Each individual at one time or the other has a moment of being afraid of one thing or the other. The objects of fear differ among individuals. For some, it might be that they are afraid of height, to others it could be fear for depth while some others might be fearful about insects. Majority of people experience this fear for a short time while beholding the objects of their fear. But to some others, this fear is so severe that it produces anxiety in them; this level of fear is what is known as phobia. Social phobia is a form or type of phobia that is going to constitute the main subject here.

What Is Social Phobia?

This is the type of fear that is associated with participation in social activities where judgment is usually passed on social performance. Just the mere thought of participating in social activities will set some people trembling in fear. Social phobia is also known as social anxiety disorder. People that are extremely self-conscious usually suffer from this type of phobia. They are always conscious of what people will say or think especially when they do not perform well socially.  These set of individuals can find the slightest excuse not to be present in a particular social function so that they will not be appointed to handle any thing. Not that they do not love social functions; but they are afraid that they might be appointed to perform some activities in front of others.

Social anxiety disorder is an ill that can make its victims to be retarded socially. A typical example of this type of phobia is fear for public speaking. A larger percentage of people are extremely afraid to stand to face the public; whether it is to address the public or to deliver speech. Some get so jittery that they will physically tremble and speak with an obvious shaky voice as a result of facing the crowd.

Other areas where people exhibit social phobia include:
   
    Exam taking – some people exercise excessive feat over taking exam. They even tremble physically at the sight of question papers and other exam materials.
    Fear of eating in the public – many individuals can give the excuse that they are on diet; just because they are afraid that they might either display bad table manners or hold their cutleries in a wrong way.
    Talking to strangers can set some people jittery that they might end up embarrassing themselves in front of strangers.

It is normal to experience temporal fear in the situations listed above. But when the fear persists and become excessive; then it is a clear sign of social anxiety disorder commonly known as social phobia. Some signs associated with this type fear include severe nervousness, trembling, heart pounding, anxiety, isolation from the crowd and social events. Some other symptoms associated with phobia are also obtainable here.

Social phobia could be entrapping and devastating like any other type of phobia and anxiety related ailments, if the situation is not arrested on time.