Does This Sound Like You?

Do you feel afraid and uncomfortable when you are around other people? Is it hard for you to be at work or school?

Please put a check in the box next to problems you have.

	I have an intense fear that I will do or say something and embarrass myself in front of other people.
	I am always very afraid of making a mistake and being watched and judged by other people.
	My fear of embarrassment makes me avoid doing things I want to do or speaking to people.
	I worry for days or weeks before I have to meet new people.
	I blush, sweat a lot, tremble, or feel like I have to throw up before and during an event where I am with new people.
	I usually stay away from social situations such as school events and making speeches.
	I often drink to try to make these fears go away.

If you put a check in the box next to some of these problems, you may have Social Phobia.

What is Social Phobia?
Social phobia is a real illness. It can be treated with medicine and therapy.

If you have social phobia, you are very worried about embarrassing yourself in front of other people. Your fears may be so serious that you cannot do everyday things. You may have a very hard time talking to people at work or school. Your fear may even keep you from going to work or school on some days.

You may worry that you will blush and shake in front of other people. You may believe that people are watching you, just waiting for you to make a mistake. Even talking on the phone, signing a check at the store, or using a public restroom can make you afraid.

Many people are a little nervous before they meet new people or give a speech. But if you have social phobia, you worry for weeks before. You may do anything to stay away from the situation.

When does Social Phobia start and how long does it last?
Social phobia usually starts when a person is still a child or teenager. It is rare for it to start after a person reaches their mid-twenties. Anyone can have social phobia, but more women than men have the illness. It sometimes runs in families.

Without treatment, social phobia can last for many years or even a lifetime.

Am I the only one with this illness?
No. You are not alone. In any year, at least 5.3 million Americans have social phobia.

What can I do to help myself?
Talk to your doctor about your fears and worries. Tell your doctor if these worries are keeping you from doing everyday things and living your life. You may want to show your doctor this booklet. It can help you explain how you feel.

Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school, and other ordinary activities. While many people with social phobia recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation.

Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situationsuch as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or eating, drinking, or writing in front of others-or, in its most severe form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people. Social phobia can be very debilitating-it may even keep people from going to work or school on some days. Many people with this illness have a hard time making and keeping friends.

Physical symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia and include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking. If you suffer from social phobia, you may be painfully embarrassed by these symptoms There's Always Help; There's Always Hope 300 and feel as though all eyes are focused on you. You may be afraid of being with people other than your family.

People with social phobia are aware that their feelings are irrational. Even if they manage to confront what they fear, they usually feel very anxious beforehand and are intensely uncomfortable throughout. Afterward, the unpleasant feelings may linger, as they worry about how they may have been judged or what others may have thought or observed about them.

Social phobia affects about 5.3 million adult Americans. Women and men are equally likely to develop social phobia. The disorder usually begins in childhood or early adolescence, and there is some evidence that genetic factors are involved. Social phobia often co-occurs with other anxiety disorders or depression. Substance abuse or dependence may develop in individuals who attempt to "self-medicate" their social phobia by drinking or using drugs. Social phobia can be treated successfully with carefully targeted psychotherapy or medications.

For more information about Social Phobia, an anxiety disorder, see Appendix VIII.