Social Anxiety Disorder

What is social anxiety disorder?

Having fear in certain social situations, particularly during novel or important events is a normal part of life. For example, it is not uncommon for people to feel nervous during an exam (e.g. a final, GRE, LSAT), attending a wedding, going on a job interview or going on a first date. In fact, a modest level of anxiety may be optimal for performance. People with social anxiety disorder (also known as social phobia) experience more than the normal range of anxiety in social situations. Anxiety can be limited to just one type of situation (e.g. performance anxiety) or experienced in many different social settings.

People with social anxiety disorder are concerned about what others think of them in social or performance situations. 

They worry that they will act or behave in a way that will be embarrassing or humiliating. Many are also concerned that others will notice their physical symptoms of anxiety, such as blushing, trembling, sweating, and as a result, will be embarrassed or fear that they look like an "idiot" in front of people. 



People often go to great lengths to avoid anxiety provoking situations. They may feel uncomfortable or even experience panic attacks in anticipation of or during the social situation. They often feel embarrassed about their excessive anxiety, and see that other people  are not as afraid of these situations. 

Social anxiety disorder can interfere with life in many ways, including limiting a person's social network, preventing the person from finishing school or doing well at work.

Fear and avoidance usually results in many lost opportunities, such as meeting a potential life partner, making new friends, or getting a job promotion.

Commonly feared social situations include those that involve interaction with others, such as causal conversations, meeting new people, dating, talking on the phone, or attending social gatherings.  

In work settings, people with social anxiety disorder may have trouble asserting themselves, making a request at work, interacting with co-workers, speaking with their supervisors, or giving presentations at meetings.
People with social anxiety do not like being in the center of attention. They may have difficulty with performance anxiety, public speaking, or avoid speaking up in any group gatherings.  

People with social anxiety may have difficulty being observed by others doing an activity, such as eating/drinking, writing or working in front of others. In extreme cases, the person may avoid going out or avoid being in public. 

Social anxiety disorder can be effectively treated with cognitive behavioral therapy and medication. 

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in 
the United States, affecting approximately 12% of the population. 

It is a chronic condition that typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood. 

Many people do not come for treatment, and people seeking treatment have lived with the problem for 10 or more years. 

Left untreated, social anxiety disorder can be a risk factor for other anxiety disorders, depression and alcohol use problems. 
There are very effective treatments for social anxiety disorder, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or medication. 

CBT is a well-studied, empirically supported, and a validated form of psychotherapy for social anxiety disorder. 

You should discuss with your doctor which type of treatment is appropriate for you.
Learn more about CBT
References

Schneier, FR (2006) Social Anxiety Disorder. The New England Journal of Medicine. 355 (10): 1029-1036.
Kessler RC, P Berglund, O Demler, R Jin, KR Merikangas, EE Walters. (2005) Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions for DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry. 62: 593-602.
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