Most people in general are uncomfortable being the center of attention—especially if it's in front of a large group of people and something extraordinary is expected.  Polls show that more people are afraid of speaking in front of groups than they are of death.  So the evaluation of others always remains a sensitive issue with most people. 

However, a social anxiety disorder is something far beyond nervousness or discomfort in public places.  People suffering from a social anxiety disorder are anxious and self-conscious to an extreme degree in every day living situations.  They have an unwholesome fear of being watched and judged by other people, as well as embarrassing themselves in public.  Thee fear this produces is far beyond uneasiness; it's a crippling, intense and chronic fear that can lead to total isolation and physical ailments as well as emotional turmoil.

A person afflicted with the disorder are often aware that they have some sort of social phobia, but are unable to overcome the problem by just summoning up the courage like most shy people.  Even if they can somehow force themselves into a scary situation, they will still feel tremendous anxiety before, during and after the event.  This type of phobia can be broad or very specific.  A generalized social phobia would be anxiety around any new persons besides family and friends, whereas specific social phobias could include conversations with others, writing or speaking in front of others, or being in large crowds.  

Physical symptoms of social disorder to watch out for including blushing, sweating, nausea, trembling and speech difficulty.  Who is likely to suffer from social anxiety?  Anyone—in fact some fifteen million Americans are believed to have a serious and chronic social phobia.  Social phobia doesn't develop overnight, though there are cases known that involved neither genetics or trauma.  The condition is believed to be inheritable and so it most frequently develops in childhood and adolescent years. 

Like other anxiety disorders, social phobia if left untreated can lead to the development of other axniety disorders, such as obsessive compulsive disorder or panic disorder.  Abuse of alcohol and drugs and chronic depression also tend to develop in social phobia cases if isolation is involved.  Even prescription drugs can be a risk, as some people who suffer from disorders may try and self-medicate themselves beyond the daily dosage.

What is the best treatment for social phobia?  While it is possible for a person to ignore the problem and simply summon up the courage to face their fears, this could be counter productive.  For one thing, just because a person can meet the test of a social setting does not alleviate the extreme levels of anxiety that it brings, which can affect emotional and physical health. 

In cases where social phobia is extreme, then a professional evaluation is recommended.  Treatment will vary according to the opinion of the doctor and requests of the patient.  There may be psychotherapy involved or traditional medication or a combination of both.  The important issue here is for the chronic sufferer to seek help and not live with high levels of anxiety.