What Is Social Anxiety?

Lots of people feel butterflies in their stomach, have a racing heart or get sweaty palms when they meet someone new, try something for the first time, answer a question in class or even talk to someone they like. It is totally normal to feel nervous, anxious or shy in a new social situation. But what if those feelings of shyness or self-consciousness turn into a very strong fear? If a person’s fear keeps them from trying new things or participating in everyday social situations, then this could be something called social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder. Having a social phobia or social anxiety disorder means that a person’s thoughts and fears are often exaggerated in their minds, and these thoughts and fears can be paralyzing.

There is no way to control how a person reacts to stressful situations, but there are things individuals can learn to help manage those feelings. Talking with a trained counselor—like a school counselor, social worker or psychologist—can help a person dealing with social phobia learn more about what brings on their feelings and how best to manage them so they can enjoy life to the fullest.