Social Phobia

Social phobia affects individuals who fear being scrutinized, judged negatively, or  appearing foolish. It’s characterized by extreme and persistent social anxiety or performance anxiety, causing significant distress or preventing participation in daily life. Individuals may avoid the feared situation or endure it with discomfort or dread. Some mental health specialists see social anxiety disorder (SAD) and social phobia as synonymous, while others see social phobiaas a more extreme and persistent SAD variant (it’s listed in DSM-5 under SAD). Social phobia typically begins in the teens, though it can affect younger children or adults.