scopophobia

thumb | right | Pierre Janet, the man who coined the term "scopophobia" Scopophobia, scoptophobia, or ophthalmophobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by an excessive fear of being stared at in public or stared at by others. Scopophobia is also commonly associated with schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Often, scopophobia will result in symptoms common with other anxiety disorders.

==Signs and symptoms== Individuals with scopophobia generally exhibit symptoms in social situations when attention is brought upon them, such as in public speaking. Many of the situations which trigger social anxiety also apply to scopophobia, such as: being introduced to new people, being teased and/or criticized, or even answering a phone call in public.