According to research carried out in the United States, Social Anxiety Disorder (SA) is the third most common psychiatric disorder after depression and alcoholism. However, perhaps because by it's very nature sufferers of Social Anxiety are reluctant to talk about their problems or seek help, the condition is still not widely known amongst the general public, and was only recognized as a disorder in it's own right as recently as 1980.

What is SA? Introduction More information Treatments Definitions »

In it's simplest terms social anxiety or 'SA' is a fear of people: of being around, having to interact with, being watched, criticized or judged negatively by, other human beings. For sufferers of SA, everyday tasks which most people take for granted - working, socialising, shopping, speaking on the telephone, can be a wearing ordeal marked by persistent feelings of anxiety and self-consciousness. Sufferers typically experience feelings of dread and nervousness in the build up to the feared situation, and analyse or 'replay' the situation in their mind when it's over, ruminating on how they could have 'performed' better. Sufferers may also experience physical symptoms such as trembling, blushing or sweating. At a deeper level, sufferers often experience chronic insecurity about their relationships with others, hypersensitivity to criticism, and deep-rooted fears of being judged negatively, mocked, or rejected by others. There are two forms of SA, performance social anxiety where these feelings only occur in a few specific situations such as public speaking, eating in public or dealing with authority figures, and generalized social anxiety which affects most, if not all areas of the sufferers life. The latter is the most common type, affecting around 70% of SA sufferers. A related condition, Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD), is believed by many to be the severe form of SA, and many people with generalized social anxiety may also suffer from APD. The links below will help you to find more detailed definitions of SA and APD. These are links to external sites and will open in a new window... The Nature of Social Anxiety A concise description of SA, introducing the different types of the condition and it's prevalence in society, with information on treatments available, including an introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). What is Social Anxiety? Another introduction to SA, in more layman's terms, this one comes from the Social Anxiety Institute site run by Dr. Richards, a former sufferer of SA himself... Avoidant Personality Disorder A thorough overview of this condition which is believed to overlap with the generalized form of SA. Sufferers of SA may recognize many of the symptoms of APD in themselves. Getting Help for SA This page, part of the National Phobics Society pages on Social Anxiety, provides an introduction to the different treatments available, and lists self-help groups currently running in the UK. Introduction to CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is increasingly being used as an effective means of treating SA. This is a detailed to CBT and the principles behind it.

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