The majority of people will get butterflies in their stomach before making a big presentation at work. They may also become jittery at the thought of meeting new people at a social get-to-gether.

This is perfectly normal; the feelings typically subside once the person is in the actual situation. Once you meet the first person at the party everything seems easier.

Once you get up and start your presentation you are more at ease the longer you talk. There are people though that experience more than just the jitters in these situations; these people suffer from a social phobia called social anxiety.

Social anxiety is basically an overwhelming fear of embarrassing one’s self in front of others or being humiliated during a social gathering.

The fear becomes so overwhelming that the person may avoid social gatherings all together. Social anxiety also seems to run in families and may be a partner to alcoholism or depression.

A person will first experience social anxiety symptoms when they are young. Often this behavior is seen as shyness. It is important to understand that social anxiety and shyness are not the same beast.

People that are shy can still feel comfortable being in social situations, though they may uneasy. People dealing with social anxiety may not be shy at all. As a matter of fact, they may be the life of the party amongst people they feel close to.

The main social anxiety symptoms is extreme emotional distress, there are many other symptoms as well. People with social anxiety often exaggerate small mistakes, making them bigger then what they actually are. Stumbling over words in a business presentation may be seen as the end of their career.

Blushing, for example, may be a painful experience for a person with social anxiety. They will feel as though all eyes are on them. There is a fear of being around other people except for close family members or friends. Unfortunately, social anxiety makes it difficult for a person to truly enjoy life.

It can interfere with social relationships and even careers. For some the fear of being involved in a social event can impact them so severely that they are unable to function normally for weeks prior to the event.

Perhaps the worst part is that people with social anxiety symptoms know that the feelings they have are irrational, they simply don’t know how to overcome them.

Many have thought about or have talked to their medical care professional about possible remedies such as prescription medications. The downside of prescriptions is that each medication comes with its own set of side effects. The end result could be worse than the social anxiety symptoms they experience anyway.

This has led many to look for more natural methods of coping with their social anxiety symptoms. The good news is that there are natural remedies available and they are effective. Some have been seen as being as effective as traditional medicine without the dreaded side effects.