Everyone will experience social anxiety at some point in their lives. Giving a speech, performing in front of peers or going to an unfamiliar party may all cause someone to feel anxious. However, people with social anxiety have such an intense, uncontrollable fear of becoming embarrassed or humiliated in social situations that it interferes with day-to-day life, according to PsychCentral.com. People exhibiting signs of social anxiety should be encouraged to seek treatment.
Psychological signs
Fear of being criticized, watched, judged or embarrassed is one of the main signs of social anxiety, according to the Mayo Clinic. This fear can cause someone to completely avoid social situations that would otherwise be enjoyable, and can greatly limit a person's life. Worrying about an upcoming social situation far in advance is common with social anxiety. This worry can take place days, weeks or even months before the even is scheduled to occur. Although people with social anxiety generally realize that fears are irrational or unfounded, they still have extreme difficulty controlling this fear.
Physical Signs
When a person with social anxiety is in a feared social situation, physical signs of severe anxiety are displayed. These may include signs like a racing heart, shaky voice, sweating, hot flashes, nausea, fast breathing, dry mouth, trembling, shaking, muscle tension, blushing, dizziness, difficulty making eye contact, difficulty talking, clammy hands and twitching, according to the Mayo Clinic and HelpGuide.org.
Behavioral Signs
Behavioral signs of social anxiety disorder is exhibiting intense fear in social situations or avoiding specific social situations completely. Not all social situations will cause a reaction or avoidance behavior, however. For example, a person with social anxiety may feel comfortable going to a restaurant or going shopping, but fear going to parties, giving a speech, or introducing themselves to new people. However, even if the person's fear is limited to specific social situation, it will still have a negative impact on day-to-day living.
Social Anxiety Signs in Children
Children with social anxiety may have slightly different signs than adults. Many kids are shy or hesitant to jump into unknown social situations, but children with social anxiety have symptoms that are much more intense. Many children show anxiety when talking to adults, but children with social anxiety will be fearful even of interacting with peers, according to PsychCentral.com. Many times students with social anxiety do not want to go to school.
