Social Anxiety Treatment for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults
In-network with major insurers.
*We do not currently accept Medicaid.
What is Social Anxiety?
Social Anxiety Disorder is intense, persistent worry in situations involving other people. It often involves worries about being judged, embarrassed, or rejected, and can lead to avoiding these situations or experiencing them with significant distress.
Social anxiety disorder affects roughly 3 to 4% of adolescents and 7% of adults, making it one of the most common anxiety disorders. It often begins in late childhood or early adolescence, with symptoms appearing between ages 8 and 15. Millions of kids, teens, and young adults in the U.S. live with it.
Recognizing Social Anxiety
The Cycle Behind Social Anxiety and How to Break It
Where it comes from
Social anxiety develops from a combination of a sensitive temperament, a genetic predisposition to anxiety, and experiences like criticism, bullying, or embarrassing moments that shape how a young person thinks about being seen by others.
What keeps it going
Social anxiety often follows a cycle that can be hard to break. When a social situation comes up, like speaking in class or meeting someone new, it can trigger fear of being judged, embarrassed, or rejected. To feel better, a young person might avoid the situation, stay quiet, or rely on others to speak for them. These strategies can bring relief in the moment, but over time, they can reinforce the idea that social situations are dangerous, keeping the anxiety going.
What treatment changes
Treatment helps young people gradually face social situations instead of avoiding them. With support, they practice doing things that have felt hard, like going to a social event, speaking in class, or starting a conversation. Over time, they build evidence that what they’re worried about is less likely than it feels, and that they can handle the discomfort.
How is Social Anxiety Treated?
Social anxiety responds well to structured, exposure-based treatment. InStride uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a strong emphasis on exposure therapy, delivered by a dedicated care team that practices alongside the young person in the actual situations they've been avoiding.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT helps young people understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected and teaches them more effective ways to respond. For social anxiety, that means learning to recognize the cycle of fear and avoidance, understanding how each avoided situation reinforces the fear of being judged, and building new ways to respond when social situations come up.
Exposure and response prevention (ERP)
A core component of CBT, exposure therapy, helps young people gradually face social situations instead of avoiding them. Young people learn that anxiety and uncertainty are uncomfortable but tolerable, and they can show up in social situations without relying on avoidance or safety behaviors. A college student who eats lunch in their dorm to avoid the dining hall practices going with a friend. Over time, they build real evidence that their worries don’t happen as often as they expect, and that they can handle the discomfort without avoiding it.
How Families and Schools Can Support Progress
Parents and caregivers
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School coordination
Lasting Change for Young People with Social Anxiety
Hear from young people and families who came to InStride when social anxiety was running daily life, and built the skills to take it back.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Many people feel shy in social situations. Social Anxiety Disorder involves a more persistent fear of being judged or embarrassed that begins to affect daily life. This may look like avoiding social situations, spending a lot of time worrying before or after them, or experiencing significant distress when they can’t be avoided. If it’s starting to impact school, friendships, or work, it may be more than shyness. Our team evaluates every applicant and helps sort through what’s going on.
No. Exposure therapy is gradual and collaborative. Treatment starts with situations that feel manageable and builds step by step. The care team works with each young person to find a pace that feels challenging but doable.
Yes. Many young people we treat have lived with social anxiety without anyone identifying it. Even if these fears have been around for a long time, treatment can still help. CBT with exposure therapy is designed to help people with social anxiety gradually face social situations and get back to the things that matter to them.
Yes. Social anxiety frequently co-occurs with generalized anxiety, depression, OCD, or selective mutism. When social anxiety is a concern, our program is designed to support that while also helping with any other anxiety symptoms.
No. You don't need to have it figured out before reaching out. Our team evaluates every applicant and determines whether InStride is the right fit.
Most young people are in the program for four to eight months. For social anxiety, many notice the avoidance start to ease within the first couple of months as exposure practice builds confidence in the situations that used to feel out of reach.
