Public speaking, test taking, eating in a restaurant, writing in public, and dating: What do all of these have in common? They are all situations in which social fears occur. The book, Dying of Embarrassment by Barbara G. Markway, Cheryl N. Carmin, C. Alec Pollard, and Teresa Flynn details a proven program for overcoming social phobia and social anxiety. This self-help book provides the reader with questionnaires, coping skills, powerful cognitive behavioral techniques, real-life examples, and most importantly it provides clear guidelines to help someone decide whether or not they need to seek professional assistance. All of these mechanisms are designed to help someone conquer their social fears by themselves and in return make him/her a stronger person.
             In order to decide whether or not you have a social phobia the term social phobia must be defined. As stated by the book, "it is a disorder characterized by a persistent fear of criticism or rejection by others" (3). Individuals with this disorder fear that they will behave in a way that will result in humiliation. My personal experience with social phobia is just that. Everyone is afraid in some point in time that he/she will fail to do something right, resulting in an embarrassing moment. Even though you may not recall a time immediately, I am sure that everyone has had this experience. Every time I do a speech these thoughts, along with many others, run through my mind. However, it is normal and I am not alone. Millions of Americans suffer from social phobia and don't even realize it.
             The symptoms social phobias are pretty obvious and I am sure that the majority of individuals have experienced. Everyone should be quite aware of the bodily changes that occur during an embarrassing or humiliating moment. When I step up to the podium just before I start a presentation my heart rate increases and my palms get sweaty. These are just two of the many symptoms of soc...