Social Anxiety Disorder

Many people feel nervous in certain social settings. Meeting new people, going on a date, giving a performance - nearly everyone has experienced the anxiety that these situations can provoke. Social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, however, describes a marked, intense, and persistent fear of social situations that can be differentiated from the more typical fear that comes with discomforting situations.

Individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder typically experience the following symptoms:

• Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others (e.g. having a conversation, meeting new people, giving a speech, eating in front of others)

• The individual fears that he or she will act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated (will be humiliating or embarrassing, or lead to rejection)

• Social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety and are avoided or endured with fear or anxiety

• The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the situation and context