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Update on the Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder

Correspondence: Address correspondence to Mark H. Pollack, M.D., The Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge, Suite 2200, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02114; email: mpollack{at}partners.org.

Social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is a disorder characterized by extreme fear and/or avoidance of social or performance situations that involve evaluation or possible scrutiny by others. This disorder encompasses both isolated performance anxiety and generalized fears of many social encounters, leading to significant impairment and dysfunction in social, family, educational, and occupational functioning. It is often complicated by the presence of comorbid mood disorders, such as depression, and alcohol and substance use disorders. This article reviews the epidemiology, associated impairment, comorbidity, and treatment of social anxiety disorder, including pharmacotherapy and psychosocial therapies.

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