Social Anxiety is the fear of embarrassment or judgement in social activities, such as public speaking, or going to a party.

Also known as Social Phobia Is a very common problem Interferes with daily functioning, and causes distress Social anxieties include a wide range of feelings, including worrying about what to wear for an occasion, about entering a room full of strangers, or about eating in front of other people (Kahn & Doctor, 2000)

Aphephobia fear of being touched, affection, intimacy, standing close to others Catagelophobia fear of ridicule, teasing or mocking Erythrophobia fear of blushing in front of others Graphophobia, scriptophobia fear of writing in public, signing your name, writing a check Kakorrhaphiophobia fear of failure, looking bad to others, taking tests

Xenophobia fear of strangers Sociophobia fear of society in general

Meeting new people Public speaking Performing Being teased or criticized Speaking with authority figures Attending social gatherings Using public bathrooms Eating or drinking in public

Physical Symptoms Blushing Shortness of breath Upset stomach, nausea Trembling, racing heart Sweating Feeling dizzy or faint May start feeling anxiety weeks before an event

Behavioural Symptoms Trying hard to not be the center of attention Have the need to bring a friend with you wherever you go, as a confidence booster Drinking before an event to ease the nerves Call in sick Shyness, which can be caused by low selfesteem

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) a type of talk therapy that happens in groups, one-on-one, or individually Beta blockers a type of drug that stops the activity of the neurotransmitters that cause a person to get anxious Interpersonal Psychotherapy focuses on relationships and how they affect behaviour

Supportive Psychotherapy focuses on strategies to cope with/help prevent social anxieties, rather than concentrating on why the anxieties exist

Social Anxiety can seem like a panic disorder, and be mis-diagnosed To solve this, a laboratory test can be done which involves sodium lactate IV or carbon dioxide When inhaled, a person with social anxiety will not have a panic attack, whereas a person with a panic disorder will (Hunt, 2005)

Hunt, D. (2005). What your doctor may not tell you about anxiety, phobias, & panic attacks. New York, NY: Warner Books. Kahn, A., & Doctor, R. (2000). Facing fears: The sourcebook for phobias, fears, and anxieties. New York, NY: Checkmark Books. Stein, M., & Walker, J. (2002). Triumph over shyness. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.