This prevents you from carrying out even the simplest of everyday tasks such as making small talk and eating in public. You also find it hard to socialize and communicate, for example, you find it too hard to speak publicly.

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There's nothing wrong with feeling nervous in social situations that involve you coming under the attention of familiar people or strangers, such as a work presentation. You may experience this nervousness and anxiety both during the event and in the lead-up to it. 

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However, if you have a social anxiety disorder (or social phobia), you will face intense anxiety when you have to deal with certain social situations and performance situations.  You will have experience an overwhelming fear of being criticized, judged, laughed at or humiliated in front of people. This applies to even the most mundane everyday tasks, such as eating in a public place.

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Your social anxiety may even be specific, in which you fear a certain situation or some situations that are associated with a certain fear.