Social Anxiety Disorder

Running head: SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

Freddie Pruett Jr

November 8, 2012

Introduction

Some people have no fear when addressing a group of people. Most Americans, however, have some discomfort when it comes to addressing a crowd. That is normal, but for a small group of individuals, speaking in front of more than a few familiar faces is a devastating and very difficult task. These individuals suffer from social phobia, or social anxiety disorder. Individuals suffering from social phobia report an inability to speak in front of crowds that are larger than four or five people. Patients with social phobia explain that they become overwhelmed with an intense anxiety when placed in unfamiliar social situations. Most commonly, sufferers of social phobia are plagued with fears that they will be judged by others (Gilbert, 2001). In an effort to prevent these crippling fears, social phobia sufferers often go to great lengths to avoid social situations that may trigger their symptoms. This paper will discuss the history of this disorder and offer suggestions for managing it successfully.

Background

Although the term 'social phobia' was coined in the early 1900s, evidence of the disorder can be traced back to 400 B.C. when Hippocrates described the disorder when referencing one of his associates (Connor & Jonathan, 2000). During the 1930s, psychologists diagnosed their extreme patients with 'social neurosis'. It was not until Joseph Wolpe examined the full extent of extreme shyness that it was finally accepted as an eligible phobia. During the 1960s, Isaac Marks went a step beyond and classified social phobia as a phobia distinct from all other phobias. In fact, the British psychiatrist worked to have his theory accepted by the American Psychiatric Association and succeeded (Connor & Jonathan, 2000). Despite the research associated with the disorder, social phobia was mostly ignored until the mid-1980s. Richard Heimberg and Michael Liebowitz (clinical psychologist and psychiatrist respectively) raised awareness of the disorder and renamed it social anxiety disorder. Their collaborative research paved the way for the development of therapies and cognitive behavioral models to treat the disorder. In addition, the first prescription medication to treat social anxiety disorder was approved during the early 1990s (Connor & Jonathan, 2000). Since then, various other prescription medications have been developed to treat the disorder.

Discussion

Modern science indicates that social anxiety disorder is becoming more common than once thought. Recent statistics show that an estimated 36 percent of Americans have been diagnosed with the disorder (Gilbert, 2001). Fear of public speaking is cited as the leading fear specific to social anxiety disorder. Other fears or triggers associated with the disorder include using public restrooms, meeting new people, engaging in small talk with strangers, going on a first date with someone, being called on in class, taking an exam, being watched while performing a certain task, visiting a restaurant, and attending social gatherings (Hales & Yudofsky, 2003).

Occasional nervousness does not always indicate the onset of social anxiety disorder. A large number of individuals are just naturally shy; however, their shyness rarely interferes with their ability to function or perform everyday tasks. Social phobia, however, tends to cause sufferers enormous amounts of stress and appears with a person's ability to do everyday tasks,