About social anxiety

Social anxiety (also known as social phobia or social anxiety disorder) is the most common of the anxiety disorders, and impacts people from all walks of life. In fact, it is estimated that tens of millions of people worldwide suffer from some form of anxiety in social situations. Unfortunately, many people never seek treatment, since the nature of the condition often makes it difficult for people to speak about their problem. In fact, it has been estimated that up to 80% of people with social anxiety disorder do not receive evidence-based therapy.

Common symptoms include: shyness, worrying a lot about what other people think of you, ruminating that others are upset with you, experiencing stress when meeting new people, avoiding conversations or expressing controversial opinions, nervousness when public speaking, and excessive worrying about past or future mistakes.

The following articles provide more information social anxiety and related disorders: