Types of Anxiety
Social Anxiety
Related terms: Social phobia, Interpersonal anxiety
Social anxiety is a condition where one finds it difficult to endure or avoids situations such as conversations, presentations, or dining due to the fear of being judged or embarrassed by others.
Reviewed by Korean Medicine Doctor Choi Yeon-seung · Last updated 2026-08-25
Meaning and Distinctions
What is social anxiety?
It is stronger and lasts longer than shyness, and it can impair daily functioning. Social anxiety is a state where it is difficult to endure or one avoids situations such as conversations, presentations, or meals due to the fear of being judged or embarrassed by others.
- Easily confused terms
- Agoraphobiais centered on the fear of situations where it may be difficult to get help or hard to escape.
- Why this is checked during medical evaluation
- The treatment goals are based on the situations being avoided and the activities the patient wishes to recover.
- What to write down for your visit
- Please describe the most difficult situations and the difference between being alone versus being with a companion.
Sleep and Mind Glossary
Compare similar terms here
You can check the brief meaning first and then proceed to the detailed explanation.AgoraphobiaAgoraphobia is a condition of fearing and avoiding places and situations where one feels it may be difficult to escape or difficult to receive help.Panic AttackA panic attack is a state where various symptoms, such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, trembling, and dizziness, rapidly intensify along with sudden, intense fear or discomfort.
Read More
Check guides where this term is used
- Condition GuideSocial anxiety · Interpersonal tensionSocial anxiety is not simple introversion, but a state that limits academic, professional, and personal relationships through repeated strong anxiety and avoidance in situations where one is evaluated by others. We examine whether it is limited to presentations or has expanded to daily conversations, meals, and phone calls, and whether alcohol is used to cope. The goal is to recover the ability to complete presentations, phone calls, and meals even if anxiety is present, rather than achieving a tremor-free perfection. If the patient relies on alcohol or sedatives daily, or if depression and thoughts of self-harm are present, safety and dependency evaluations are prioritized.→
- Condition GuideAnxiety disorderAnxiety disorder is a state where anxiety persists across various situations beyond temporary worry, disrupting sleep, concentration, relationships, and physical tension. Since throbbing, tremors, and gastrointestinal discomfort can have other causes, we first check for the influence of the thyroid, heart, hypoglycemia, medication, and caffeine. Rather than waiting for anxiety to disappear completely, we focus on expanding the range of necessary conversations, movement, and sleep, and observe whether functions such as sleep, eating, and going out return first even if feelings of anxiety remain. Chest pain, fainting, difficulty breathing, thoughts of self-harm, or a state of euphoria despite almost no sleep require immediate medical priority.→
- Medical GuideHow can I distinguish other causes from what feels like a panic attack?A panic attack can involve a rapid increase in symptoms such as throbbing, shortness of breath, trembling, and dizziness, along with sudden intense fear or discomfort. However, first-time chest pain, fainting, symptoms during exercise, or one-sided paralysis are not dismissed as panic. If these recur, record the starting scene, the time it took to reach the peak, and the places you have come to avoid, and then distinguish between physical causes, panic, agoraphobia, and social anxiety in order.→
- Sleep & Mind ColumnWhat do panic disorder, agoraphobia, and social anxiety fear? Differences between the fear of attacks, escape, and evaluation→
Evidence and Update Information
The following materials were referenced to verify the basis and scope of the definitions and treatment explanations.