What is Social Anxiety (SA)?
Social Anxiety, also known as Social Phobia, is a fear of :
- Social situations (groups of people, meetings, family gatherings, crowds etc)
- Making a fool of yourself or doing something embarrassing in front of others
- Being the centre of attention
- Being critised by others
- Public speaking (most people have this, but it is even more pronounced in SA sufferers)
People suffering from Social Anxiety usually have a very negative self-image. They find it hard to relax or enjoy being with other people and so avoid social situations which affects their quality of life.
For more information and advice there is a leaflet on Social Anxiety developed by NHS Direct New Media. To view it, click here.