If you suspect that you might suffer from social anxiety disorder, answer the questions below, print out the results, and share them with your health care professional.
To locate a specialist who treats social anxiety disorder, visit the ADAA Find a Therapist.
Are you troubled by the following?
Yes No | An intense and persistent fear of a social situation in which people might judge you |
Yes No | Fear that you will be humiliated by your actions |
Yes No | Fear that people will notice that you are blushing, sweating, trembling, or showing other signs of anxiety |
Yes No | Knowing that your fear is excessive or unreasonable |
Does a feared situation cause you to...
Yes No | always feel anxious? |
Yes No | experience a panic attack, during which you suddenly are overcome by intense fear or discomfort, including any of these symptoms: |
Yes No | Pounding heart |
Yes No | Sweating |
Yes No | Trembling or shaking |
Yes No | Choking |
Yes No | Chest pain |
Yes No | nausea or abdominal discomfort |
Yes No | "Jelly" legs |
Yes No | Dizziness |
Yes No | Feelings of unreality or being detached from yourself |
Yes No | Fear of losing control or “going crazy” |
Yes No | Fear of dying |
Yes No | Numbness or tingling sensations |
Yes No | Chills or hot flushes |
Yes No | go to great lengths to avoid participating? |
Yes No | have your symptoms interfere with your daily life? |
Having more than one illness at the same time can make it difficult to diagnose and treat the different conditions. Depression and substance abuse are among the conditions that occasionally complicate social anxiety disorder.
Yes No | Have you experienced changes in sleeping or eating habits? |
More days than not, do you feel…
Yes No | sad or depressed? |
Yes No | disinterested in life? |
Yes No | worthless or guilty? |
During the last year, has the use of alcohol or drugs...
Yes No | resulted in your failure to fulfill responsibilities with work, school, or family? |
Yes No | placed you in a dangerous situation, such as driving a car under the influence? |
Yes No | gotten you arrested? |
Yes No | continued despite causing problems for you or your loved ones? |
Reference:
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1994.