Social anxiety

Social Anxiety

Extremely anxious in social situations and are afraid of being rejected, or humiliated in public

They go to great lengths to avoid such situations

Social Anxiety Symptoms

Becoming anxious in social situations where exposed to possible scrutiny by others

fear of being rejected, judged, or humiliated in public (avoiding such events)

fear of being ‘caught’ experiencing anxiety symptoms in public

Social Anxiety Symptoms and DSM-5 Criteria

nearly every social situation is either avoided or endured with intense fear/anxiety

the fear/anxiety is disproportional to the threat posed by the social situation

must persist for at least 6 months

Epidemiology and Course for Social Anxiety

Lifetime prevalence of SAD: 12% in US

12-month prevalence (US): 7%; globally 3%-7%

Somewhat more common in women

Onset - early preschool years through adolescence (75% of cases between 8-15 year olds

Social Anxiety Etiology

Approximately 85% of all people report some level of anxiety about public speaking

in general, 30% of people report social fears

Genetic Factors ~40%

Evolutionary psychology and environmental factors

Social Anxiety Etiology - Evolutionary Psychology

theory that social anxiety has evolved with us because social rejection in the past could have been life threatening

Social Anxiety Etiology - Environment

nearly every individual with SAD can pinpoint a series of events associated with being humiliated publicly

Social Anxiety Treatment

SSRIs are effective but with high relapse rate upon discontinuation

CBT (exposure, rehearsal, role play, assertive training, and addressed thinking about social situations) is highly effective