Feeling nervous before a presentation or a first day somewhere new is common. With social anxiety disorder, the fear of being watched, judged or embarrassed is much stronger, and it can feel impossible to control. Some people dread a situation for days beforehand, avoid it altogether, or get through it while feeling miserable inside.
Social anxiety usually begins in childhood or adolescence, and it can quietly limit friendships, school, work and dating. At The Anxiety Treatment Center of Greenwich, social anxiety is one of the anxiety conditions we specialize in treating for children, teens and adults. To explore other forms anxiety can take, visit our Understanding Anxiety page.
Social anxiety shows up in the body, in thoughts and in everyday choices. You might notice:
Blushing, sweating, trembling or a racing heart in social situations, often with worry that others will notice.
Intense worry about saying or doing something embarrassing, and replaying conversations afterward in search of mistakes.
Steering clear of speaking up in class or meetings, meeting new people, or eating and drinking in front of others.
Trouble making eye contact or feeling at ease with people, even when you’d like to be part of the conversation.
Common triggers include public speaking, class participation, job interviews, dating and parties, along with eating, drinking or using restrooms in public. For students and athletes, social anxiety can overlap with performance pressure. Our co-founder Maryellen Pachler Kennell has extensive experience working with high school and college athletes experiencing performance anxiety.
In some children, anxiety in social settings is so strong that they stop speaking in certain places, which may point to selective mutism. When fear centers on sudden attacks rather than on being judged, you may want to read about panic disorder.
Social anxiety is treatable. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely considered a gold-standard approach, and exposure-based work helps people practice the situations they fear, step by step, until they feel more manageable.
CBT and exposure therapy are core parts of our evidence-based anxiety care. We also offer virtual reality (VR) therapy for social anxiety, which creates controlled, immersive environments that help clients confront fears at their own pace. For children and teens, parents are often part of the process, and when appropriate, care can include careful, collaborative medication support. Learn more about our treatment and therapy options.
Reaching out can feel like a social challenge of its own, and that’s okay. Here’s what to expect.
Your plan is shaped around your age, symptoms and goals.
Shyness is a common personality trait. With social anxiety disorder, the fear of being judged often feels uncontrollable, lasts over time and gets in the way of school, work, relationships or daily life.
It usually begins in childhood or adolescence. We provide specialized care for children, adolescents and adults.
Virtual reality (VR) therapy creates controlled, immersive environments that let clients practice feared situations at their own pace, in a safe and supportive setting.
We don’t bill insurance directly, but we encourage you to explore your out-of-network benefits. Our services are generally reimbursed by health savings accounts.
If social situations have started to feel overwhelming, we’d be glad to help. Call our office at (203) 769-1365 or reach out through our contact page.
We provide expert diagnosis and evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders in children, adolescents, and adults—helping individuals and families move forward with clarity and confidence.
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