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Free online social phobia test
12 questions, 2-3 minutes and an instant result. If you like, we'll email it to you. It is for guidance only and doesn't replace a professional assessment.
Start the testWhat is social phobia and why is it important to diagnose it early?
It goes far beyond normal shyness; it's a crippling fear that significantly interferes with daily life, relationships, work and personal opportunities. People with social phobia experience intense anticipatory anxiety before social events, extreme anxiety during them, and self-critical rumination afterward.
Evaluating social phobia early is critical because this disorder tends to chronicle if left untreated, progressively limiting more areas of life. Many people with social phobia avoid educational or career opportunities, have difficulty forming close or romantic relationships, and may develop secondary depression from isolation and frustration.
A social phobia test allows you to quickly identify whether the fear or discomfort you experience in social situations is normal or if it meets the criteria for a disorder that requires professional attention. Early detection facilitates access to highly effective treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and gradual exposure, which can radically transform your quality of life and allow you to participate fully in social, work and personal opportunities. Recognizing the problem is the first step towards social freedom.
What are the most common symptoms of social phobia?
Social phobia manifests itself at multiple levels: physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral. On a physical level, the most common symptoms in social situations include intense and visible facial flushing, excessive sweating especially in the hands and face, trembling of the hands or trembling voice, palpitations or tachycardia, extreme muscle tension, nausea or stomach discomfort, dizziness or feeling of unreality, dry mouth, and difficulty speaking. These physical symptoms are especially distressing because they are visible to others, creating a vicious cycle where the fear of showing anxiety increases anxiety itself.
Many people describe feeling "under a microscope" all the time.
If you experience these symptoms persistently in multiple social situations for more than six months, it is important to seek professional evaluation.
Take the social phobia test now.
Think about the last few months. How often do the following happen to you?
This result is for guidance only and is not a diagnosis. If you'd like to better understand what's going on and know what to do, book a first appointment with our team: in person in Valencia or online from anywhere in Spain, with no waiting lists.
What does the social phobia test measure?
This is a 12-question test, designed by our team, about fear of being judged, anxiety in social situations, avoidance, and how much it limits you in your life. Score from 0 to 48 and guide on the intensity of your social anxiety.
It is a guidance tool: it does not replace the assessment of a professional nor is it a diagnosis.
How to interpret the results?
Minimal or normal social anxiety
Your level of nervousness in social situations is within the normal range. Although you may feel occasional discomfort when being evaluated or exposed socially (something almost everyone experiences), it doesn't significantly interfere with your life. Recommendation: keep taking part in social activities regularly, as gradual exposure builds social confidence.
Mild social anxiety
You feel high levels of anxiety in some social situations that occasionally interfere with your wellbeing or participation. Although you can function socially, it takes significant effort and you may avoid some situations. Recommendation: working on coping strategies can prevent social anxiety from increasing. Consider gradual exposure techniques and cognitive restructuring exercises; seeing a psychologist specialising in anxiety can help you build more confidence and comfort in social settings.
Moderate social anxiety
Your social anxiety is significant and is noticeably interfering with your personal, academic, work or social life. You often avoid social situations, feel considerable anticipatory anxiety and have probably missed opportunities because of fear. Recommendation: it is important to seek professional help. A specialist psychologist can help you overcome these fears and regain your social freedom.
Severe social anxiety or social phobia
Your level of social anxiety is very high and is seriously affecting many areas of your life. You probably avoid most social situations, experience significant isolation, and social anxiety is seriously affecting your personal, professional and relational development. Recommendation: we strongly recommend seeking specialist professional help urgently. Severe social phobia can be treated very effectively with CBT, exposure and, in some cases, medication. You don't have to live like this; with the right treatment you can experience life-changing improvements.
More about this service: An anxiety psychologist at the Vivaldi Clinic.
Psychologists specialising in social phobia · Vivaldi Clinic
We are a team of health psychologists in Valencia that also serves online throughout Spain. We specialize in diagnostic evaluation and neurodivergence, trauma, childhood and youth, anxiety and depression, and we work with psychiatrists and nutritionists to make your care comprehensive.
First visit in person or online, no waiting lists. If you don't know where to start, we'll walk you through the whole process.
Frequently asked questions about the social phobia test
How long do I need to take a social phobia test?
Very little: 12 questions, answered in 2-3 minutes. When you're done, you'll see your result on the screen and, if you want, we'll send it to your email.
What to do after getting the results of the social phobia test?
The test results include specific recommendations based on your level of social anxiety. In the case of mild social anxiety, it is beneficial to work proactively on gradually exposing yourself to situations that make you nervous, practicing relaxation techniques, and considering preventive professional support. If your results show moderate to severe social anxiety, we strongly recommend that you seek professional help. Treatment includes identifying distorted thoughts ("everyone is judging me"), questioning them with evidence, and systematic and gradual exposure to social situations starting with the least threatening ones. Many people experience significant improvements in 12-16 sessions. You can easily contact us via WhatsApp, phone or email. Social phobia is highly treatable; you don't have to keep living bound by fear.
Is the social phobia test reliable?
It's an orientation questionnaire developed by our team with the most characteristic signs of social anxiety. It is not a validated instrument or a diagnosis: a psychologist can assess whether it is shyness, social anxiety or other difficulty.
Is it normal to be afraid of social situations or does that mean I have social phobia?
Experiencing some nervousness in social situations, especially evaluation or exposure, is completely normal and universal. Most people feel a little nervous before speaking in public, meeting new people, or being the center of attention. This "normal" social anxiety is adaptive, helping us to pay attention to how others perceive us and adjust our social behavior. The key difference with social phobia is intensity, persistence and functional impact. Social phobia involves intense and disproportionate fear that persists even in routine social situations, causes significant suffering, leads to systematic avoidance of social situations, and interferes with academic, work, social, or personal functioning. While a person with normal nervousness may feel uncomfortable but participate in a social gathering, someone with social phobia might experience anticipatory panic for days, seriously consider not attending, and if they do attend, suffer extreme anxiety that prevents them from enjoying or interacting normally. If your social fears cause you to miss out on important opportunities, regularly avoid situations, or cause significant suffering, it's probably not "shyness alone" but clinical social anxiety that would benefit from treatment.
Can social phobia be cured?
Yes, social phobia is one of the most treatable anxiety disorders. Treatment is not about completely eliminating all social nervousness (which is unrealistic and unnecessary), but about reducing anxiety to manageable levels that do not interfere with your life. CBT helps you identify and question distorted thoughts ("Everyone is judging me negatively"), recognize that the physical symptoms of anxiety are not as dangerous or as visible as you think, and through gradual and systematic exposure to feared social situations, learn that your fears are exaggerated and that you can cope with these situations. In some cases, especially severe social phobia, it may be supplemented with medication (SSRIs) that facilitates the therapeutic work. The prognosis is excellent when appropriate specialist treatment is sought, especially if early intervention is taken.
How do I know if what I have is social phobia or shyness or introversion?
It is important to distinguish these three concepts which are often confused. Introverts aren't afraid of social situations; they just have different preferences. They feel comfortable socially but choose to limit the amount of interaction. Shyness is moderate social discomfort or inhibition, especially with new people or in novel situations. Social phobia, by contrast, involves intense and irrational fear of social situations from fear of judgment or humiliation, severe anticipatory anxiety, marked physical symptoms (sweating, tremors, flushing), systematic avoidance, and significant functional impairment in academic, work, or personal life. An introvert might enjoy an intimate dinner with friends; someone with social phobia might experience panic in the same situation. A shy person may initially feel uncomfortable but relax; someone with social phobia maintains intense anxiety during and after the event. If your social discomfort causes you to miss out on important opportunities, regularly avoid situations, or causes significant suffering, it's probably social phobia, not just shyness or introversion.
When should I see a psychologist for social phobia?
You should consider consulting a psychologist who specializes in anxiety when fear of social situations significantly interferes with your life. Specific signs include: regularly avoiding social situations out of fear (turning down invitations, job opportunities, academic events), intense anticipatory anxiety days or weeks before social events, significant distress during social interactions that prevents you from enjoying or participating normally, progressive social isolation, developing secondary depression from loneliness and missed opportunities, dependence on alcohol or other substances to cope with social situations, limiting your professional or academic development by avoiding exposure situations such as presentations or meetings, difficulty forming or maintaining close or romantic relationships due to fear, or intense physical symptoms (panic attacks, extreme flushing, sweating) in social contexts. Social phobia generally does not improve on its own over time; in fact, it tends to become chronic and generalized if not treated. Early intervention has a better prognosis.