Characterized by extreme self-consciousness. A condition in which the subject may be consistently nervous, fearing judgement and over-rationalizing, taking things apart to much, often worrying about what others may think of them, not to mention feeling like they are always being looked at.

A mental disorder that stops people from living the lives that they had always dreamed of.
Everyday when you step foot outside of your house, it's like constant anxiousness, and you can't really do anything.
It's horrible, and I wouldn't wish it on anybody.
It can get so bad that people can't leave their houses becuase it's not worth it.
You'll never understand what it's like, unless you have it yourself. A lot of people think that it's people overreacting and being shy, but they really have no clue.
This disorder often comes with other disorders, like depression, bipolar, etc.
This disorder can be treated successfully (I think/hope...), but people with social anxiety are too scared or embarassed to ask for help. I think that many people get misdiagnosed when they do ask for help. So many people turn to drugs or alcohol to help them find relief.
People with S.A.D. are misunderstood and I get in trouble becuase I don't talk loud enough and don't do homework assignments (like book reports) so that I don't have to do oral presentations. I can't leave my house by myself.
And a really miserable part of any anxiety disorder is panic attacks which cause people with the disorder to think they're dying or going crazy.

An anxiety disorder characterized by extreme self-consciousness in normal social situations, including the fear that one is being judged or observed by all those around them. Social anxiety causes people to fear being humiliated or embarrassed much more than is normal. People with social anxiety disorder know that their fear is irrational and yet still avoid any situation in which they may be evaluated or judged.

Social phobics, like those with Avoidant Personality Disorder, may develop defences against their fears, such as denying that they fear social situations or defending themselves through insensetivity.

A shitty emotional disorder that ruined my life.

its when your scared of talking to others and you feel horrible, you shake, have muscle spasms, you stutter your voice shakes. Its really serious and many people dont understand how bad it is who dont have it.

BEing afraid of people. Only people with social anxiety have felt true pain and goth whores should stfu about there lives since its painless compared to social anxiety. ITs pain that wont go away.

Social anxiety is a psychiatric disorder that affects 13% of the population. It involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People living with this condition have a persistent fear of being watched and criticized by others. They feel that others are constantly waiting for them to mess up, thus humiliating themselves by their own actions. It may interfere with their work, school, social life, and other activities. Social anxiety differs from shyness in that people with this disorder often avoid some social situations all-together. Physical symptoms of social anxiety include blushing, rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, muscle tension, shaky voice, and nausea.
(This information on Social Anxiety Disorder was obtained from www.wikipedia.com.)

It feels like being trapped under ice, screaming to get out. But no one can hear you.

Social Anxiety is the worst form of Mental Disorder, and no one can understand it, without having yet lived with it. Always feeling Humiliated, fear of humiliation, breaking out with sweats, and then feeling even more embarrassed of your sweat and feeling as if everyone is staring at it. It can be a snowball effect. We love to be alone because being alone means actually feeling relaxed, unwatched, and unjudged. It is a very sad thing to live with.

It is very hard for anyone with social anxiety to have any normal form of conversation. Over-examing the words and gestures that other people say or do, and eventually ending up feeling embarassed or humiliated for not saying the right thing, or the funny thing, or the cool thing. Our minds race and race and race all the time, every second of the day we are judging ourselves, trying to change ourselves, trying to relax ourselves, trying to understand ourselves, trying to label ourselves, and trying to understand where we fit in in this world. This is just a glimpse of what rollercoasters through our brain, constantly. Never rest. It is truly a terrible disorder.

We are cool people, we just cant HELP it.