Facing social anxiety(社交恐惧症)
Do you have any experiences like these? When the teacher asks if someone could speak in
front of the class, you low your head. When you go to the restroom or dining hall, you always try to find someone to go with you because you are afraid of being seen alone.
Well, many people have these kinds of experiences. They are feeling social anxiety, or worrying about things like talking, going to a party or being the center of attention. A recent survey from China Youth Daily showed that about 45 percent of the 1,544 interviewees(受访者)said they experienced social anxiety.
Stefan G. Hofmann, an expert from Boston University, the US said that social anxiety is probably “a result of the fear that we will not be welcome”. For Chinese kids, there's another reason for their anxiety. Shu Man from East China Jiaotong University said, “Most of them are the only child in their families, so they don't have many chances to practice their social skills.”
“However, you don't have to worry too much about social anxiety. You only need to get help from a doctor if you can't live a normal life,” said Li Songwei from Tsinghua University. Shu Man advised that you should go to public places more often and try thinking about something happy when you are really nervous.