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Who Suffers from Social Anxiety Disorder?This disorder can start as early as childhood and tends to affect men and women in equal numbers. However, anyone can suffer from social anxiety disorder at any age. Although you may have suffered from social anxiety disorder for a long time, it's never too late to get treatment. With the right treatment, there's a good chance you may get better. "I thought there was something terribly wrong with me. I never knew what social anxiety disorder was, let alone that there were treatments for it...." "When I felt anxious around other people I would immediately start sweating. My face turned red...my throat ran dry. My heart would beat out of my chest and I'd shake all over. It felt like everyone was staring at me I could never think of a thing to say." Social anxiety disorder is a lot more common than you may think. It's actually the third most common psychiatric disorder in the United States-1 out of every 8 Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. The good news is that it is treatable. Many people recover from social anxiety disorder and enjoy more productive lives. You, too, can recover from social anxiety disorder. Although recovery doesn't happen overnight, with the right treatment, you can get better. Feel confident that it is possible to live the way you want to, in control of your anxiety.
Learning MoreThe word "phobia" is used to describe a condition in which someone has an excessive or unreasonable fear reaction to a specific situation or thing. There are three types of phobia: agoraphobia (fear of places or situations from which escape may be difficult), specific phobia (fear of a specific object or situation) and social anxiety disorder (fear of social and/or performance situations).Some people with social anxiety disorder avoid all social situations, fearing embarrassment or humiliation. But you don't have to be afraid of every social situation to suffer from social anxiety disorder. Some people can go to a party and meet new people with no problem, but still have tremendous anxiety about eating or writing in public. It's not what social situation makes you afraid that's important, it's how your fears affect your life. For example, if someone feels overwhelming anxiety about meeting new people, they may have problems dating, making friends or advancing in their career. Unfortunately, many people with social anxiety disorder cope by changing their lives to avoid the situations that provoke their anxiety, such as turning down a job promotion to avoid presentations.
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