Social anxiety

PROF. DR.

TINEKE OLDEHINKEL: Social anxiety is a special kind of fear of failure. It’s an extreme fear of embarrassing yourself, especially when you’re being watched and evaluated by others such as when you hold a speech at school. Teenagers with social anxiety are extremely stressed when they are in the spotlight and try to stay out of it by all means. In more extreme cases, they may avoid almost all social situations, so also talking to teachers and strangers, eating and drinking in public, and going to parties.

SPEAKER 1: If I have to give a speech at school, I think I’d probably start to blush and then to sweat and then my voice would tremble and my hands too. I’d feel so ashamed of myself, and I’d think that everyone would think that I’m stupid. And the blushing would just make me even more nervous. I wish I was as self-confident as others. PROF. DR.

TINEKE OLDEHINKEL: Young people with fear of failure often think that others are better and more self-confident than they are and don’t notice that those otters sometimes feel nervous and uncertain as well. But they do. Just watch your classmates, and you will see that you’re not the only one. Fear of failure can occur at all ages but is a particularly big problem when you are at school, because then you have regular tests and speeches. There’s no escape. If you mess up on those test because of too much stress, you perform less well then you actually can and may miss opportunities to do what you want to do. It’s, therefore, important not to let this fear control your life. But how?