Former EastEnders Star Shona McGarty Shares Personal Social Anxiety Journey
Former EastEnders actress Shona McGarty has courageously opened up about her long-term struggle with social anxiety disorder, revealing she has battled the condition since her teenage years. The performer, best known for portraying Whitney Dean on the BBC soap opera and appearing on I'm A Celebrity, described how social anxiety has profoundly impacted both her professional and personal life.
"I was always a chatty child, but as I got older, everything changed. Around 15, I suddenly became painfully self-aware," McGarty explained. "My social anxiety would happen when meeting new people, with colleagues or even at family gatherings. My heart would race, my hands would sweat, and sometimes I thought I might faint. I sometimes pretend to receive a phone call just to leave a social situation."
Supporting New NHS Mental Health Campaign
McGarty has decided to share her personal experience to help raise awareness and support the launch of a significant new NHS campaign. This initiative urges people with six common anxiety conditions – including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) – to come forward for help by self-referring online at nhs.uk/talk.
Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder
The NHS defines social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, as a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations. Health psychologist Dr Ravi Gill, founder of Smart Mind Health, explains that this condition involves more than typical nervousness or lack of confidence.
"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," says Gill. "There's a genuine fear that something is going to happen and a fear of being seen and getting it wrong. It's also linked quite closely with imposter syndrome, and the two often come up together."
Key Signs and Symptoms of Social Anxiety
Social anxiety often presents in workplace performance situations and social gatherings:
- Performance situations in the workplace, such as speaking up in meetings, doing presentations, or making phone calls
- Within social groups, individuals may observe conversations without contributing due to fear of saying something wrong
- Physical symptoms including racing heart, sweaty hands, blushing, trembling, and panic attacks
- Emotional experiences of shame, embarrassment, worry, and overwhelming negative thought spirals
Dr Gill distinguishes social anxiety from general shyness: "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. 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."
Impact on Daily Life and Relationships
Social anxiety can significantly affect everyday functioning and interpersonal connections:
- People often avoid social situations and limit opportunities, creating a pattern of increasing avoidance
- Relationships may suffer when individuals feel unable to use their voice or fear being judged
- Some may use alcohol as a coping mechanism, potentially causing additional relationship problems
- Friendships can become strained when one person consistently facilitates conversations and meetups
"If you start avoiding one thing, it then can become quite easy to tell yourself to avoid something else," notes Gill. "Therefore, the longer the symptoms are present, the higher the level of distress and impairment that it contributes to."
When to Seek Help and Available Treatments
Dr Gill recommends seeking professional help when social anxiety begins impacting work, relationships, and personal wellbeing. Fortunately, social anxiety disorder is a diagnosable and treatable condition with several effective approaches:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Helps individuals work through anxious thoughts, emotions, and their impact on behavior
- Mindfulness Techniques: Deep breathing therapy and grounding exercises can support the nervous system during overwhelming moments
- Medication Options: GPs may prescribe SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) for short-term management after comprehensive clinical assessment
"Social anxiety disorder is a diagnosable condition and is treatable, and something like CBT can work really well for people struggling with social anxiety disorder," confirms Gill. "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."
McGarty's decision to share her experience highlights the importance of recognizing social anxiety symptoms and seeking appropriate support through resources like the NHS's new online self-referral system.
