socialanxiety.site https://socialanxiety.site/ 2026-11-10T00:00:00Z About this sitehttps://socialanxiety.site/about/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWho socialanxiety.site is for, how its pages are written, how evidence is rated, and how often each page is checked against its sources. Trials waiting for resultshttps://socialanxiety.site/evidence/trials-waiting-for-results/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZMany social anxiety trials have finished but not shared their results. Here are the ones we are watching, with registry numbers and dates, checked November 2026. What 500,000 Reddit posts tell us about social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/evidence/what-reddit-tells-us/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZResearchers have studied hundreds of thousands of posts on r/socialanxiety. Here is what they found about symptoms, daily life, getting help and online support. What we don't know about social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/evidence/what-we-dont-know/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWe know a lot about treating social anxiety, but big gaps remain: the years before help, home tech, chatbots, VR, older adults, autistic people and poorer countries. Crisis lines: free help right nowhttps://socialanxiety.site/getting-help/crisis-lines/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZFree, confidential crisis lines you can call or text now, in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, plus a directory for other countries. How to find a therapist for social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/getting-help/finding-a-therapist/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZLook for CBT made for social anxiety. Here is what to ask a therapist, including about VR exposure, and the low-cost routes in the UK, US and Australia. Talking to your doctor about social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/getting-help/talking-to-your-doctor/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhat to say to a GP or family doctor about social anxiety, a note you can hand over, what the doctor may ask, and what they can offer. What to expect in therapy for social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/getting-help/what-to-expect-in-therapy/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhat happens in the first session, what CBT for social anxiety involves week by week, how long it takes, and how to get the most from it. When booking help is the hard parthttps://socialanxiety.site/getting-help/when-booking-is-hard/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZGetting help for social anxiety often means phoning a stranger. Here are scripts, online and text routes, and ways to bring someone with you. How parents can help a socially anxious childhttps://socialanxiety.site/parents/how-parents-can-help/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZSupport brave steps instead of helping your child avoid. Practical ways to help an anxious child at home, with what the research shows about accommodation. School refusal and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/parents/school-refusal/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhen anxiety keeps a child or teen home from school, a gradual, planned return with the school usually works better than waiting until they feel ready. Selective mutism: when a child talks at home but not at schoolhttps://socialanxiety.site/parents/selective-mutism/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZSelective mutism is an anxiety problem, not stubbornness. Most children with it also have social anxiety. Here is what it is and what helps. Is my child shy or socially anxious?https://socialanxiety.site/parents/shy-or-anxious-child/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZMost shy children do not have social anxiety disorder. Here is how to tell the difference, the signs that mean it's time to get help, and what helps early. Teens, social media and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/parents/teens-and-social-media/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZDoes social media cause social anxiety in teenagers? The evidence is mixed. Here is what studies show and practical ways to talk with your teen about phones. Therapy for children and teens with social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/parents/therapy-for-children-and-teens/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZCBT helps about half of anxious children recover. Here is what therapy for children and teens involves, how parents fit in, and where medication and VR stand. Helping a partner or friend with social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/partners-and-friends/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZHow to support someone with social anxiety: what to say, how to avoid the reassurance and avoidance traps, how to encourage help, and how to look after yourself. Dating with social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/dating/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy dating feels so hard with social anxiety, why it is not too late at 25, 30 or later, and small steps from first messages to first dates. Eating in public and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/eating-in-public/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy eating or drinking in front of others feels so hard with social anxiety, how it differs from an eating disorder, and a ladder of small steps. The gym and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/gym/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy the gym feels so exposing with social anxiety, how much people really notice, and a step-by-step ladder from a quiet visit to a group class. Job interviews and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/job-interviews/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy job interviews feel so frightening with social anxiety, what helps you prepare, and a practice ladder from answering alone to a real interview. Making friends with social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/making-friends/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy making friends is so hard with social anxiety, why you keep cancelling plans, and small steps from first contact to a real friendship. Parties, small talk and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/parties-and-small-talk/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy parties and small talk are so draining with social anxiety, why drinking to cope backfires, and a step-by-step ladder to make it easier. Phone calls and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/phone-calls/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy phone calls feel so hard with social anxiety, what keeps the fear going, and a step-by-step ladder that makes calls easier. Public speaking and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/public-speaking/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy public speaking is so frightening, what helps, honest notes on propranolol, VR practice, and a step-by-step ladder from speaking alone to a real audience. School, university and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/school-and-university/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy classes, seminars, group work and presentations are so hard with social anxiety, what support exists, and a ladder of small steps. Shops, counters and asking for helphttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/shops-and-asking-for-help/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy everyday errands like asking shop staff, ordering at a counter or returning an item feel so hard with social anxiety, and a ladder of small steps. Work meetings and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/situations/work-meetings/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy speaking in meetings and video calls is so hard with social anxiety, what makes it worse, and small steps to build up to speaking up. Start herehttps://socialanxiety.site/start/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhere to start with social anxiety: four steps of help, from what you can do alone this week to therapy and medication, and how to choose. Blushing and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/symptoms/blushing/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy you blush, whether other people notice or mind, why fighting it makes it worse, and what treatments help with fear of blushing. Feeling watched and judgedhttps://socialanxiety.site/symptoms/feeling-watched/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy you feel watched and judged in public, what the spotlight effect and the liking gap show about what others really notice, and what helps. When your mind goes blankhttps://socialanxiety.site/symptoms/mind-going-blank/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy your mind goes blank in conversations, meetings and talks when you are anxious, what makes it worse, and what helps in the moment and long term. Replaying conversationshttps://socialanxiety.site/symptoms/replaying-conversations/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy you replay conversations and cringe at things you said, why it keeps social anxiety going, and practical ways to step out of the replay. Shaking hands and voicehttps://socialanxiety.site/symptoms/shaking-hands-and-voice/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy your hands and voice shake when you are anxious, whether people notice, what makes it worse, and honest notes on propranolol and therapy. Sweating and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/symptoms/sweating/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhy you sweat when you are socially anxious, whether people notice, what makes it worse, and when it could be hyperhidrosis that a doctor can treat. Adapting social anxiety treatment: autism, teens, older adults, culture, depression and alcoholhttps://socialanxiety.site/therapists/adapting-treatment/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhat the evidence says about treating social anxiety in autistic people, adolescents, older adults, other cultures, and alongside depression or heavy drinking. Social anxiety disorder guidelines compared: NICE, Canada, BAPhttps://socialanxiety.site/therapists/guidelines-compared/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhere NICE CG159, the 2014 Canadian guideline and the 2014 BAP guideline agree and disagree on therapy, SSRIs, benzodiazepines, pregabalin and beta-blockers. Medication for social anxiety disorder: the evidence tableshttps://socialanxiety.site/therapists/medication-evidence/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZThe main medication evidence for social anxiety disorder in tables: the NICE network meta-analysis, the Cochrane review, relapse after stopping, and combination with CBT. Screening and measurement scales for social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/therapists/screening-scales/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhat the LSAS, SPIN, Mini-SPIN, SIAS, SPS, SPAI and DSM-5 severity measure assess, their cut-offs, what a score means, and who holds the rights. Psychological treatment protocols for social anxiety disorderhttps://socialanxiety.site/therapists/treatment-protocols/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZClark and Wells cognitive therapy, Heimberg's CBT, internet versions and exposure-based protocols: components, session counts, outcomes and allegiance caveats. VR exposure in clinical practice: a guide for therapistshttps://socialanxiety.site/therapists/vr-in-practice/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZFor clinicians considering VR exposure for social anxiety: the trials, when to use it, set-up, scenarios, cybersickness, real-life transfer and questions for vendors. ADHD and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/understand/adhd-and-social-anxiety/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZADHD and social anxiety often occur together and can look alike. Here is how they differ, why they overlap, and what that means for getting help. Alcohol and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/understand/alcohol-and-social-anxiety/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZMany people drink to get through social events. It can help for an evening, but it is linked to more alcohol problems and can keep social anxiety going. Autism and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/understand/autism-and-social-anxiety/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZAutism and social anxiety can look alike from the outside. They have different roots, often occur together, and are often confused. Here is how they differ. Avoidant personality disorder and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/understand/avoidant-personality-disorder/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZAvoidant personality disorder and social anxiety overlap a lot. The main difference is a deep sense of being inadequate. Here is what is known and what helps. Depression and social anxietyhttps://socialanxiety.site/understand/depression-and-social-anxiety/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZSocial anxiety often comes first and raises the risk of depression later. Why they go together, how to spot depression, and why early treatment matters. Does social anxiety go away?https://socialanxiety.site/understand/does-it-go-away/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWithout help, social anxiety often lasts for years. With the right treatment, many people get much better, and the gains tend to last. Here is what the studies show. How common is social anxiety?https://socialanxiety.site/understand/how-common-is-it/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZYou may read that 4%, 12% or 36% of people have social anxiety. All can be true. Here is what each figure measures and which one to trust. Introversion or social anxiety?https://socialanxiety.site/understand/introversion-or-social-anxiety/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZIntroversion is a preference for quiet. Social anxiety is a fear of being judged. You can have one, both or neither. Here is how to tell. Is it social anxiety? The signs in plain wordshttps://socialanxiety.site/understand/is-it-social-anxiety/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZThe signs of social anxiety in plain words, how it differs from ordinary nerves, what a diagnosis means, and what to do next. Performance anxiety and stage frighthttps://socialanxiety.site/understand/performance-anxiety/2026-11-10T00:00:00ZWhen the fear is only about speaking or performing in front of others, doctors call it performance-only social anxiety. Here is what it is and what helps.