Social anxiety disorder is the intense fear of social situations. People with social anxiety disorder:
Social anxiety may be:
It is much more severe than shyness. It can interfere with work, school, or other situations. It also carries physical reactions.
The exact cause is unknown. Possible causes include:
Factors that increase your chance for social anxiety disorder include:
People with social anxiety disorder may have the following symptoms during social interactions:
Symptoms may begin in any public situation such as:
Your doctor will ask about your fears and symptoms. A physical exam may be done. You may be referred to a mental health professional. They may conduct a psychiatric evaluation.
Treatments include:
With this type of therapy, a therapist may:
A peer support group may also be helpful.
***Please note FDA Public Health Advisory for Antidepressants:
The FDA advises that people taking antidepressants should be closely observed. For some, the medications have been linked to worsening symptoms and suicidal thoughts. These adverse effects are most common in young adults. The effects tend to occur at the beginning of treatment or when there is an increase or decrease in the dose. Although the warning is for all antidepressants, of most concern are the SSRI class such as:
RESOURCES:
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
http://www.adaa.org/
Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Association
http://www.socialphobia.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Mental Health Association
http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/
Mental Health Canada
http://www.mentalhealthcanada.com/
References:
Consensus statement on social anxiety disorder from the International Consensus Group on Depression and Anxiety. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry . 1998.
National Institute of Mental Health website. Available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ . Accessed October 12, 2005.
National Mental Health Association website. Available at: http://www.nmha.org/ . Accessed October 12, 2005.
Pande AC, Feltner DE, Jefferson JW, et al. Efficacy of the novel anxiolytic pregabalin in social anxiety disorder: a placebo-controlled, multicenter study. J Clin Psychopharmacol . 2004;24:141-149.
Schneier FR: Social anxiety disorder NEJM . 2006;355:1029-1036.
Social anxiety disorder: a common, under-recognized mental disorder. Am Fam Physician . 1999.
Stein DJ, Ipser JC, van Balkom AJ. Pharmacotherapy for social anxiety disorder. Cochrane Review. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2005(3).
Van Ameringen M, Mancini C, Styan G, Donison D. Relationship of social phobia with other psychiatric illness. J Affect Disord . 1991; 21:93-99.
Last reviewed February 2009 by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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