Anxiety Self HelpFind helpful information about anxiety.

Social anxiety disorder is common. It  affects from 7 to 13 percent of American adults in any given year. That makes it the third most common psychiatric disorder in the United States after depression and alcohol abuse.

Social anxiety disorder which is also known as social phobia, is defined as an overwhelming and disabling fear of scrutiny, embarrassment, or humiliation of everyday social situations, and leads to avoiding potentially pleasurable and meaningful situations or activities. . Most people experience some shyness or nervousness in certain social or work situations, but for someone with social anxiety disorder, the anxiety is so extreme that it can become debilitating.

Social anxiety disorder is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Intense worry for days or even weeks before an upcoming social situation.
• Extreme fear of being judged by others, especially people you don’t know.
• Excessive self-consciousness and anxiety in everyday social situations.
• Fear that you’ll act in ways that that will embarrass or humiliate yourself.
• Avoidance of social situations to a degree that limits your activities and causes disruptions to your daily life.

Unlike other anxiety disorders, which affect one gender more than the other, or one age group more than another. Social anxiety disorder is a problem that equally affect both men and women. Adolescents and young adults are particularly phone to the disorder as they often are unsure of themselves around others and are concerned with image and conformity.