Living with Social Phobia

According to Athealth.com about 3.7 % of the United States population aged 18 to 54 or approximately 5.3 million Americans have social phobia in any given year. Social phobia is characterized by an overwhelming anxiety and/or excessive self-consciousness in everyday situations.

People who suffer from social phobia usually fear being watched or judged by other people. They also fear embarrassment or humiliation. Those with social phobia may feel uncomfortable eating in public places or talking with people. They often have difficulty making friends. Social phobia typically begins in childhood or early adolescence and can continue throughout one's lifetime.

Social phobia can cause very real physical symptoms such as dizziness, profuse perspiration, heart palpitations, dry mouth, constriction of the throat, chest pains and stomach upset. Social phobia sufferers may experience these symptoms or find that they become more pronounced when in social situations or around groups of people. Social phobia is often confused with being severely shy but social phobia is more than shyness. It is a chronic intense fear.

Social phobia occurs in women twice as often as men although a higher proportion of men seek help for the disorder. Social phobia can interfere with just about every aspect of a person's life even causing them to fear going to work or school. Some people who suffer from severe social phobia become what is referred to as a recluse because they don't even want to leave their house due to the overwhelming sense of anxiety that overcomes them when going out. Social phobia can cause low self-esteem and depression. It may also lead to drug or alcohol abuse as well as overeating.