What is Social Anxiety Disorder (continued)?

Social anxiety disorder is the most prevalent of any of the anxiety disorders and is the third most common psychiatric disorder following depression and alcohol abuse (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry [JCP], 2001). Epidemiologic researchers have found that there is a 13.3% lifetime prevalence of social phobia, with a higher rate of occurrences existing in women (15.5%) than in men (11.1%) (Jacobson, 2001). However, it is estimated that only 2% of the people with social phobia actually seek treatment for it (Jacobson, 2001). Many biological, psychological, and social factors are believed to be contributors to the development of social anxiety disorder. There is still a significant amount of research being conducted and many theories to the different contributory factors causing this disorder.
Many research studies have shown that S.A.D. has a genetic link and does tend to run in first degree relatives. These individuals most likely have abnormalities in the functioning of specific parts of the brain that deal with the anxiety response system. This can be attributed to an improper chemical balance. There are several key neurotransmitters (brain chemicals); namely serotonin, norepinephrine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are produced in the brain that directly affect the way we feel about a given thought or situation. Researchers believe that at least four areas of the brain are critical in playing a role to our anxiety-response system: the brain stem which regulates cardiovascular and respiratory functions, the limbic system regulating mood, the prefrontal cortex that recognizes risky, dangerous situations, and the motor cortex which controls our muscular movements.
People with S.A.D. are noted to have low levels of the neurotransmitters in the brain, especially serotonin. So, with psychotropic medications, we can manipulate the amount of neurotransmitter levels. By increasing certain neurotransmitters in the brain, this in turn functions as providing us with a sense of emotional well being.