Why Do Some People Develop Social Phobia?
Kids, teens, and adults can have social phobia. Most of the time, it starts when a person is young. Like other anxiety-based problems, social phobia develops because of a combination of three factors: • A person’s biological makeup. Social phobia could be partly due to the genes and temperament a person inherits. Inherited genetic traits from parents and other relatives can influence how the brain senses and regulates anxiety, shyness, nervousness, and stress reactions. Likewise, some people are born with a shy temperament and tend to be cautious and sensitive in new situations and prefer what’s familiar. Most people who develop social phobia have always had a shy temperament. Not everyone with a shy temperament develops social phobia (in fact, most don’t). It’s the same with genes. But people who inherit these traits do have an increased chance of developing social phobia. • Behaviors learned from role models (especially parents). A person’s naturally shy temperament can be influenced
