WHAT IS SOCIAL ANXIETY?

Social anxiety has many characteristics and surprisingly for some does not always include shyness. Social anxiety is simply a fear of social situations, regardless of how you act within them.

Ok, so we all fear social situations at some point in our lives. We fear rejection, we fear embarrassment, we have a whole range of fears which serve to protect us, all of which are healthy anxieties. It is when these fears become irrational and problematic in our lives that we are beginning to enter into the realms of social anxiety. For some it is a massively debilitating fear affecting every aspect of their lives, day and night. For others it may be centered around specific aspects of their social lives, sometimes popping up randomly, seemingly without cause. The common denominator in all cases is that it revolves around social situations with anxiety debilitating enough to affect your quality of life.

It's really not rocket science, but if you're still unsure, take a look at the link provided at the top of this article (click on the title), you will find some clear definitions.

Social anxiety will mostly be referred to as 'SA' from now on.