Shyness and Social Anxiety
9UÊActing on a stage
UÊReading out loud in front of others
UÊEating or drinking in front of others
UÊUsing public bathrooms with others in the room
UÊWriting with others watching (for example, completing a form in public)
UÊMaking a mistake in public (for example, falling down, dropping your keys, 
and so on)
UÊWalking or jogging on a busy street or some other public place
UÊIntroducing yourself to a group of people
UÊShopping in a busy store
WHAT IS SOCIAL ANXIETY?
Social anxiety refers to nervousness or discomfort in social situations, usually because of 
fear about doing something embarrassing or foolish, making a bad impression, or being 
judged critically by others. For many people, social anxiety is limited to certain types 
of social situations. For example, some people are very uncomfortable in formal work-
related situations, like presentations and meetings, but are quite comfortable in more 
casual situations, like parties and socializing with friends. Others may show the exact 
opposite pattern, with formal work situations being easier than unstructured social gath -
erings. In fact, it’s not unusual to hear of a celebrity who is quite comfortable performing 
in front of large audiences but who otherwise feels shy and nervous when interacting 
with people one-on-one or in small groups.
The intensity of social anxiety and the range of feared social situations vary from 
person to person. For example, some people experience fear that is fairly manageable, 
whereas others are completely overwhelmed by the intensity of their fear. For some people, 
the fear is limited to a single social situation (for example, using public restrooms, public