.png)
Social Vigilance in Adolescence
As humans, we all naturally experience anxiety. Nevertheless, anxiety disorders are the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses across adolescence; and though generic treatments like benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been tested on children with anxiety disorders, most results come out negative for benefits. To combat this problem, researchers have hypothesized that if the mechanisms behind what elicit anxiety are acknowledged, there can be better treatments that benefit the wider spectrum of children with anxiety.
For example, social anxiety is a disorder that prevents individuals from engaging in social interaction out of fear of being judged or rejected. The main components of social anxiety are social avoidance and social vigilance. Social avoidance is the act of avoiding situations that appear dangerous or intimidating for self-protection. Social vigilance is analyzing intentions and opportunities in a situation without engaging in social interaction. The combination of social avoidance and vigilance allows an individual to seek favorable opportunities while remaining cautious. People who struggle with anxiety are constantly in an enhanced state of vigilance. As a result, prolonged expression can easily become problematic.
Social vigilance and avoidance also play a part in animal hierarchies. Seen below is an example presented in rodents. The prey has spotted a predator and stays hidden to avoid a dangerous situation. Then, as the threat is removed from the situation, the prey sees a favorable opportunity to roam freely.
Although social avoidance and social vigilance are both prominent in anxiety, this review will be centered on how adolescents internally monitor social cues to navigate their constantly changing world through social vigilance.
During adolescence, individuals' minds are rapidly changing and adjusting; journeying them to adulthood. A large contributor in this process are hormones. As children hit puberty, the gonadal hormones release chemical messages that reshape key neural structures like the prefrontal cortex and BNST. Consequently, this makes adolescents more susceptible to developing social anxiety. Imagine being constantly driven by intense growing hormones while also navigating stressful social experiences. Thus, adolescents can easily develop social anxiety being in a prolonged state of social vigilance — constantly on defense mode.
Additionally, as children are learning to trust the world around them, some possess the trait of behavioral inhibition. Behavioral inhibition is a natural instinct seen in early development that causes a child to be less inclined to approach unfamiliar objects or people. Children who possess this treat have a higher chance of experiencing social anxiety in adulthood. This heightened distrust can also induce difficult social interactions during adolescence, which social interactions tend to feel the most important.
Social vigilance in adolescence can also be seen through social status as a coping mechanism. Relative to adults, adolescents have a lower status in social power dynamics. This imbalance can prompt more avoidance and quicker submission to prevent conflict.
In conclusion, social vigilance acts as a double edged sword during adolescence: constantly keeping them conscious of potential danger while simultaneously increasing susceptibility to anxiety. Acknowledging how social vigilance appears throughout adolescence, will allow researchers and clinical professionals to gain insight to what causes it to evolve into anxiety disorders. Therefore, if they find the root of the problem, they can figure out a wider range of solutions that benefit all.
Citations: Wright, E. C., Hostinar, C. E., & Trainor, B. C. (2020, July). Anxious to see you: Neuroendocrine mechanisms of social vigilance and anxiety during adolescence. The European journal of neuroscience. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7255921/
Comments