Treatment Goals

SAD is a real, treatable psychiatric disorder. Even though patients with SAD may feel hopeless and unable to cope with the intense and severe distress caused by their disease, many can find relief from their symptoms and learn to enjoy being with others. There are several treatment strategies intended to help achieve the treatment goal of reducing social anxiety to manageable levels, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications.[1][2] No medications approved for the treatment of SAD have been approved for combination therapy with CBT.

Getting support from others is important, even though your SAD may make it difficult to connect with others. Try to communicate with your family doctor or a mental health professional who can determine whether your symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder, another condition, or both. Your doctor may recommend group therapy, which appears to be effective for treating SAD in some patients.[3][4]

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References:

  1. ^ Baldwin DS, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders: recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. Journal of Psychoapharmacology. 2005;19:567-96.
  2. ^ Swinson RP. Clinical practice guidelines: management of anxiety disorders. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2006;51:1S-93S.
  3. ^ Davison JR, et al. Fluoxetine, comprehensive cognitive behavioral therapy, and placebo in generalized social phobia. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2004;61:1005-13.
  4. ^ McEvoy PM. Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group therapy for social phobia in a community clinic: a benchmarking study. Behavior Research and Therapy. 2007;45:3030-40.

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