Many of us feel shy ever now and then, but for some people, giving a presentation, interacting at the dinner function, or even attending a friend's wedding can put them in intense distress. They become so worried about making a fool of themselves that they go out of their way to avoid such social situations altogether. If this sounds like you, you're not alone. As many as 1 in 10 people suffer from social phobia at some point in their lives, an anxiety disorder characterized by intense fear of everyday social events, public humiliation and peer disapproval.

The Social Phobic

People with social phobia, or social anxiety disorder (SAD), are terrified of social situations such as parties, meetings or public speaking. They have a chronic, intense fear of being watched and judged by others, and of being embarrassed by their own actions. Put another way, they dread being ridiculed during social situations. In severe cases, their social anxiety will interfere with work or school, and social relationships.

The anxiety is sometimes so extreme that even days before the actual social event, they are already agonizing over every embarrassing thing that could happen to them. When they are actually with people, they become plagued with overwhelming anxiety and feelings of self-consciousness, inadequacy, judgment and criticism. Their fear may become so severe that they start experiencing physical symptoms like racing heart, blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, stammering, and even panic attacks. Yet, once it is all over, they can't stop mulling over how they handled the situation or how they totally messed up. In a way, this negative feedback will only further fuel their phobia for social interactions.