Social anxiety disorder – otherwise known as social phobia – is categorized by the experience of extreme discomfort, anxiety, nerves, and apprehension from placing oneself in a social situation. Often, this anxiety comes from the fear of being embarrassed, judged, laughed at, made fun of, and/or criticized by others. This social anxiety can arise from involving yourself in ordinary, everyday situations, and it can occur for a variety of different social reasons.

Like normal nerves, social anxiety can occur before and during a social situation. The most common social causes of phobia are performance situations and scenarios that involve personal social interaction.

Although there are many other scenarios that can trigger social anxiety, these two types of scenarios commonly instigate more anxiety for people with social anxiety disorder. This disorder can make things such as speeches and performance evaluations in the workplace very difficult, and even something as seemingly simple as a meal with friends can lead to a distressing amount of anxiety.

Getting Treatment

Having a social anxiety disorder is not a permanent social handicap, as there are several ways that people experiencing anxiety can receive help. The most effective treatment for people suffering from this disorder is psychological treatment. This can range from therapy to support groups to social situation practice scenarios.

The second method of treatment is medication, and although it is usually a second resort after trying therapy, it is still an effective form of treatment. There are many different types of medication that can be taken on a time schedule or on an as-needed basis