The DSM-IV gives a list of diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder. The following are the criteria according to the DSM-IV that must be met for a diagnosis of social phobia. First, there must be a marked and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to the possibility of scrutiny by others (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The individual fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be humiliating or embarrassing to them. In children, there must be evidence of the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships with familiar people and the anxiety must occur in peer settings, not just in interactions with adults (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Also, exposure to the feared social situation almost invariably provokes anxiety, which may take the form of a panic attack (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or running away from social situations with unfamiliar people (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In many cases, the person with S.A.D. recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. In children, this feature may be absent. The feared social situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety or distress (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, social activities, or relationships. In order for individuals under 18 years of age to be diagnosed, the duration of the previous listed symptoms must exist at least six months (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The fear or avoidance cannot be due to the direct physiologic effects of a substance (e.g., drug abuse or a medication) or a general medical condition and is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In social phobia, fear and avoidance typically develop into a vicious cycle that can become severely distressing, debilitating, and demoralizing over time (Bruce & Saeed, 1999).
Friday, December 26, 2008
SAD diagnosed
In understanding how serious this disorder is, it is important to recognize the symptoms and seek out some sort of treatment as soon as possible to improve lifestyle. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV), describes social phobia as an intense, irrational, and persistent fear of being scrutinized or negatively evaluated by others (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). However, to meet the diagnosis for this disorder, the symptoms must be severe enough to cause significant distress or disability (Bruce & Saeed, 1999).
The DSM-IV gives a list of diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder. The following are the criteria according to the DSM-IV that must be met for a diagnosis of social phobia. First, there must be a marked and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to the possibility of scrutiny by others (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The individual fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be humiliating or embarrassing to them. In children, there must be evidence of the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships with familiar people and the anxiety must occur in peer settings, not just in interactions with adults (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Also, exposure to the feared social situation almost invariably provokes anxiety, which may take the form of a panic attack (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or running away from social situations with unfamiliar people (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In many cases, the person with S.A.D. recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. In children, this feature may be absent. The feared social situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety or distress (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, social activities, or relationships. In order for individuals under 18 years of age to be diagnosed, the duration of the previous listed symptoms must exist at least six months (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The fear or avoidance cannot be due to the direct physiologic effects of a substance (e.g., drug abuse or a medication) or a general medical condition and is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In social phobia, fear and avoidance typically develop into a vicious cycle that can become severely distressing, debilitating, and demoralizing over time (Bruce & Saeed, 1999).
The DSM-IV gives a list of diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder. The following are the criteria according to the DSM-IV that must be met for a diagnosis of social phobia. First, there must be a marked and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to the possibility of scrutiny by others (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The individual fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be humiliating or embarrassing to them. In children, there must be evidence of the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships with familiar people and the anxiety must occur in peer settings, not just in interactions with adults (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Also, exposure to the feared social situation almost invariably provokes anxiety, which may take the form of a panic attack (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or running away from social situations with unfamiliar people (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In many cases, the person with S.A.D. recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. In children, this feature may be absent. The feared social situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety or distress (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, social activities, or relationships. In order for individuals under 18 years of age to be diagnosed, the duration of the previous listed symptoms must exist at least six months (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The fear or avoidance cannot be due to the direct physiologic effects of a substance (e.g., drug abuse or a medication) or a general medical condition and is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In social phobia, fear and avoidance typically develop into a vicious cycle that can become severely distressing, debilitating, and demoralizing over time (Bruce & Saeed, 1999).
Monday, December 15, 2008
What is social phobia? (continued)
| Another serious complication of social phobia is that of alcoholism. Alcohol is commonly utilized in an attempt to decrease anxiety and allow the individual to tolerate the feared social situation. In approximately 85% of the people with both social phobia and alcohol abuse, the social phobia preceded the alcohol problem (Jacobson, 2001). Social anxiety makes the treatment of alcoholism more difficult. People with S.A.D. are likely to resist group therapy or self-help meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous. I have to admit that I used alcohol in college when placed into social situations. It allowed me to be relaxed around my peers and to open up to them. I felt like I had no inhibitions and I could really act like myself around others. This is a dangerous situation because you then feel like you need to use alcohol whenever you are around others. Pretty soon you will find yourself being dependant on alcohol and having a major problem on your hands. Don’t fall into this situation because it is hard to get out of. Not only is alcoholism a common complication of social phobia but there are also many co morbid disorders that people may have along with S.A.D. Depression is one such disorder that is very common in persons with S.A.D. Many believe depression is a secondary effect from S.A.D. and that the social anxiety is the cause of it. There are studies that have found that children with social anxiety have more severe kinds of depression, more relapses, more suicidal ideation, and more suicide attempts than depressed people without the co morbid illness. We can’t conclude that social anxiety precedes other illnesses but we can say it is a predictor of future psychiatric illness. Tobacco abuse is yet another serious addiction found in concordance with S.A.D. Kids with social anxiety on average start smoking later than their peers but tend to smoke more and become nicotine dependent more rapidly and more often. As with alcohol, kids may use the nicotine to help relieve anxiety symptoms. |
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