US Medical Term · mental-health
Social Anxiety Disorder
Trastorno de ansiedad social
What it means
Social anxiety disorder is a common type of anxiety disorder in which a person feels symptoms of anxiety or fear in situations where they may be scrutinized, evaluated, or judged by others. MedlinePlus describes it as a persistent and irrational fear of situations that may involve scrutiny or judgment, such as parties and other social events. It usually starts during childhood or adolescence and may resemble extreme shyness, but it is different from shyness: shy people are able to participate in social functions, while social anxiety disorder affects the ability to function in work and relationships. Physical symptoms that often occur include blushing, difficulty talking, nausea, profuse sweating, and trembling. It is also called social phobia.
Social Anxiety Disorder in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Trastorno de ansiedad social
- Gender and article
- masculine: el trastorno de ansiedad social
- Pronunciation
- trahs-TOR-noh deh ahn-syeh-DAHD soh-SYAHL
| Other Spanish terms | Where it is used | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fobia social | General | Title of the MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia article on this condition, which uses it alongside trastorno de ansiedad social. |
| TAS | General | Abbreviation of trastorno de ansiedad social, listed among the alternative names in MedlinePlus en español. |
| ansiedad social | General | Short form the National Institute of Mental Health uses in Spanish for the condition ("personas con ansiedad social"). |
Trastorno de ansiedad social is the name used by the National Institute of Mental Health in Spanish, and the head noun trastorno makes the phrase masculine: el trastorno de ansiedad social. The MedlinePlus en español encyclopedia titles its article Fobia social and uses both names in the same text. Its list of alternative names also gives the abbreviation TAS.
The word to keep apart is timidez (shyness). MedlinePlus en español states that the disorder is different from la timidez, and the NIMH Spanish page says it can look like timidez extrema. For the physical signs, MedlinePlus en español uses ruborizarse (to blush), sudoración profusa and temblores, while NIMH writes enrojecerse, sudar o temblar. Other terms that appear on the NIMH Spanish page are terapia cognitivo-conductual, terapia de exposición and grupos de apoyo (support groups).
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | I get very nervous when I have to talk to people I don't know. | Me dan muchos nervios cuando tengo que hablar con personas que no conozco. |
| Clinician | How long have you felt this fear in social situations? | ¿Desde cuándo siente este miedo en situaciones sociales? |
| Patient | For more than a year. I blush, I sweat, and my hands tremble. | Desde hace más de un año. Me ruborizo, sudo y me tiemblan las manos. |
| Clinician | Do you avoid places or events because you are afraid of being judged? | ¿Evita lugares o eventos por miedo a que lo juzguen? |
| Patient | Yes. I have missed work meetings, and I worry for weeks before a party. | Sí. He faltado a reuniones de trabajo y me preocupo durante semanas antes de una fiesta. |
| Clinician | Is this fear affecting your work, your studies, or your relationships? | ¿Este miedo está afectando su trabajo, sus estudios o sus relaciones? |
| Patient | Is this social anxiety disorder, or am I just shy? | ¿Esto es trastorno de ansiedad social o solo soy una persona tímida? |
| Patient | I would like to see a mental health professional who speaks Spanish. | Quisiera consultar a un profesional de salud mental que hable español. |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Social Anxiety Disorder |
| Spanish (Español) | Trastorno de ansiedad social |
| Chinese (中文) | 社交焦慮症 |
| Korean (한국어) | 사회 불안 장애 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Rối loạn lo âu xã hội |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Social anxiety disorder |
| Portuguese (Português) | Transtorno de ansiedade social |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | โรควิตกกังวลทางสังคม |
| Japanese (日本語) | 社交不安障害 |
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
ICD-10-CM code: F40 → Phobic anxiety disordersRelated terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Mental health
All terms in this area: Mental health — Salud mental
Sources
- Social Anxiety Disorder: What You Need to Know — National Institute of Mental Health (NIH)
- El trastorno de ansiedad social: Lo que usted debe saber — Instituto Nacional de la Salud Mental (NIH)
- Social anxiety disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Fobia social (Enciclopedia médica) — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 7, 2026