What is social anxiety disorder?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am doing my post-graduation in psychiatry, and I would like to clear my doubts about social anxiety disorder. I wanted to know about the most challenging and important things while dealing with someone with social anxiety disorder. From your experience, can you please tell me the biggest lesson or insight that you would have learned after treating such patients? How should I prepare myself to manage such patients? What advice will you give others about dealing with someone who has this diagnosis?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Social anxiety disorder is one of the anxiety spectrum disorders. Here, persistent anxiety in social situations like talking with a person or a group of people, in group presentations, in talking with the opposite sex, etc., are found. Avoiding social gatherings and social situations is most commonly seen. Accepting that one has social anxiety is one of the most important things to deal with. The sufferer should be made comfortable that this is a disorder like any other disorder. With proper medicines and behavior therapy, most of individuals show improvement. The patient should be educated properly regarding this illness. Social anxiety is one of the disabling conditions, and early treatment helps in the early response to therapy. The patient should be given proper support and should be made aware that others are not judging him. This is the most important step in the management. Relaxing prior to any anxiety-provoking situation helps to yield the best results. There is no need to make any specific preparations. Once the provisional diagnosis of social anxiety is made, then the patient is encouraged to speak without hesitation. Building up a rapport takes time in such situations, but once it is built, then the interview goes easy.

Thank you.