10 Things To Know About Social Anxiety Disorder

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We all experience anxiety to an extent. However, approximately 40 million adults are living with an actual anxiety disorder in the United States. There are at least eight different types of anxiety disorders, but one of the least talked about and most misunderstood is social anxiety disorder.

People living with social anxiety carry the burden of an overwhelming and irrational fear of judgment. This leads to constant feelings of humiliation, inadequacy, embarrassment and depression. Their anxiety is persistent and intense. The most unfortunate part of having social anxiety is existing with the They recognize that their fears are irrational, but it doesn’t make the feeling of worry any less overpowering.

With Summer Walker and her bout with social anxiety disorder at the forefront of conversation this week, we thought it would be beneficial to raise awareness regarding this rarely-talked-about condition. Continue reading for ten important facts about living with social anxiety disorder.

What it is

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Social anxiety disorder is a common type of anxiety disorder. A person with social anxiety disorder feels symptoms of anxiety or fear in certain or all social situations.”