Social phobia, also referred to as social anxiety disorder, is a common mental health condition.

It is a key in of anxiety disorder.

Learn more about social phobia in this overview.

Female student standing alone in a hallway near a group of students

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The anxiety is triggered by a fear of being judged or humiliated by others.

About 7% of adults are affected in any given year.

A person with social phobia is also an increased risk for other mental illnesses, such asdepressionandsubstance use disorders.

Psychotherapy

Typically, the form of therapy used for social phobia is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

It can also help them learn and develop better social skills.

CBT is often done in individual sessions, but it can also be helpful in the group setting.

For performance anxiety specifically,beta-blockers, like Inderal (propranolol), are often utilized.

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