Adults
Phobias and social anxiety
Working on excessive fear of particular objects or situations and on intense anxiety about how others will judge you.
- Specific phobias
- Social anxiety and fear of judgement
- The avoidance cycle
A phobia is an excessive fear of an object or situation, out of proportion to the real danger. In social anxiety, the fear centres on being embarrassed, judged or evaluated negatively in front of others.
How can you recognise it?
- Intense fear of certain animals, heights, enclosed spaces, flying or needles
- Changing plans to avoid these situations
- Intense anxiety in situations such as speaking in public, meeting new people or eating in front of others
- Fear of blushing, trembling, sweating or your voice changing
- Going over “what they thought of me” in your mind for a long time after social situations
What happens in therapy?
Avoidance brings relief in the short term but keeps the fear going. In therapy we draw up a step-by-step list of the feared situations together and approach them gradually, starting with the easiest. With social anxiety, we also examine your thoughts about yourself and how others see you, and work on reducing safety behaviours (such as avoiding eye contact or constantly rehearsing). If the fear began with a particular experience, EMDR can be added to the process.
When should you seek support?
If several of these signs have lasted for weeks and are affecting your work, relationships or sleep, seeing a mental health professional can be a good step.
This page was written by Zeynep Hilal Çelik and last reviewed on 27 October 2026.
