Social Phobia

Many people get nervous or self-conscious on occasion, like when giving a speech or interviewing for a new job. But social anxiety disorder is more than just shyness or occasional nerves. If you have social anxiety disorder, your fear of embarrassing yourself is intense — so intense, in fact, that you may go to great lengths to avoid situations that would trigger it. The good news is that many effective treatments and self-help strategies can help you overcome the symptoms of social anxiety and reclaim your life.

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, involves intense fear of certain social situations — especially situations that are unfamiliar or in which you’ll be watched or evaluated by others. These social situations may be so frightening that you get anxious just thinking about them or go to great lengths to avoid them.

Underlying social anxiety disorder is the fear of being scrutinized, judged, or embarrassed in public. You may be afraid that people will think badly of you or that you won’t measure up in comparison to others. And even though you probably realize that your fears of being judged are at least somewhat irrational and overblown, you still can’t help feeling anxious.

Although it may feel like you’re the only one with this problem, social anxiety disorder is actually quite common. Many people struggle with these fears. But the situations that trigger the symptoms of social phobia can be different.

Some people experience anxiety in most social and performance situations, a condition known as generalized social anxiety disorder. For other people with social phobia, anxiety is connected with specific social situations, such as speaking to strangers, eating at restaurants, or going to parties. The most common specific social phobia is fear of public speaking or performing in front of an audience.