Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a persistent mental disorder that affects more than 200,000 people in the United States every year. This disorder can cause irrational embarrassment, self-consciousness, and anxiety in social settings. People with this disorder may fear speaking to new groups or attending large social gatherings because they fear being judged or humiliated in front of others. This disorder often causes those affected to avoid all social settings. Some people may experience selective SAD, where they only experience anxiety in specific situations such as eating in public.
The specific cause of SAD is unknown, however exerts hypothesize that both environmental and genetic factors play a role in the disorder. A serotonin imbalance may also contribute to the anxiety.
People with this disorder may experience the following physical and psychological symptoms:
Physical:
- Blushing
- Trembling or shaking
- Raid heart beat
- Dizziness
- Nausea
Psychological:
- Avoiding social situations
- Worrying intensely about social situations
- Raid heart beat
- Relying on alcohol to avoid social situations
- Avoiding obligations such as school or work because of anxiety