Some of the most common phobias among people are Social Phobia, Agoraphobia (phobia of open spaces), Arachnophobia (fear of spiders), and Acrophobia (fear of heights).  Harvard explains a phobia as “persistent, excessive, unrealistic fear of an object, person, animal, activity or situation.” Phobias are considered a type of anxiety disorder. They are not usually diagnosed or serious enough to get treatment for but sometimes therapy might be helpful to help one get rid of their fear if it affects their daily life. Daily life can be affected if a phobia prevents one from doing specific things like being in elevators, going in tall buildings, walking outside in populous places, etc. Social phobia is one of the complex phobias, it is sometimes ignored or just seen as shy, but it could affect a person greatly to the point where they need to seek professional help regarding their phobia. 
      Some people are shy and get anxious when they are in front of many people, and that isn’t necessarily a phobia, but sometimes those symptoms can be linked to social phobia or agoraphobia. Agoraphobia may be mistaken for fear of open spaces, but it is the fear of situations where you can’t escape, like being in a huge crowd, enclosed spaces, performing in front of many people, etc. Symptoms of social phobia are blushing, shaking voice, sweating, faster heartbeat, nausea, and more when one is facing those types of situations. Children show signs of social phobia by “crying, having temper tantrums, clinging to parents or refusing to speak in social situations.” Mayo Clinic states that this type of phobia usually develops in the mid-teen years but that doesn’t mean it can’t be developed before or after that. It can also be inherited, but specialists aren’t sure if that is genetics or learned behavior from when the person was younger. It could happen because of an overreactive amygdala which is the part of the brain that controls reaction to fears or it could be the effect of a traumatic experience. This type of phobia could be a cause of poor social skills, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, avoidance of social gatherings or doing simple things like eating in front of others, and other similar situations  
      Data from NIH shows that overall about 7.1% of adults in the U.S. experienced social anxiety in the years 2001-2003. It was more common in women by a difference of about 2% and the most common age was 18-29. In the same article, another chart shows that 29.9% of people with social anxiety experience it at a serious rate. In that case, therapy is helpful. Psychologist Dena Rabinowitz explains that she has worked with people that have had different types of phobias. One of those phobias has been social phobia, she has worked with those people to get them to try what they fear. She says, “Most people can be cured of their phobia in a few sessions.” 
      Phobias aren’t something rare or unknown in our society, and they aren’t all so serious. One of the phobias that can have serious effects on a person and their daily life, however, is Social Phobia. Social phobias are common around people, and although they might not always be at a concerning stage, it is a fear that easily interferes with one’s daily life. Things can be done for one to get past their fear, like reaching out for help. Doing that is important because it can help one experience more in life, not have to avoid everyday things, boost self-esteem, improve social skills, and more. Phobias shouldn’t have to interfere with everyday life, as it can get tiring and unhealthy.