Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) Definition
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
- Marked fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to the possible scrutiny of others and fears he will act in a way that will be humiliating
- Exposure to the feared situation almost invariably provokes anxiety
- The anxiety lasts more than 6 months
- The feared situation is avoided or endured with distress
- The avoidance, fear or distress significantly interferes with their routine or function
Epidemiology of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
SAD epidemiology
- 7% of general population
- Age of onset teens; more common in women. Stein found half of SAD patients had onset of sx by age 13 and 90% by age 23.
- Causes significant disability
- Increased depressive disorders
Incidence of social anxiety disorders and the consistent risk for secondary depression in the first three decades of life. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2007 Mar(4):221-232
Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Social Anxiety Disorder treatment
- Social skills training, CBT
- Medication – SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, benzodiazepines, gabapentin