The Anxiety Loop: How Cortisol Steals Your Social Confidence

Stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, are the primary actors in the theater of social anxiety, preparing the body for the "fight or flight" response. In situations where a person feels a loss of control or perceives they are being judged by a group, these hormones are rapidly released, putting the body on high alert. Although this mechanism was designed for human survival against physical threats, in modern social environments, its over-secretion causes symptoms like voice tremors, facial flushing, and heart palpitations, which are directly linked to the sensation of embarrassment.