The irrational fear of interaction with others.
Social phobia is a class of anxiety disorder characterized by a persistent fear of situations in which the person is exposed to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he or she may act in a way that will be humiliating and embarrassing. The key feature of social phobia is the fear of being judged by others. In a school setting, this might occur in situations where a child avoids giving speeches in class or entering the school cafeteria or fears asking questions in a classroom. In other settings the child might refuse to eat, drink, or write in public or to attend social activities such as birthday or graduation parties, scout meetings, or church activities. Social phobias can be very selective in that a child may have an intense fear of a single situation, such as speaking in front of a class, but be perfectly comfortable in other situations. In applying the criteria to children, it must be demonstrated that the individual has the capacity to engage in socially appropriate behavior with familiar people and that the difficulties are not due to impaired social skills. The social anxiety must also occur in peer settings, not just with adults. Clinical presentation of symptoms may vary across cultures subject to unique social demands. For example, in Japanese and Korean cultures, social phobias may be expressed in terms of fears of giving offense (via excessive blushing, eye contact, or body odor) to others in social situations rather than personal behavior.
Persistent irrational fear of, and the need to avoid, any situation in which one might be exposed to potentially embarrassing or humiliating scrutiny by others. Even the anticipation of a phobia-producing situation, such as speaking or eating in public, socializing, or using a public toilet, may cause anxiety or terror. Cognitive therapies, desensitization, relaxation therapy, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, and beta-blocking drugs such as atenolol are used to treat this condition.
An anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of being engaged in interpersonal activity with unfamiliar people that might cause the person with the disorder to feel scrutinized and embarrassed.
The fear of being evaluated or mocked by others, commonly referred to as social anxiety, entails a deep-seated apprehension of experiencing public embarrassment. It encompasses the unease or distress individuals may feel in social situations where they believe they are being observed or scrutinized by others. This fear often arises from concerns about being negatively judged, humiliated, or ridiculed, and can significantly impact an individual’s confidence, self-esteem, and ability to engage in social interactions.