Social and performance anxiety interfere in the lives of numerous people each year. If you find yourself avoiding certain social situations because you fear how you may be perceived you could be suffering from one or more types of anxiety.  One of the most important aspects that should be understood in taking steps to achieve recovery from social forms of anxiety is that while anxiety is a normal par of life, the problem actually begins when the anxiety begins to control you. Typically, social anxiety is characterized by such feeling as embarrassment, humiliation and even shame.  In the past, performance anxiety has been referred to as simply ‘stage fright’ or even ‘nerves.’ Regardless of how it is described; however, this heightened sense of tension can easily prevent you from living up to your full potential and even from living your life normally. In extreme situations, performance anxiety can interfere with everyday normal activities.  Symptoms that are commonly associated with this type of anxiety include: 

• Chest pain

• Hyperventilation

• Palpitations

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Lightheadness

• Headache

• Faintness

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

This type of anxiety is frequently marked by a chronic fear of performance or social situations in which the individual may feel embarrassed. It should be noted that while it is quite common for an  individual to feel somewhat nervous at the idea of performing in public, this type of anxiety is marked by such extremes of fear and anxiety in relation to the performance situation that it begins to significantly interfere with your daily routine or normal functioning.  An individual suffering from this type of anxiety may fear that others will feel they are stupid, weak or crazy. As a result, the individual experiencing the anxiety will commonly try to avoid the situation they fear.  Such situations may include: 

• Being criticized or teased

• Being introduced to new people

• Being observed or watched

• Being the center of attention

• Meeting individuals in authority

• Being in social encounters, particularly with strangers

• Functioning in interpersonal relationships

Performance related anxiety can be broken down into two different categories; discrete and generalized anxiety. Discrete performance related anxiety generally involve situations in which public speaking is involved or at least in some type of situation in which performing in front of an audience is involved. In the generalized form of this type of anxiety, which can be quite severe and even debilitating. It can interfere with both one’s social and work life. Due to the severity of this form of anxiety it can also lead to other problems such as depression and addictive behaviors.  

While individuals with this type of social anxiety may recognize that their level of anxiety over the situation is irrational; however, the symptoms continue to persist without intervention.  

Therapy can help to alleviate many of the symptoms associated with such forms of social anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, in particular, has proven to be quite successful in treating such symptoms. It is important to recognize that the main keys to achieving recovery from performance anxiety are persistence and consistency.