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Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern.

Friday Fix: Episode 160

Whether you carried on a whole conversation with spinach in your teeth or you slipped and fell in front of a whole room full of people, embarrassing moments are inevitable.

Although embarrassment feels uncomfortable, it won’t kill you. But, the fear of embarrassment might actually be deadly. 

Embarrassment is a complex emotion that involves feeling as if you are losing your place in the social hierarchy. It can cause you to cringe and lead to physical symptoms, like blushing and sweating.

Some people fear embarrassment more than others—and it’s likely that they feel embarrassment at a deeper level. 

Fortunately, there’s help for people who fear being judged or who fear that they’ll experience embarrassment. It’s an issue we frequently address in the therapy office. 

The fear of being embarrassed can lead to social anxiety. And in some cases, the fear of embarrassment can lead to some unhealthy choices.

Rather than avoid embarrassing moments, there’s something really powerful about learning to cope with embarrassing feelings. You might even get to a place where you can empower yourself by sharing your embarrassing stories with others.

On today’s episode, I share real-life ways the fear of embarrassment sometimes kills people. And I talk about the steps you can take to conquer your fear.

More About the Podcast

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Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too.

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Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you.

For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here.

Download the Transcript

Links and Resources

  • Follow Amy Morin on Instagram

  • Check out Amy’s books on mental strength

  • The Spotlight Effect and Social Anxiety

  • How to Unwind Your Anxiety With Neuroscientist Dr. Jud Brewer

  • Friday Fix: How to Be Mentally Strong When You’re Experiencing Uncomfortable Emotions

  • How to Harness the Power of Anxiety With Neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki