Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Some degree of discomfort in social situations is not uncommon. Anxiety can be SAD depending on the severity and persistence of the symptoms, the amount of distress the symptoms cause, and how much they interfere with daily life.[1] While we all worry about what others think of us, people with SAD perceive any criticism or mistake as catastrophic.[1][2]
Symptoms of SAD may be evident in children and adolescents, but may not become diagnosed until later in life. Some studies suggest that children who are especially shy, anxious, or withdrawn may be at higher risk for subsequently developing SAD.[3][4] A large study noted that the average age when SAD developed was about 15 years old, but that treatment was delayed as much as 12 years after those first symptoms.[5] Not all products approved for SAD are indicated for pediatric or adolescent use. Please speak to your doctor to determine the treatment regimen that is right for you.
People with SAD may experience panic attacks: pounding heart, shortness of breath, sweating, and the feeling that they might actually die. Signs that such intense fear is SAD include a persistence of the anxiety in one or more social situations, and efforts to avoid the feared situations, even though the fear is recognized as unreasonable and causes the person marked distress.[1] These fears can significantly interfere with how a person normally functions.[1]
A psychiatrist uses criteria published by the American Psychiatric Association to diagnose SAD:
- When you know you'll be around unfamiliar people, you feel anxious or afraid
- You imagine yourself doing things to humiliate yourself
- When you are actually in the feared situation, you're extremely anxious and may have a panic attack
- You realize your fear is unreasonable, but you can't stop the feeling
- You begin to avoid situations that trigger your fear, but if there's no escape you suffer the whole time
- This anxiety causes problems at work or in daily life
- Your unreasonable anxiety itself causes you more distress
- Your fear or desire to avoid fearful situations has nothing to do with any medical condition, nor is it related to the effects of any medication or other substances
Source: [1]
References:
- ^ American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
- ^ Ballenger JC, et al. Consensus statement on social anxiety disorder from the international consensus group on depression and anxiety. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 1998;59(suppl 17):54-60.
- ^ Prior M, et al. Does shy-inhibited temperament in childhood lead to anxiety problems in adolescence? Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2000;39:461-8.
- ^ Goodwin RS, et al. Early anxious/withdrawn behaviours predict later internalising disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2004;45:874-83.
- ^ Grant BF, et al. The epidemiology of social anxiety disorder in the United States: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2005;66:1351-61.
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