Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social anxiety have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work, school, or other activities. Many people with social phobia recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or disproportional to the actual threat. They frequently worry for days or weeks in advance of the anxiety laden situations. It is also common for individuals with social anxiety disorder to experience low self-esteem and depression.
Physical symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia and include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, and other symptoms
of anxiety, including difficulty talking and nausea or other stomach discomfort. These visible symptoms heighten the fear of disapproval, and the symptoms themselves can become an additional focus of fear. Fear of symptoms can
create a vicious cycle: as people with social phobia worry about experiencing the symptoms, the greater their chances of developing the symptoms.

Social anxiety can be limited to only one type of situation — such as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or eating or drinking in front of others — or, in its most severe form, a person experiences symptoms whenever they are around other people. If left untreated, social anxiety can have severe consequences. For example, it may keep people from going to work or school on some days. Many with this illness are afraid of being with people other than family members. As a result, they may have a hard time making and keeping friends.

Social anxiety disorder often runs in families and may be accompanied by depression or other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some people with social anxiety self medicate themselves with alcohol or other drugs, which can lead to addiction.