Social Anxiety Disorder
Article Sections
Introduction
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by anxiety and fear of scrutiny in social situations, resulting in avoidance, distress, and social-occupational dysfunction. Fears are associated with acting in a way or showing anxiety symptoms (eg, blushing, sweating) that are negatively evaluated by others.
Epidemiology and risk factors
The estimated lifetime prevalence of SAD is 5%-12%. Onset for the majority of patients is during childhood (ages 8-15), and female patients appear to be affected at a higher rate than male patients.
Several factors may increase the likelihood of developing SAD, including genetic predisposition (first-degree relative with SAD), psychological factors (eg, neuroticism, behavioral inhibition, introversion), and environmental factors (eg, adverse childhood events, bullying, discrimination, hypercritical parenting).
Clinical presentation
In SAD, anxiety and fear are elicited by situations in which exposure to scrutiny is possible, including:
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