Actress Shona McGarty Opens Up About Battling Social Anxiety, Encouraging Others to Seek Help
Former EastEnders star Shona McGarty has bravely shared her personal journey with social anxiety, a condition she has grappled with since her teenage years. The actress and singer, widely recognised for her role as Whitney Dean in the long-running BBC soap and her recent appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, is speaking out to raise awareness and encourage others experiencing similar struggles to seek professional support.
McGarty revealed that her experience with social anxiety began around the age of 15. “I was always a chatty child, but as I got older, everything changed,” she explained. “Around 15, I suddenly became painfully self-aware.” This heightened self-consciousness manifested most intensely in social situations. “My social anxiety would happen when meeting new people, with colleagues or even at family gatherings,” she said.
The physical and emotional toll of these encounters was significant. “My heart would race, my hands would sweat, and sometimes I thought I might faint,” McGarty recounted. In moments of intense discomfort, she even resorted to pre-arranging “escape routes.” “I sometimes pretend to receive a phone call just to leave a social situation.”
Her decision to speak publicly is part of a new NHS campaign aimed at destigmatising mental health issues and promoting self-referral for treatment. The campaign targets individuals experiencing common anxiety conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), directing them to nhs.uk/talk for accessible online support.
To gain a deeper understanding of social anxiety, we consulted with Dr Ravi Gill, a health psychologist and founder of Smart Mind Health. He provided insights into the nature of the condition, its signs, and available treatment options.
Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder
The NHS defines social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, as a persistent and overwhelming fear of social situations. Dr Gill elaborated on this definition: “People that experience social anxiety know that the fear that they have around these certain situations is not OK, so their nervous system reacts in a way that sends them into a slight bit of panic.”
He stressed that social anxiety is more profound than mere nervousness or a lack of confidence. “So, it’s not just nerves or a lack of confidence or not knowing how to navigate something, social anxiety is a lot more than that. There’s a genuine fear that something is going to happen and a fear of being seen and getting it wrong.” Dr Gill also noted a frequent co-occurrence with imposter syndrome, stating, “It’s also linked quite closely with imposter syndrome, and the two often come up together.”
Social Anxiety in the Workplace and Social Settings
The workplace can be a significant trigger for individuals with social anxiety, particularly in performance-related scenarios. “Performance situations in the workplace, such as speaking up in meetings, doing a presentation or making a phone call can all add pressure and really heighten someone’s social anxiety,” explained Dr Gill.
Beyond professional environments, social anxiety can also cast a shadow over personal interactions. “Within a group of friends, the one that suffers with social anxiety will often just sit there and observe the conversation and won’t speak up and contribute,” Dr Gill observed. “They may feel like they will say something wrong or feel that their opinion on something might be misconstrued or misinterpreted in some way.”
Key Signs and Distinguishing Social Anxiety from Shyness
Differentiating social anxiety from everyday shyness is crucial. Dr Gill clarified, “General shyness would be just a hesitancy to want to get involved, whereas social anxiety would be someone who is more actively avoiding getting involved.” He further explained the difference in response to encouragement: “If somebody’s shy, you can nudge them a little bit and give them that boost of confidence to say, don’t worry, you’ll be OK. However, those with social anxiety will just avoid the situation completely, and know themselves that nudges or a boost in confidence is not going to work – so that’s how deep-rooted that fear becomes.”
The emotional landscape of social anxiety is often marked by a cluster of distressing feelings. “Common emotions include shame, embarrassment, worry, and feeling like the situation is too much for them,” said Dr Gill. Individuals experiencing social anxiety may also find themselves trapped in a cycle of negative self-talk. “Someone struggling with social anxiety might be get themselves into a negative thought spiral of overthinking a particular situation.”
Beyond the emotional and psychological manifestations, there are also distinct physical symptoms associated with social anxiety. “Physical reactions such as butterflies in your stomach and tummy issues are quite common, and some people also report a racing heart, sweaty hands, blushing and trembling,” Dr Gill noted. The NHS also identifies panic attacks, characterised by an intense, albeit brief, surge of fear and anxiety, as a common symptom.
The Pervasive Impact of Social Anxiety on Daily Life
The ramifications of social anxiety extend deeply into an individual’s everyday existence, often leading to self-imposed limitations. “Social anxiety impacts people’s everyday lives because it often means that people will avoid social situations and will limit themselves in terms of opportunities,” Dr Gill stated. This avoidance can create a snowball effect, where one avoided situation makes it easier to avoid others. “If you start avoiding one thing, it then can become quite easy to tell yourself to avoid something else. So, those feelings of social anxiety can easily be transferred into other areas of life and if they are not effectively managed or dealt with, it can be quite harmful.” The longer these symptoms persist, the greater the distress and impairment experienced.
Relationships can also suffer under the weight of social anxiety. “If you feel that you’re not able to use your own voice, or there’s a fear of being judged or saying something wrong, it means that you can become quite complacent as a partner,” Dr Gill observed. He also pointed out that some individuals may turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism, which can introduce further complications. “Sometimes people will use alcohol as a way to loosen up or as a distraction to try and cope with social anxiety, and that can cause problems in relationships.” Maintaining friendships can also become challenging if one person consistently shoulders the responsibility of initiating contact and organising social events.
When to Seek Professional Help for Social Anxiety
The threshold for seeking help is reached when social anxiety begins to significantly disrupt key areas of life. “You should seek help when you begin to recognise that it’s starting to impact work, relationships and your own wellbeing,” advised Dr Gill.
Effective Treatments and Management Strategies
Fortunately, social anxiety disorder is a treatable condition. Dr Gill highlighted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as a highly effective intervention. “Social anxiety disorder is a diagnosable condition and is treatable, and something like CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) can work really well for people struggling with social anxiety disorder,” he said. “CBT can help people actively work through these thoughts, and take into consideration the emotions, and then look at how those particular two things impact their behaviour.”
Mindfulness techniques can also play a supportive role. “Things like deep breathing therapy and grounding exercises can help support the nervous system when it gets overwhelmed,” Dr Gill added.
In some instances, medical intervention may be considered. “It’s not uncommon for GPs to prescribe medication for short-term management of anxiety,” Dr Gill explained. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of medications that can help alleviate the severity of symptoms. “A GP would complete a full clinical assessment, take into consideration clinical history, and then might prescribe something that targets sleep issues, or tummy issues or low mood.”
By sharing her story and highlighting the availability of support, Shona McGarty aims to empower others to take that crucial first step towards managing their social anxiety and improving their overall quality of life.
