Social Gatherings

• House parties

• Birthday celebrations

• Family gatherings

• Casual meetups

• BBQs and picnics

• Dinner parties

Day-to-Day Interactions

• Small talk w

• Chatting with shop assistants

• Phone calls

• Asking for help/directions

• Group chat conversations

• Coffee catch-ups

Work/Professional

• Team lunches

• Office social events

• Networking events

• Casual workplace chat

• After-work drinks

• Team building activities

Group Dynamics

• Friend group meetups

• Group conversations

• Being part of a team

• Social clubs/groups

• Class discussions

• Committee meetings

One-on-One Situations

• First dates

• Job interviews

• Meeting new people

• Deep conversations

• Expressing disagreement

• Being assertive

Digital Interactions

• Video calls

• Group chats

• Social media engagement

• Online networking

• Virtual meetings

• Digital socialising

Fear and worry about how you come across and what other people think of you.

Body Sensations

• Racing heart

• Sweating (especially hands and face)

• Shaky voice

• Muscle tension (especially neck and shoulders)

• Blushing/feeling hot

• Butterflies in stomach

• Dry mouth

• Tight chest

• Shallow breathing

Voice/Speech Changes

• Voice trembling

• Speaking too fast

• Speaking too quietly

• Voice becoming higher pitched

• Words getting jumbled

• Mind going blank mid-sentence

• Struggling to find words

Body Language

• Fidgeting

• Difficulty maintaining eye contact

• Hands shaking

• Nervous laughter

• Rigid posture

• Crossing arms protectively

• Playing with objects/hair

Cognitive-Physical Symptoms

• Brain fog

• Difficulty concentrating on conversation

• Feeling disconnected from body

• Heightened self-awareness

• Feeling 'stuck in your head'

• Difficulty processing what others are saying

• Sensory overload in groups

Safety Behaviours

• Keeping phone in hand as a prop

• Always holding a drink

• Standing near exits

• Finding tasks to look busy

• Having a friend as a safety person

• Preparing conversation topics in advance

• Staying on the periphery of groups

Avoidance Strategies

• Leaving events early

• Making excuses not to attend

• Arriving late to miss initial socialising and small talk

• Looking at phone to avoid interaction

• Taking frequent bathroom breaks

• Sticking to "safe" people

• Declining spontaneous invitations

Performance Strategies

• Over-preparing for casual conversations

• Rehearsing potential responses

• Monitoring facial expressions

• Planning exit strategies

• Scripting social interactions

• Practicing conversations beforehand

• Always agreeing to avoid conflict

Self-Protection

• Limiting self-disclosure

• Avoiding eye contact

• Speaking less in groups

• Letting others lead conversations

• Not expressing opinions

• Staying quiet unless spoken to

• Deflecting attention to others