Phenomenological Analysis of Social Anxiety: Self-deception and Shame

Social anxiety arises within interpersonal interactions and involves the fundamental issue of human existence. The being-for-itself of man entails man's absolute freedom. However, when the other—who, like oneself, possesses transcendence—regards at me, my being-for-itself existence is reduced to being-in-itself, thereby simultaneously negating and affirming my freedom. During the process of socialization, the regard of others transforms into a fantastical self-regard. Shame, as an emotion that can only be directed at oneself, involves self-boundaries and negative evaluations. Social anxiety is the concern about the possibility of shame triggering. Self-deception not only maintains self-boundaries concealing the need of regard, affirming one's absolute freedom, but also fulfills one's fantasies about regard. Self-deception is both a way of coping with shame and a means of reproducing shame.