Someone with social anxiety disorder experiences fear in social situations where they are afraid of being critically or negatively judged by others. It involves being afraid of showing a particular behaviour (such as blushing, stuttering or shaking), of making a mistake, or of not being liked. People with social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, tend to avoid or escape such situations. People with a fear of failure prefer not to attract attention to themselves because of a lack of self confidence. Fear of failure or far-reaching shyness can often be traced back to social anxiety disorder. If you are avoiding places or situations and this is interfering with your ability to function normally in daily life, you may be suffering from social anxiety disorder.