Walking into a room full of people can be a problem for people who suffer from Social Anxiety Phobia.

Commonly referred to as Social Anxiety Disorder, it is defined as a person having a fear of unfamiliar social situations. It affects three in 13 people in a lifespan, psychologist Alli Glore said.

Glore is a psychologist at NIU’s Counseling and Student Development Center. She received her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

For Glore, working with social phobia is something she has seen before and worked with to resolve.

“It is something that is treatable with various methods depending on the severity of the individual,” Glore said.

Exposure to social situations that provoke a person’s heart to beat faster than normal or shortage of breath are all social phobia symptoms.

Glore recommends some methods as treatment, including visualizing the situation one feels anxious in and group therapy. Glore strongly recommends group therapy because it helps the individual communicate with other people with the same phobia.

“Joining group therapy is one of the best ways to face anxiety and successfully master it,” Glore said.

According to www.socialanxietysupport.com, Edmund Bourne, a Ph.D., believes there is help.

“I’ve never seen a problem with anxiety that can’t be helped, no matter how severe or chronic it may have been,” Bourne said. “If you are willing to do what it takes —obtaining effective treatment along with making necessary lifestyle changes — you will see a substantial improvement. With commitment and persistence, you will regain the peace of mind and quality of life that you truly want.”

For those who suffer from the social phobia, communication or speech classes can provoke anxiety.

“We have had calls from communication teachers who want to help their students get past the fear of public speaking,” Glore said. “They have senior—year students who have put off taking a communication class because of the fear of giving speeches in class. There are techniques to get past one’s social fears.”

Organizations on campus are available to overcome this condition, such as the University Resources for Woman and Psychology Services. For more information, call the Counseling and Student Development Center at 753-1206.