Social Anxiety is characterized by discomfort in social situations where an individual is very conscious of what people will observe or think. Often this type of anxiety is onerous if one must speak in front of a group. I also makes social interactions difficult. Rather than shyness, Social Anxiety is characterized by self-consciousness. Social Anxiety is present in 7% of the population and is the most common type of anxiety. The following are examples:
- Shyness
- Discomfort with Public Speaking
- Performance Anxiety
- Fearing that others will see and anxious reaction like blushing or sweating
- Discomfort with use of public restrooms
- Not knowing the right words to say in a social group
- Going blank in a conversation
Social Anxiety is easily treated using a combination of Cognitive Therapy and exposure to the feared situations.