In this section, we will discuss how a person’s social anxiety can affect relationships, 
work and school, and other day-to-day activities. After reading each section, take a few 
moments to consider how your social anxiety affects each of these areas of your life, and 
then describe this in the space provided.
Relationships
Social anxiety can make it difﬁcult for people to establish and maintain healthy rela -
tionships. It can affect all levels of relationships, from those with strangers and casual 
acquaintances to those with family and signiﬁcant others. For many people, even the 
most basic forms of social interaction (such as making small talk, asking other people 
for directions, saying hello to a neighbor) are very difﬁcult. For such a person, dating