
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- Social Anxiety disorder (also called Social Phobia) refers to a condition wherein a person has fear of social situations involving scrutiny or contact with strangers.
- People are fearful of embarrassing themselves in social situations (eg. Social gatherings, oral presentations, meeting new people). There are apprehensions about negative evaluation & humiliation by others.
- They have specific fear of being observed/scrutinized while eating or speaking in front of others.
- In children the fear of anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, clinging, shrinking or failing to speak in social situations.
- The fear of anxiety is out of proportion to the given situations.
- The fear, anxiety or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more.
- The life time prevalence is 3-13% and usually people from age 5 – 35 years get affected by it.
- There may be co-morbid other Anxiety disorders / Mood disorders/ Substance abuse/ Eating disorders.
- There may be childhood experience of neglect/ rejection / overprotection.
- It is also common in people whose parents had panic disorders.
- Social Anxiety usually starts in late childhood or early adolescence.
- It may cause disruption in School/Academic achievement and interference with job performance and social judgement.
Treatment
- Pharmacotherapy: (i) SSRI & SNRI (ii) Benzodiazepines (iii) B blockers (iv) others
- Psychotherapy: Cognitive retraining, Desensitization etc
admin
Sharda Psychiatric Clinic is giving services in the field of Psychiatry & Psychology. We provide treatment for all Mental Illnesses & Psychological problems including De-Addiction. We offer services to all age groups. Our Guiding principle is " Mental Health for all"