Social anxiety disorder is a very serious mental illness that affects many more people than most imagine. Due to the nature of the problem most people who do suffer find themselves unable to talk to anyone about it. A difficulty facing social circumstances, confrontation or challenges are the most common problems that are associated with social anxiety disorder but there are a number of symptoms you should be looking for. If someone you know has, or your suspect they have, social anxiety disorder then you should take them to a psychiatrist.

Anxiety causing situations may cause anxiety disorder symptoms that are similar to those of a panic attack, however the two illnesses are very different and should be treated differently to one another. Blushing, sweating, trembling, tense muscles and other physical reactions are common anxiety disorder symptoms.

An unwillingness to leave the house or even to have visitors round to their house can lead to both physical and mental symptoms. People with anxiety disorder struggle to attend school or work and some may even find it very difficult to go to shops or other places where they are likely to come into contact with other people or groups of people.

Any anxiety is much greater than you would normally expect in certain situations. Everybody is nervous or anxious about certain things but anxiety disorder symptoms are much greater.

If a person has extreme fear of social situations this is the first sign and one of the most obvious of anxiety disorder symptoms. It can be difficult to spot if the patient has become well versed at hiding the problems.