Social anxiety disorder: Irrational fear and avoidance of objects and situations ; when confronted with the feared object, patients typically experience anxiety

1. SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER
BY
EMMANUEL,GODWIN
5th Year Medical Student
College of Medicine
University of Nigeria , Enugu Campus

2. OUTLINE
• Introduction
• Epidemiology
• Clinical Features
• Diagnostic Criteria
• Treatment
• Course and Prognosis

3. Introduction
Social anxiety disorder is also known as
social phobia.
The term phobia refers to an excessive fear
of a specific object, circumstance, or
situation
A social phobia is a strong, persisting fear
of situations in which embarrassment can
occur.

4. Introduction cont’d
Marked and persistent fear of one or more social or
performance situations in which the person is concerned
about negative evaluation or scrutiny by others, for example:
Public speaking, writing, eating, or drinking in public,
initiating or maintaining conversations.
Fears humiliation or embarrassment, perhaps by manifesting
anxiety symptoms (e.g., blushing or sweating)
Feared social or performance situations are avoided or
endured with intense anxiety or distress

5. Introduction cont’d
• They may be particularly bordered and unable
to urinate in public lavatory or have frequent
urge to micturate, with fear of incontinence.
Some may fear they may vomit in public places.
• Alcohol misuse and depression are common co
morbidities.

6. Epidemiology
• Occurs more in late childhood and early
adolescent and affects females more than males
• It can be generalized or specific.

7. Clinical features
Psychological arousal
• Fearful anticipation
• Irritability
• Sensitivity to noise
• Restlessness
• Poor concentration
• Worrying thought

8. Clinical features
Gastrointestinal
• Dry mouth
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Epigastric discomfort
• Excessive wind
• Frequent or loose motions
Respiratory
• Constriction in the chest
• Difficulty inhaling

9. Clinical features
Cardiovascular
• Palpitations
• Discomfort in chest
• Awareness of missed beats
Genitourinary
• Frequent or urgent micturition
• Failure of erection
• Menstrual discomfort
• Amenorrhoea

10. Clinical features
Muscle tension
• Tremors
• Head ache
• Aching muscles
Hyperventilation
• Dizziness
• Tingling in the extremities
• Feeling of breathlessness
Sleep disturbance
• Insomnia
• Night terror

11. ICD-10 Diagnostic Criteria
• Either of the following must be present.
▫ marked fear of being the focus of attention, or fear of behaving in a way that will be embarrassing or
humiliating;
▫ marked avoidance of being the focus of attention, or of situations in which there is fear of behaving in an
embarrassing or humiliating way.
• These fears are manifested in social situations, such as eating or speaking in public, encountering known
individuals in public or entering or enduring small group situations (e.g., parties, meetings, classrooms).
• At least two symptoms of anxiety in the feared situation as defined in agoraphobia, Criterion B, must
have been manifest at some time since the onset of the disorder, together with at least one of the
following symptoms:
▫ blushing or shaking;
▫ fear of vomiting;
▫ urgency or fear of micturition or defecation.
• Significant emotional distress is caused by the symptoms or by the avoidance, and the individual
recognizes that these are excessive or unreasonable.
• Symptoms are restricted to, or predominate in, the feared situations or contemplation of the feared
situations.
• Most commonly used exclusion clause. The symptoms listed in Criteria A and B are not the result of
delusions, hallucinations, or other disorders such as organic mental disorders, schizophrenia and related
disorders, mood [affective] disorders, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, and are not secondary to
cultural beliefs.

12. Treatment
• Both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy are useful in
treating social phobias
• Effective drugs for the treatment of social phobia include
(1) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), (2)
the benzodiazepines, (3) venlafaxine and (4) buspirone
• The benzodiazepines alprazolam and clonazepam are
also efficacious
• Cognitive, behavioral, and exposure techniques are also
useful in performance situations.
• Psychotherapy for the generalized type of social phobia
usually involves a combination of behavioral and
cognitive methods
• Relaxation training

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14. Course and Prognosis
• Social phobia tends to have its onset in late
childhood or early adolescence.
• Social phobia tends to be a chronic disorder.
• The disorder can profoundly disrupt the life of
an individual over many years.
• This can include disruption in school or
academic achievement and interference with job
performance and social development.

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16. Thank You
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