Social Anxiety Facts

Social phobia often runs in the family and affects females more than males. It typically manifests in early adolescence and, if left untreated, usually continues in adulthood. Social anxiety may be accompanied by depression or alcoholism.

Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder

Treatments are extremely effective involve psychological counseling and sometimes medications (such as antidepressants) to reduce anxiety and depression.

For people who suffer from generalized anxiety over many social situations, a combination of medications and professional counseling is most effective. While for specific cases, where the individual fear only one or a few social situations such as public speaking, professional counseling alone is often sufficient to help overcome the fear. Types of counseling include:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches patients to understand their patterns of thinking and correct distorted assumptions so they can react differently to the situations that cause anxiety.

Supportive therapy focuses on educating patients about the disorder and includes family therapy and support groups.

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