Shyness and Social Anxiety
17UÊRacing or pounding heart
UÊBreathlessness or smothering feelings
UÊDizziness or lightheadedness
UÊDifﬁculty swallowing, choking feelings, or a “lump” in the throat
UÊQuivering or shakiness (for example, in the hands, knees, lips, or whole 
body)
UÊBlushing
UÊNausea, diarrhea, or “butterﬂies” in the stomach
UÊExcessive sweating
UÊShaky voice
UÊTearfulness, crying
UÊPoor concentration or forgetting what you were trying to say
UÊBlurred vision
UÊNumbness and tingling sensations
UÊFeelings of unreality or being detached
UÊTightness or weakness in the muscles (for example, wobbly legs, sore neck)
UÊChest pain or tightness in chest muscles
UÊDry mouth
UÊHot ﬂushes or chills
People who are socially anxious differ from one another with respect to the ways in 
which they experience these feelings when they are anxious. Some people report many 
different physical symptoms. Others report only a few of these feelings. In fact, some 
people are not aware of any physical sensations when they are anxious.
There is also evidence that people are often unable to accurately report the inten -
sity of these sensations. People who are socially anxious often report that their physi -
cal symptoms are very intense, particularly those symptoms that might be visible to 
other people. This is, however, often not the case. For the majority of people who are