We all get butterflies at some point in our lives, but when fear
of social interaction threatens to take over your life, it is
time to seek help. Suzanne, an intelligent woman in her
thirties, had been lonely for much of her life. She had been
stuck in the same secretarial job because she was afraid of
working with people above her job level. She wanted to meet a
man, but was sure she would say something stupid and be
rejected. Her few good friends could not get her to go to
restaurants or even parties because she was afraid other people
might think she was a sloppy eater. The few times she agreed to
go, her heart was pounding and she began to blush and perspire.
When her primary care doctor finally referred her to a
psychologist with experience in anxiety disorders, she was
relieved to discover she had a treatable condition with a name,
social anxiety disorder. What Is Social Anxiety Disorder? Many
people get nervous in certain social or business situations.
There is nothing unusual about feeling anxious bef