On this page
Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. A doctor can assess social anxiety by video, refer you for CBT and prescribe an SSRI when it is right.
- What it is: a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations and of being judged, which is more than shyness and gets in the way of daily life.
- When it starts: usually between the ages of 11 and 15. For many people it does not go away without treatment, but treatment works at any age.
- Treatment: cognitive behavioural therapy is considered the best treatment; an SSRI such as escitalopram or sertraline can help, alone or with therapy.
- Emergency: call 112 or go to an emergency department if you might act on thoughts of ending your life, or have harmed yourself.
Do not book a video appointment if you are thinking about ending your life and might act on it, or have harmed yourself. Call 112 or go to an emergency department. For a first episode of chest pain or a racing, irregular heartbeat, get emergency care before assuming it is anxiety.
Can an online doctor treat social anxiety?
Yes. Social anxiety is recognised from what you describe, and many people find it easier to talk about it from home. A doctor by video can assess it, check for depression or panic attacks alongside it, refer you for cognitive behavioural therapy or guided self-help, and prescribe an SSRI after a full assessment. Benzodiazepines are never prescribed online, and severe or complex social anxiety may need a specialist service.
How an online consultation helps with social anxiety
- Shyness or social anxiety?: Whether the fear and avoidance have become a condition that needs treatment.
- The therapy that works: A referral for CBT, or guided self-help with a therapist’s support.
- Medicine when it helps: An SSRI such as escitalopram or sertraline, with reviews, when therapy alone is not enough.
- A plan for the situations you avoid: Breaking hard situations into smaller steps you can manage.
What the doctor checks in an online social anxiety consultation
The doctor asks about safety first, then about the situations and how they affect you. The doctor asks about:
- Safety: low mood, thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
- The situations: which ones you fear or avoid, such as meeting new people, phone calls, eating with others or speaking up at work.
- What happens in your body: blushing, sweating, trembling, a racing heart or panic attacks.
- How long and how much: when it started, and what it stops you doing at work, in studies and in relationships.
- Alcohol and drugs: whether you drink to get through social events.
- Your health: asthma, heart problems and the medicines you take, which matter for some treatments.
You can keep the call short and simple: ‘I avoid people because I am afraid of being judged’ is enough to start.
What are the symptoms of social anxiety?
Social anxiety causes intense worry before, during and after social situations, a fear of being judged or embarrassed, and avoidance. The symptoms affect your thoughts, what you do and your body:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Area | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Thoughts | Worrying about doing something embarrassing, such as blushing, sweating or seeming incompetent; feeling judged; fearing criticism; low self-esteem |
| Behaviour | Avoiding or dreading group conversations, eating with others and parties; finding it hard to do things while being watched; avoiding eye contact |
| Body | Blushing, sweating, trembling, a racing heart, fast breathing, feeling sick, a dry throat, feeling faint |
| Panic | Panic attacks: an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety, usually for a few minutes |
Situations people often fear
- meeting strangers, and talking to people in authority
- speaking on the phone, or speaking in meetings
- public speaking and presentations
- eating or drinking with others, crowds and parties
- shopping, or using public toilets
Is it shyness or social anxiety?
Shyness and some discomfort in social situations are normal. Social anxiety is a long-term, overwhelming fear that leads to avoidance and gets in the way of work, studies, relationships or daily routines.
What causes social anxiety, and who gets it?
Social anxiety is likely to come from a mix of inherited and environmental factors. These make it more likely:
- Family: anxiety disorders tend to run in families.
- Experiences: teasing, bullying, rejection or humiliation in childhood, family conflict, trauma or abuse.
- Temperament: being shy, timid or withdrawn as a child.
- Learning: an embarrassing social experience, or growing up with very anxious or overprotective parents.
- New demands: meeting new people or giving a presentation can bring on symptoms for the first time.
- Something that draws attention: a stammer, a tremor or a visible difference.
It is common. Anxiety disorders, social anxiety among them, are the world’s most common mental disorders, affecting 470 million people in 2023, yet only about 1 in 4 people who need treatment receive any. In Australian data, about 3% of people have social anxiety in any one year, and up to 13% at some point in their lives. It usually starts between the ages of 11 and 15, and men and women are equally affected.
Social anxiety or something else?
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Condition | How it differs | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Panic attacks | Attacks can come out of the blue, not only in social situations | Panic attacks |
| Agoraphobia | Fear of places that are hard to leave, rather than of being judged | Agoraphobia |
| Depression | Low mood and loss of interest; often comes with social anxiety | Depression |
| Body dysmorphic disorder | Fear centred on one part of your appearance | Body dysmorphic disorder |
| Generalised anxiety | Worry about many everyday things, not only social ones | Anxiety |
How do you overcome social anxiety?
Cognitive behavioural therapy is generally considered the best treatment. It helps you spot the thoughts and behaviours that keep the anxiety going and change them, one to one or in a group. For many people social anxiety does not go away without treatment, so it is worth starting.
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Treatment | What it involves | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) | Changing the thoughts and behaviours that keep the fear going, often by gradually facing feared situations | Considered the best treatment |
| Guided self-help | A CBT workbook or online course, with regular support from a therapist | A useful first step |
| SSRI antidepressants | Escitalopram or sertraline | Can help alone or with CBT, especially with depression |
| Beta-blockers | Ease physical symptoms such as trembling and a racing heart in some situations | Short-term only; not suitable for everyone, for example with asthma or low blood pressure |
Self-help that works
- Keep a diary of your thoughts and behaviour in social situations.
- Practise relaxation, such as slow breathing, when you are calm, so it is there when you need it.
- Break challenging situations into smaller parts, and take them one at a time.
- Focus on what people are saying, rather than on how you come across or on assuming the worst.
Which social anxiety treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment depends on how much the anxiety limits your life and what you prefer. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety in some social situations, still managing | Guided self-help, and a review | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Avoiding situations that matter for work, studies or relationships | Referral for CBT | Yes | For the therapy sessions, in person or by video |
| Social anxiety with low mood, or therapy alone has not helped | An SSRI with reviews, alongside CBT | Yes | If there is little improvement |
| Trembling and a racing heart before one key event | Assessment for a beta-blocker, if it is safe for you | Yes | Not usually needed |
| Drinking to get through social events | An honest plan, and support to cut down | Yes | If drinking is heavy |
| Thoughts of ending your life that you might act on | Emergency help | No | Call 112 now |
Avoiding people because of fear? A doctor can tell you in one consultation which treatment fits.
See available times →Treatment options for social anxiety
What you can do yourself
- Use the self-help steps above, and start with the easiest situations.
- Keep caffeine and alcohol low, and stay active.
- Ask about talking therapy services or an online CBT course near you.
- Tell one person you trust what you are working on.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation. After a full assessment, the doctor may prescribe an SSRI such as escitalopram or sertraline, with reviews booked while it starts to work. For physical symptoms before a particular situation, the doctor may consider a beta-blocker if it is safe for you. Benzodiazepines are controlled medicines and are never prescribed online. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
What does not help
Using alcohol to cope with social events, which can turn into a second problem. Avoiding every situation you fear, which keeps your world small. Waiting for it to pass: for many people it does not go away without treatment.
Special situations
At work or in studies
Presentations, meetings and phone calls are common triggers. Treatment aims at what matters to you, so tell the doctor which situations cost you most.
Pregnancy
Tell the doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, because it changes which medicines are suitable.
While travelling in Europe
New places, languages and crowds can make social anxiety harder. Plan the parts you find hardest, and if you take an SSRI, pack enough for the trip.
Children
Mobi Doctor consultations are for adults aged 18 and over. A child who is unwell needs a paediatrician or a local doctor in person, and emergency signs in a child mean 112.
When social anxiety is treated online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: assessment of social anxiety, referral for CBT or guided self-help, SSRI treatment with reviews, and care for the low mood or panic attacks that come with it.
In-person care: therapy sessions where you prefer them in person, specialist services for severe or complex social anxiety, supervised help with heavy drinking, and any emergency.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 or go to an emergency department now for:
- thoughts of ending your life that you might act on
- having harmed yourself, or taken an overdose
- a first episode of chest pain, or a racing, irregular heartbeat with fainting
Get medical advice the same day for:
- thoughts of death or self-harm without a plan to act on them
- panic attacks that keep coming and stop you leaving home
- drinking heavily every day to cope
You can also find a free, confidential crisis helpline in your country at findahelpline.com.
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CEST. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about the situations you fear: say which ones you avoid and what they stop you doing, and list your medicines.
- Leave with a plan: what to do, what to take and for how long, and which signs mean you should be seen in person. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Not sure it’s social anxiety? Tick every symptom you have to see each condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Anxiety can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about social anxiety
What is social anxiety?
Social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, is a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations and of being judged. It is more than shyness, and it affects confidence, relationships, work and studies.
Do I have social anxiety?
If you worry a lot about everyday social situations, fear embarrassing yourself, avoid people or situations because of it, and it gets in the way of your life, you may have social anxiety. A doctor can assess it with you; an online quiz cannot diagnose it.
What causes social anxiety?
Usually a mix of things: anxiety running in the family, teasing, bullying or humiliation in childhood, a shy temperament, an embarrassing experience, or new demands such as presentations.
How do you overcome social anxiety?
Cognitive behavioural therapy is considered the best treatment for social anxiety. Self-help helps too: keep a diary, practise relaxation, break hard situations into smaller steps, and focus on what people say rather than assuming the worst.
Can social anxiety be cured?
Many people improve a great deal with treatment for social anxiety, and some reach a point where it no longer limits their life, which is as close to a cure as it gets; others keep a tendency to feel nervous in some situations but have the tools to handle it. Without treatment, social anxiety often does not go away, so getting help early is worth it.
How long does social anxiety last?
Without treatment, social anxiety is usually long-term: it starts in the early teens and, for many people, continues for years or decades. With cognitive behavioural therapy, most people improve over a few months of weekly sessions and keep the gains, and an SSRI typically helps within a few weeks and is continued for at least 6 months. Getting treatment early shortens the whole course and lowers the risk of the depression and alcohol problems that often follow untreated social anxiety.
Can social anxiety be prevented?
There is no sure way, because social anxiety comes from a mix of temperament, genes and experiences, but early steps reduce the chance it takes hold: a shy teenager who is gently encouraged into social situations rather than allowed to avoid them is less likely to develop the full disorder; and once nervousness in social settings starts to cause avoidance, learning CBT skills early stops the avoidance becoming the habit that keeps social anxiety going.
Can sertraline help social anxiety?
Yes. SSRIs such as sertraline or escitalopram are used for social anxiety, alone or with CBT, after a full assessment and with reviews; they usually take several weeks to work, are continued for at least 6 months once they help, and are reduced slowly rather than stopped suddenly. They are not addictive, and a doctor can prescribe them after a video consultation.
Can beta-blockers help social anxiety?
Beta-blockers can ease the physical symptoms of social anxiety, such as trembling and a racing heart before some situations, in the short term. They do not treat the fear itself and are not suitable for everyone, for example people with asthma.
How do I stop overthinking with social anxiety?
Focus on what people are saying rather than assuming the worst, keep a diary of your thoughts in social situations to spot patterns, and practise relaxation. CBT helps you change the thoughts that keep the worry going.
What can I do myself about social anxiety?
Work through a CBT-based self-help guide for social anxiety; keep a diary of what you fear will happen and what actually happens, because the gap shrinks the fear; drop the safety behaviours, such as rehearsing every sentence, avoiding eye contact or drinking before you go out, which keep social anxiety going; practise slow breathing and relaxation; and build a ladder of feared situations, starting with the easiest and repeating each step until it feels ordinary.
Is social anxiety the same as shyness?
No. Shyness is common and normal, and shy people can still do the things they want to do, even if they feel awkward. Social anxiety is an overwhelming fear of being judged that leads to avoiding situations, or enduring them with intense distress, and gets in the way of work, study or relationships; it usually starts between the ages of 11 and 15 and tends not to go away without treatment.
Can an online doctor prescribe medicine for social anxiety?
Yes, when it is right for you. After a full video assessment of your social anxiety, the doctor may prescribe an SSRI, or consider a beta-blocker for physical symptoms. Benzodiazepines are never prescribed online.
- Social anxiety (social phobia), NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 17 May 2023.
- Social phobia, Better Health Channel, Victoria State Government (Australia), reviewed November 2022.
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia): symptoms and causes, Mayo Clinic (US), updated 19 June 2021.
- Anxiety disorders: fact sheet, WHO, World Health Organization, 15 September 2026.
- Who can and cannot take propranolol, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 6 January 2026.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
Related conditions
Related reading from the Mobi Doctor blog
Speak to a doctor about social anxiety over video, usually within 15 minutes
Licensed doctors · open daily 7am–11pm CEST · exact price before payment
See available times →