachers Eating with other people Performing Making phone calls Being watched So, only a mental health professional can assess whether the symptoms relate to social anxiety disorder, specific phobia, or just temporary self-consciousness. What Causes Scopophobia? Well, there is no single cause. There are multiple reasons why a person can have an extreme fear of being watched or judged. Negative Social Experiences: This includes bullying, ridicule, embarrassment, or being criticized. For instance, a young individual who is regularly teased because of his appearance will assume that everyone else is looking at him too. Social Anxiety: Scopophobia frequently coexists with social anxiety. With social anxiety disorder, a teen remains extremely lost in thoughts about what others think of him and perceives normal attention as criticism and judgment. Trauma or Embarrassing Experience: Sometimes