Do you become filled with terror at the thought of being put on the spot at a social event? Are you afraid that people will judge you? This fear can come from being asked a personal question in front of others, or just being invited to a social gathering of any kind. If you have SAD, this fear would dominate your thoughts and causes you to feel panicked. For example, if you have SAD, you may feel a sense of terror when a friend asks you a question in front of people you don’t know. You may worry that people will judge you for what you say and be too afraid to say anything as a result. A common symptom of SAD is a feeling of self-consciousness that dictates how a person interacts with others. People with SAD are always afraid that they will embarrass themselves or get rejected in some way. If you feel extremely self-conscious when in a social setting, before a social interaction, or before a public talk, you may have SAD. For example, if you feel like you have nothing of value to say when you are discussing a subject that you are actually passionate about, you may have social anxiety. Instead of contributing your ideas and opinions, you may be obsessing over thoughts that the other people don’t like how you are dressed or that they don't think you are intelligent. A common trait of someone with SAD is avoiding instances where they may be forced to speak or interact in a social setting. If you go out of your way to avoid social interactions or having to speak in front of others, you may have social anxiety. For example, if you are invited to a party but you refuse to go because you are too nervous about hanging out with other people, you may have social anxiety. People with SAD generally fade to the back of discussions because they are too nervous about voicing their thoughts. They are afraid that what they say will displease others or warrant ridicule. If you often find yourself staying silent during conversations out of fear, this may indicate that you have SAD. For example, if you are in a discussion with others, do you voice your opinions or slowly shrink to the back, avoiding eye contact with others?
انتبه إلى الخوف. انتبه عندما تصبح خجولًا في المواقف الاجتماعية. فكِّر فيما إذا كنت تتجنب الأوساط الاجتماعية. فكِّر حيال بقائك صامتًا خلال النقاشات.