Definition: A marked, persistent fear of one or more social situations. Adult sufferers recognize that the fear is out of proportion to reality.
Most social phobias are limited to specific social situations. However, generalized social phobia sufferers show phobic responses to most social settings, regardless of type.
Source:American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th Ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Also Known As: Social Anxiety Disorder
