Social anxiety disorder usually does not go away on its own. If you don't do anything about it, it can last several years, and it can wreak havoc on your life. The reason why it lasts so long is that people with social anxiety disorder tend to avoid social situations and other people. It is this avoidance of social situations which maintains the social anxiety, as avoidance is a maladaptive coping skill. In order to beat your social anxiety, you have to keep exposing yourself to social situations, and master relaxation techniques to help you get through them. If you don't face your fears, then your social anxiety just worsens.
