Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a health condition in which people experience fear and anxiety when around other people or social situations. SAD causes people to exhibit persistent and intense fear of being watched or judged by others. Social anxiety disorder is likely to develop in people who have experienced trauma and chronic stress at some point in their life. Other than trauma, this condition may also be caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors.

Athough it can sometimes start in younger children or in adults, it commonly begins in the early to mid-teens. The symptoms include excess worry about embarrassing or humiliating oneself, intense fear of interacting with strangers, avoidance of doing things to people, avoidance of situations where you might be the center of attention, and anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity. The physical signs of SAD include blushing, fast heartbeat, trembling, sweating, nausea, dizziness or lightheadedness, and muscle tension.

This mental health issue arises from a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors. Anxiety disorders tend to run in families even though it is not clear how much of this may be due to genetics.  Aamygdala, a structure in the brain may play a role in controlling the fear response.

Social anxiety disorder may be a learned behavior where people develop symptoms after an embarrassing social situation. Also, SAD is likely to develop in people with an appearance or condition that draws attention including facial disfigurement, stuttering, or tremors. Giving a speech in public or making an important work presentation may trigger symptoms for the first time.

Social anxiety disorder can be managed by carefully managing ones time and energy,  track of one’s personal life and identifying what causes stress and what seems to help a patient feel better. Getting treatment early can help reduce the complications. APA