What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social anxiety disorder, formerly referred to as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social anxiety disorder have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work, school, or other activities. While many people with this disorder recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation. In addition, they often experience low self-esteem and depression.


Social anxiety disorder can be limited to only one type of situation such as a fear of public speaking or a person can experience symptoms whenever they are around other people. If left untreated, social phobia can have severe consequences. For example, it may keep people from work or school or prevent them from making friends.

Physical symptoms, which often accompany the intense stress of social anxiety disorder, include blushing, sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty speaking. Because these visible symptoms heighten the fear of disapproval, they themselves can become an additional focus of fear, creating a vicious cycle: As people with social anxiety disorder worry about experiencing these symptoms, the greater their chances are of developing them.

It often runs in families and may be accompanied by depression or other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some people with social anxiety disorder self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs, which can lead to addiction.

What is the Epidemiology of Social Anxiety Disorder?
The lifetime prevalence of social anxiety disorder varies with respect to gender and ethnic background. Research estimates that 12% of the U.S. population meets the criteria for social anxiety disorder with rates in other countries varying widely. Women are more likely to develop the disorder than men.

The disorder is prevalent in other populations; however, the anxiety may present itself differently. One form of the disorder, Taijin Kyofusho, is strongly culture-specific. Taijin Kyofusho is primarily found in Japan and Korea, and many of the features of the disorder reflect cultural differences that exist between American and Japanese culture. Unlike the more westernized form of social anxiety disorder, individuals with Taijin Kyofusho do not fear embarrassing themselves but rather have an irrational fear that others will be embarrassed by their own smell, facial expression (e.g. blushing), or movements. They have a persistent fear that their physical presence will be offensive or displeasing.

What is the Risk factors of Social anxiety disorder?
Several factors can increase your chances of developing social anxiety disorder, including:

Negative life experiences: Children who are teased, bullied, rejected, ridiculed, or humiliated may be more likely to develop social anxiety disorder. Family conflict, trauma, abuse, or other negative life events may also be linked to the condition.

New social or work demands: Meeting new people, giving a speech, or having to make an important presentation at work may trigger social anxiety disorder symptoms.

Having an appearance or condition that attracts attention: Facial disfigurement, stuttering, tremors due to Parkinson’s disease, and other conditions can make people feel self-conscious and may trigger social anxiety disorder.

Shy temperament: Children who are shy, timid, withdrawn, or restrained when dealing with new situations or people may have an increased risk of developing the disorder. People who have social anxiety disorder commonly say they were extremely shy as children. (However, social anxiety disorder and shyness are not the same thing.)

What Causes Social anxiety disorder?
Although it may feel like you’re the only one with this problem, social anxiety is actually quite common. Many people struggle with these fears. But the situations that trigger the symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be different.

Some people experience anxiety in most social situations. For others, anxiety is connected to specific social situations, such as speaking to strangers, mingling at parties, or performing in front of an audience. Common social anxiety triggers include:

Meeting new people
Making small talk
Public speaking
Performing on stage
Being the center of attention
Talking with “important” people or authority figures
Being watched while doing something
Going on a date
Being teased or criticized
Speaking up in a meeting
Being called on in class
Using public restrooms
Taking exams
Eating or drinking in public
Making phone calls
Attending parties or other social gatsymptom
What are the Symptoms of Social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety is more than shyness. It’s an intense fear that doesn’t go away.

It can affect your:

Everyday activities
Self-confidence
Relationships
Work or school life
Many people worry about social situations from time-to-time. Someone with social anxiety feels very worried before, during and after them.



You may have social anxiety if you:

Dread meeting strangers, starting conversations, speaking on the phone, working or shopping
Avoid or worry a lot about social activities – group conversations, eating with company, and parties
Always worry about doing something you think is embarrassing – blushing, sweating or appearing incompetent
Find it difficult to do things when others are watching
Fear criticism, avoid eye contact or have low self-esteem
Often have symptoms such as feeling sick, sweating, trembling or heart palpitations
Have panic attacks
Many people with social anxiety also have other mental health issues, such as:

Depression
Generalised anxiety disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder
What are Social anxiety disorder complications?
Left untreated, it can control your life. Anxieties can interfere with work, school, relationships or enjoyment of life. This disorder can cause:

Low self-esteem
Trouble being assertive
Negative self-talk
Hypersensitivity to criticism
Poor social skills
Isolation and difficult social relationships
Low academic and employment achievement
Substance abuse, such as drinking too much alcohol
Suicide or suicide attempts
Other anxiety disorders and certain other mental health disorders, particularly major depressive disorder and substance abuse problems, often occur with social anxiety disorder.

Diagnosis and test
Your healthcare provider will diagnose social anxiety disorder from a description of your symptoms and behavioral patterns. During your appointment, you will be asked to explain what symptoms you are having and discuss situations in which these symptoms present themselves. The diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder, as outlined in the DSM-5, includes:

Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others lasting for 6 months or more.

Fear of acting in a way that will reveal anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated by others. In children, the anxiety must occur when the child is among peers and not just adults.

The social situations almost always cause fear and anxiety.
The social situations are avoided or endured with intense fear.
The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the situation.
Differential Diagnosis
There are many conditions that share similarities with social anxiety disorder. Often, these may be diagnosed along with SAD. Differential diagnosis might include the following conditions:

Selective mutism: Selective mutism involves a failure to speak in specific social situations (e.g., at school) and is usually diagnosed in childhood. Children with this disorder will fail to speak at school but may talk with their family at home.

Childhood-onset fluency disorder (stuttering):Childhood-onset fluency disorder is listed as a neurodevelopmental disorder but can also cause anxiety about speaking in public.

Avoidant personality disorder: This disorder involves the same symptoms as social anxiety disorder but to a stronger degree, with a broader pattern of avoidance.

Panic disorder: Panic disorder involves unexpected panic attacks that appear to come out of the blue. Unlike those with SAD, people with panic disorder may suspect a medical cause for their anxiety.

Agoraphobia: Agoraphobia is diagnosed alongside panic disorder and refers to a fear of having a panic attack in a place from which it would be hard to escape. People with social anxiety disorder may also be diagnosed with panic disorder and agoraphobia, but these are separate conditions.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): Autism spectrum disorder involves impairment in social communication across a range of contexts. Children who have high-functioning autism (Level 1) may also have social anxiety.

How is Treatment and medications
What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
Social anxiety disorder, formerly referred to as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social anxiety disorder have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work, school, or other activities. While many people with this disorder recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation. In addition, they often experience low self-esteem and depression.


Social anxiety disorder can be limited to only one type of situation such as a fear of public speaking or a person can experience symptoms whenever they are around other people. If left untreated, social phobia can have severe consequences. For example, it may keep people from work or school or prevent them from making friends.

Physical symptoms, which often accompany the intense stress of social anxiety disorder, include blushing, sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty speaking. Because these visible symptoms heighten the fear of disapproval, they themselves can become an additional focus of fear, creating a vicious cycle: As people with social anxiety disorder worry about experiencing these symptoms, the greater their chances are of developing them.

It often runs in families and may be accompanied by depression or other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some people with social anxiety disorder self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs, which can lead to addiction.

What is the Epidemiology of Social Anxiety Disorder?
The lifetime prevalence of social anxiety disorder varies with respect to gender and ethnic background. Research estimates that 12% of the U.S. population meets the criteria for social anxiety disorder with rates in other countries varying widely. Women are more likely to develop the disorder than men.

The disorder is prevalent in other populations; however, the anxiety may present itself differently. One form of the disorder, Taijin Kyofusho, is strongly culture-specific. Taijin Kyofusho is primarily found in Japan and Korea, and many of the features of the disorder reflect cultural differences that exist between American and Japanese culture. Unlike the more westernized form of social anxiety disorder, individuals with Taijin Kyofusho do not fear embarrassing themselves but rather have an irrational fear that others will be embarrassed by their own smell, facial expression (e.g. blushing), or movements. They have a persistent fear that their physical presence will be offensive or displeasing.

What is the Risk factors of Social anxiety disorder?
Several factors can increase your chances of developing social anxiety disorder, including:

Negative life experiences: Children who are teased, bullied, rejected, ridiculed, or humiliated may be more likely to develop social anxiety disorder. Family conflict, trauma, abuse, or other negative life events may also be linked to the condition.

New social or work demands: Meeting new people, giving a speech, or having to make an important presentation at work may trigger social anxiety disorder symptoms.

Having an appearance or condition that attracts attention: Facial disfigurement, stuttering, tremors due to Parkinson’s disease, and other conditions can make people feel self-conscious and may trigger social anxiety disorder.

Shy temperament: Children who are shy, timid, withdrawn, or restrained when dealing with new situations or people may have an increased risk of developing the disorder. People who have social anxiety disorder commonly say they were extremely shy as children. (However, social anxiety disorder and shyness are not the same thing.)

What Causes Social anxiety disorder?
Although it may feel like you’re the only one with this problem, social anxiety is actually quite common. Many people struggle with these fears. But the situations that trigger the symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be different.

Some people experience anxiety in most social situations. For others, anxiety is connected to specific social situations, such as speaking to strangers, mingling at parties, or performing in front of an audience. Common social anxiety triggers include:

Meeting new people
Making small talk
Public speaking
Performing on stage
Being the center of attention
Talking with “important” people or authority figures
Being watched while doing something
Going on a date
Being teased or criticized
Speaking up in a meeting
Being called on in class
Using public restrooms
Taking exams
Eating or drinking in public
Making phone calls
Attending parties or other social gatsymptom
What are the Symptoms of Social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety is more than shyness. It’s an intense fear that doesn’t go away.

It can affect your:

Everyday activities
Self-confidence
Relationships
Work or school life
Many people worry about social situations from time-to-time. Someone with social anxiety feels very worried before, during and after them.



You may have social anxiety if you:

Dread meeting strangers, starting conversations, speaking on the phone, working or shopping
Avoid or worry a lot about social activities – group conversations, eating with company, and parties
Always worry about doing something you think is embarrassing – blushing, sweating or appearing incompetent
Find it difficult to do things when others are watching
Fear criticism, avoid eye contact or have low self-esteem
Often have symptoms such as feeling sick, sweating, trembling or heart palpitations
Have panic attacks
Many people with social anxiety also have other mental health issues, such as:

Depression
Generalised anxiety disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder
What are Social anxiety disorder complications?
Left untreated, it can control your life. Anxieties can interfere with work, school, relationships or enjoyment of life. This disorder can cause:

Low self-esteem
Trouble being assertive
Negative self-talk
Hypersensitivity to criticism
Poor social skills
Isolation and difficult social relationships
Low academic and employment achievement
Substance abuse, such as drinking too much alcohol
Suicide or suicide attempts
Other anxiety disorders and certain other mental health disorders, particularly major depressive disorder and substance abuse problems, often occur with social anxiety disorder.

Diagnosis and test
Your healthcare provider will diagnose social anxiety disorder from a description of your symptoms and behavioral patterns. During your appointment, you will be asked to explain what symptoms you are having and discuss situations in which these symptoms present themselves. The diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder, as outlined in the DSM-5, includes:

Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others lasting for 6 months or more.

Fear of acting in a way that will reveal anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated by others. In children, the anxiety must occur when the child is among peers and not just adults.

The social situations almost always cause fear and anxiety.
The social situations are avoided or endured with intense fear.
The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the situation.
Differential Diagnosis
There are many conditions that share similarities with social anxiety disorder. Often, these may be diagnosed along with SAD. Differential diagnosis might include the following conditions:

Selective mutism: Selective mutism involves a failure to speak in specific social situations (e.g., at school) and is usually diagnosed in childhood. Children with this disorder will fail to speak at school but may talk with their family at home.

Childhood-onset fluency disorder (stuttering):Childhood-onset fluency disorder is listed as a neurodevelopmental disorder but can also cause anxiety about speaking in public.

Avoidant personality disorder: This disorder involves the same symptoms as social anxiety disorder but to a stronger degree, with a broader pattern of avoidance.

Panic disorder: Panic disorder involves unexpected panic attacks that appear to come out of the blue. Unlike those with SAD, people with panic disorder may suspect a medical cause for their anxiety.

Agoraphobia: Agoraphobia is diagnosed alongside panic disorder and refers to a fear of having a panic attack in a place from which it would be hard to escape. People with social anxiety disorder may also be diagnosed with panic disorder and agoraphobia, but these are separate conditions.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): Autism spectrum disorder involves impairment in social communication across a range of contexts. Children who have high-functioning autism (Level 1) may also have social anxiety.

How is Treatmed and medications

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