What Causes Social Anxiety, and How to Overcome It

Key Takeaways

Social anxiety, also called social phobia, is an anxiety disorder marked by intense fear and self-consciousness in social situations, including a fear of being judged, criticized, or embarrassed by others.⁠²
There is no single cause; social anxiety is believed to come from a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. It can run in families, and children may partly learn it from an anxious parent's reactions.⁠^2,3,4
Common signs include intense fear in social situations, avoidance of those situations, physical symptoms like sweating, trembling, or blushing, difficulty making eye contact, and negative self-talk.⁠²
Effective treatments include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and medication in some cases; healthy habits such as regular exercise and support from people you trust can help alongside treatment but cannot replace it.⁠²
Regular exercise is a promising add-on to treatment: it may help by reducing anxiety, building confidence, and creating chances for social connection, though the research is still limited.⁠^5,6

Social anxiety is a mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide.⁠¹ It is characterized by an intense fear of social situations, particularly those that involve interacting with others or being the center of attention. For those who suffer from social anxiety, everyday activities such as attending a party, giving a presentation, or even going to the grocery store can be incredibly challenging and cause significant distress.

What is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is a type of anxiety disorder that causes individuals to experience intense fear and self-consciousness in social situations. People with social anxiety often worry about being judged, criticized, or embarrassed by others, even in situations where such fears are not warranted. This fear can be so severe that it interferes with daily life, making it difficult to form and maintain relationships, perform at work or school, and engage in activities that most people take for granted.⁠²

What Causes Social Anxiety?

The exact cause of social anxiety is not fully understood, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors.⁠³ Some of the most common causes of social anxiety include:

Genetic Factors: Research suggests that social anxiety may have a genetic component, meaning that it can run in families.⁠²
Environmental Factors: Negative experiences such as bullying, abuse, or trauma are linked with social anxiety, though researchers have not shown that they cause it.⁠⁷ It may also be partly learned. For example, in one experiment, babies who watched their mother act anxious with a stranger then became more fearful and avoidant with that stranger themselves.⁠⁴
Psychological Factors: Patterns of thinking such as expecting the worst from social situations, negative self-talk, and picking apart your own performance afterward can all contribute to social anxiety.⁠^2,3

What are the Symptoms of Social Anxiety?

The symptoms of social anxiety can vary from person to person, but some of the most common symptoms include:⁠²

Intense fear or anxiety in social situations
Avoidance of social situations
Physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, or blushing
Difficulty making eye contact
Fear of being judged or criticized by others
Negative self-talk and self-criticism

How is Social Anxiety Diagnosed?

Social anxiety is diagnosed by a health care provider such as a primary care doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker. The provider asks when the symptoms began, how long they have lasted, how often they occur, and how they affect daily life, and may do a physical exam to rule out an unrelated physical problem. For a diagnosis, the fear of social situations where a person might be judged must last at least 6 months and interfere with daily life, such as work, school, or relationships.⁠²

How Does Social Anxiety Impact Daily Life?

Social anxiety can have a significant impact on an individual’s daily life, making it difficult to engage in activities that most people take for granted. Some of the ways in which social anxiety can impact daily life include:⁠²

Difficulty forming and maintaining relationships
Avoidance of social situations such as parties or gatherings
Difficulty performing at work or school
Worrying about social events for weeks before they happen
Higher rates of other conditions, such as depression and alcohol or substance misuse

How to Overcome Social Anxiety

While social anxiety can be a challenging condition to live with, there are many effective treatments available that can help individuals manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Some of the most effective treatments for social anxiety include:⁠²

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to their anxiety.
Exposure Therapy: Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing the individual to feared social situations in a safe and controlled environment, helping them to develop coping skills and build confidence. For example, an individual can begin by saying hello to a familiar neighbor, then an unfamiliar one, slowly progressing to greeting an authority figure and initiating a conversation, and then increasing the exposure even more by beginning a conversation with a stranger in public.
Medication: In some cases, medication such as antidepressants, beta-blockers, or anti-anxiety drugs may be prescribed to help manage symptoms of social anxiety.
Lifestyle Changes: Making lifestyle changes such as getting regular exercise, practicing relaxation techniques, and building a support system can also be helpful in managing social anxiety alongside treatment, though they cannot replace it.

How Does Exercise Help Social Anxiety?

Exercise shows promise as an add-on to standard treatment for social anxiety, though the research is still limited: most studies are small, and many did not include people diagnosed with the disorder.⁠⁵ In one randomized trial, adults with social anxiety disorder who took part in an aerobic exercise program had less social anxiety and greater well-being afterward, and improved more than an untreated comparison group.⁠⁶ Some of the ways in which exercise may help include:⁠⁵

Reducing stress and anxiety levels
Improving self-esteem and self-confidence
Providing a healthy outlet for managing symptoms
Helping to build social connections and support systems

Incorporating regular exercise into your routine, whether it be through activities such as walking, running, or yoga, can be a helpful addition to treatment for social anxiety and good for overall mental health and well-being, though it does not replace treatment.⁠²

Overcoming social anxiety, in short

Social anxiety can be a challenging condition to live with, but it is important to remember that you are not alone and that there are many effective treatments available. By seeking help from a mental health professional, making lifestyle changes, and incorporating tools such as exercise into your routine, it is possible to manage symptoms of social anxiety and improve your quality of life.⁠² Remember, taking the first step toward seeking help is often the most difficult, but it is also the most important. With the right support and resources, it is possible to overcome social anxiety and live a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is social anxiety?

Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is a type of anxiety disorder that causes intense fear and self-consciousness in social situations. People with it often worry about being judged, criticized, or embarrassed, even when those fears aren't warranted.⁠²

What causes social anxiety?

The exact cause isn't fully understood, but it's believed to come from a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. It can run in families, is linked with negative experiences like bullying or abuse, may be partly learned from watching an anxious parent, and is fed by thinking patterns such as expecting the worst and negative self-talk.⁠^2,3,4,7

What are the symptoms of social anxiety?

Common symptoms include intense fear or anxiety in social situations, avoiding those situations, and physical signs such as sweating, trembling, or blushing. Other signs include difficulty making eye contact, fear of being judged, and negative self-talk.⁠²

How is social anxiety diagnosed?

It is diagnosed by a health care provider such as a primary care doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker, based on when the symptoms began, how long and how often they occur, and how they affect daily life. The fear must last at least 6 months and interfere with work, school, or relationships.⁠²

How can you overcome social anxiety?

There are many effective treatments, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy that gradually introduces feared situations, and in some cases medication. Lifestyle changes like regular exercise, relaxation techniques, and building a support system can also help manage symptoms alongside treatment.⁠²

Sources

Stein DJ, Lim CCW, Roest AM, et al. The cross-national epidemiology of social anxiety disorder: data from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. BMC Medicine. 2017;15(1):143. doi:10.1186/s12916-017-0889-2 (PMID 28756776). In 28 community surveys (142,405 respondents), 4.0% of adults across all countries had social anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, and 2.4% in the past year.
National Institute of Mental Health. Social Anxiety Disorder: What You Need to Know. Checked October 6, 2026.
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Fear of situations where a person “may be scrutinized, evaluated, or judged by others”; signs include blushing, sweating, trembling, trouble making eye contact, avoidance, and picking apart “self-perceived flaws”; it “may run in families”; diagnosis requires fear lasting at least 6 months that interferes with work, school or relationships; it often co-occurs with depression and is “commonly associated with alcohol and substance misuse.” Treatment “typically involves psychotherapy, medication, or both” (CBT, exposure therapy, SSRIs, SNRIs, beta-blockers, benzodiazepines); a healthy lifestyle, including exercise, “can help combat anxiety, although this alone cannot replace treatment.”
Spence SH, Rapee RM. The etiology of social anxiety disorder: an evidence-based model. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2016;86:50–67. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.06.007 (PMID 27406470). Reviews genetic and biological influences, temperament, cognitive factors, peer relationships, parenting and adverse life events, and describes “the many etiological pathways” to the disorder.
de Rosnay M, Cooper PJ, Tsigaras N, Murray L. Transmission of social anxiety from mother to infant: an experimental study using a social referencing paradigm. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2006;44(8):1165–1175. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2005.09.003 (PMID 16288978).
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In 24 infants aged 12 to 14 months, after watching their mother act socially anxious with a stranger, “infants were significantly more fearful and avoidant with the stranger.”
Lele L, Xin Y, Song YG. Exercise as an adjunct intervention for social anxiety disorder: a mini-review. Frontiers in Psychology. 2026;17:1894573. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1894573 (PMID 42558442).
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More physical activity is generally associated with lower social anxiety, possibly through self-efficacy, body image and social engagement, but the evidence is limited by small samples and few trials in people diagnosed with the disorder; exercise is “a promising adjunct rather than a replacement for established treatments.”
Jazaieri H, Goldin PR, Werner K, Ziv M, Gross JJ. A randomized trial of MBSR versus aerobic exercise for social anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2012;68(7):715–731. doi:10.1002/jclp.21863 (PMID 22623316). In 56 adults with social anxiety disorder, aerobic exercise was associated with reductions in social anxiety and increases in well-being, and participants improved compared with an untreated group.
Brook CA, Schmidt LA. Social anxiety disorder: a review of environmental risk factors. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2008;4(1):123–143. doi:10.2147/ndt.s1799 (PMID 18728768). Bullying, family violence and sexual and physical abuse have been linked with social anxiety disorder, though “there has yet to be a causal association established.”

Medical disclaimer. This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your child.

Social Anxiety: What Causes It and How Do You Overcome It?