Social anxiety is the fear of social situations that involve interaction with other people.
Put another way, social anxiety is the fear and anxiety of being judged and evaluated by other people. Having social anxiety prevents people from being able to do the things they want, however. The feelings that accompany social anxiety include anxiety, intense fear, nervousness, automatic negative thinking cycles, racing heart, blushing, excessive sweating, dry throat and mouth, trembling, and muscle twitches. Constant, intense anxiety is the most common feature. People with social anxiety know that their anxiety is irrational and does not make logical sense.