Social Phobia
Social phobia involves a fear of embarrassment or humiliation in situations where you may be exposed to the scrutiny and judgment of others or you must perform. It is a fear of being with other people which can cause significant restrictions on the way in which an individual can lead their life. This can make it hard to eat out or speak to other people, particularly if you are meeting someone for the first time or at parties.
The most common form of social phobia is a fear of speaking in public. Other social phobias include:
- A fear of blushing in public
- A fear of choking or spilling food whilst eating in public
- A fear of crowds
- A fear of using public toilets
People can also experience a number of physical symptoms such as a very dry mouth, sweating, palpitations, wanting to pass water or empty their bowels and a feeling of numbness or pins and needles in their fingers and toes.
If you need help with a social phobia