Dr Braccio & Dave Akerly of 1320 discuss THE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL PAIN OF SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER 2-23-21
Anxiety is a common human trait that can actually be helpful in our lives as we encounter the normal stresses of life. When meeting new people, giving presentations or interacting with others causes us to become anxious to the point we cannot function in our own lives, this is when we have Social Anxiety Disorder . With this condition, we are filled with fear, embarrassment, anxiety produced physical symptoms and self-consciousness so we become fearful of being negatively judged by others. An estimated 7.1% of persons in the United States have had Social Anxiety Disorder the past year. For adults, females have a frequency of 8% and men 6.1%. For anyone who has had it or suffered from it, the emotional and even physical pain that result can be debilitating. About one in eight persons have had Social Anxiety Disorder at one time or another. It is the third most common mental disorder in the United States. More than 75% of persons who suffer from it first experience the symptoms when children or early childhood. The following are the key elements that professional treatment entails: 1.Educational awareness of the social anxiety sources and symptoms. 2.Counseling, particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 3.Medication as deemed appropriate. Particularly effective have been the SSRIs. These would include Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac, Lexapro and Paxil.