The Anxiety Loop: How Cortisol Steals Your Social Confidence

The persistent presence of these hormones in the bloodstream can create a vicious, self-reinforcing cycle that is difficult to break. When an individual feels stressed in a social setting, cortisol is released, increasing anxiety; this anxiety, in turn, causes the brain to perceive more danger and signal the release of even more hormones. The result of this process is the onset of panic attacks or an intense urge to flee the environment, eventually leading to social isolation and an intensification of the individual's sense of shame.