Social phobia is an exaggerated timidity, is characterized by fear and anxiety to face sharp and persistent social situations, interaction with others, or simply to be observed in any situation, to the extent that this interferes very important in the daily lives of sufferers.

People with social phobia realize that their feelings are irrational, but experience great apprehension to face the feared situation, doing everything possible to avoid it, because you start to avoid any social situations, inhibiting the functionality of the person . In social situations feared the person with social phobia experiences a constant concern especially to judge others and think they are people anxious, weak, foolish, or rare.

An important feature in social phobia, anxiety is a trademark before the events occur feared, has the name of anticipatory anxiety, people begin to worry and be afraid of the feared situation long before to have her face, it causes when are facing this situation worse is performed due to the state of nervousness, this causes an increase in anticipatory anxiety for the next time you address the situation, creating a vicious circle that feeds self.

Social phobia is a much more common than is believed, estimated to be a problem that occurs between 3 and 13% of the population, although data are not very clear. Unlike most phobias, it is presented with equal frequency in males than in females, is often inherited and usually starts in adolescence or before age 25.

We can distinguish between two types of social phobia:

Generalized: We speak of social phobia when fears are experienced in most social relationships that involve some interaction with people.

Specify: When anxiety situations occur only in specific situations, such as public speaking or fear of being watched while eating.

Some of the main situations feared by people with social phobia are:

• Public speaking
• Eating or drinking in public
• Attending parties
• Feeling of being watched and criticized
• Write or sign in public
• Conduct in shops and administrative relations
• Look into the eyes of the people
• Start a conversation
• Be introduced to other people
• Make phone calls
• Giving own opinions or defend
• Encounters with strangers or opposite sex
• Enclosed spaces where people • Talk in a small group
• Talk with people in authority
• Making or accepting compliments
• Fear of being white
• Worry about being the center of attention