Social Phobia
The essential feature of Social Phobia is a marked and persistent fear of social or performance situations in which embarrassment may occur. Exposure to the social or performance situation almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response… Most often, the social or performance situations are avoided, although it is sometimes endured with dread. The anxiety interferes significantly with the person’s daily life…
DSM-IV Criteria for 300.23 Social Phobia
A) A marked and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual
fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be humiliating or embarrassing.
* Note: In children, there must be evidence of the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships with familiar people and the anxiety must occur in peer settings, not just in
interactions with adults.
B) Exposure to the feared social situation almost invariably provokes anxiety, which may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally predisposed Panic Attack. Note: In
children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or shrinking from social situations with unfamiliar people.
C) The person recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. Note: In children, this feature may be absent.
D) The feared social or performance situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety or distress.
E) The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the person's normal routine, occupational (academic)
functioning, or social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about having the phobia.
F) In individuals under age 18 years, the duration is at least 6 months.
G) The fear or avoidance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition and is not better accounted
for by another mental disorder (e.g., Panic Disorder With or Without Agoraphobia, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a Pervasive Developmental
Disorder, or Schizoid Personality Disorder).
H) If a general medical condition or another mental disorder is present, the fear in Criterion A is unrelated to it, e.g., the fear is not of Stuttering, trembling in Parkinson's dsease, or exhibiting abnormal eating behavior in Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa.
Specify if: Generalized: if the fears include most social situations (also consider the additional diagnosis of Avoidant Personality Disorder)
Social Phobia treatment:
WCA recommendations for the long-term treatment of social phobia disorder.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most popular and commonly used psychotherapy for Social Phobia. CBT for Social Phobia focuses on how irrational thoughts, feelings, and behaviors develop into patterns that maintain the anxiety cycle. The intention of CBT is to use cognitive techniques to challenge unhelpful or distorted thoughts while using behavioral techniques to reduce the phobic behaviors.
One method of CBT treatment for panic disorder is Exposure Therapy. The CBT therapist works with the patient to identify the cues or situations that the patient has been avoiding due to their fear of panic attacks and they slowly expose the patient while teaching relaxation and cognitive techniques to lessen the anxiety. The overall goal of CBT treatment for the patient is to overcome the irrational fears and develop skills for lessening the intensity of the panic attacks to a manageable level for the patient.
Guided imagery is a relaxation technique often used with Panic Disorder. In this stress-relieving technique, the therapist reads a script to the patient to help the patient create thoughts and pictures in their mind where temperature, smells, sounds, landscapes, people, and sights, are comfortable and relaxing. It's like helping the patient create a mental vacation were they can find safety and peace away from the fear and panic.