Cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder

Having anxiety in social situations or situations that involve other people is very common in the United States. The lifetime incidence of social anxiety disorder (aka social phobia), the most severe form of social anxiety, is over 12%. Approximately 7% of adults meet criteria for social anxiety disorder at any time. Oftentimes, when this disorder is left untreated, it can result in severe functional impairment.  Studies have found untreated social anxiety disorder to be associated with much higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and other anxiety disorders. Fortunately, there is a cure for social anxiety disorder: Cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder (CBT). Numerous research studies have found CBT to be the treatment of choice for social anxiety, significantly more effective than medication or traditional talk-therapy. Follow this link to a chart comparing the effectiveness of CBT to other treatments for social anxiety disorder. Through CBT for social anxiety, people learn different ways of reacting to thoughts and feelings, and they learn to engage in different behaviors that result in decreased fear. CBT also helps people learn and practice social skills when there is a deficit. Unlike traditional talk-therapy, CBT for social anxiety is an active, brief treatment, involving use of skills training and behavioral homework assignments. Through learning and practice of CBT skills, people learn to become their own therapists, which is why CBT for social anxiety lasts significantly less time than traditional therapy. Click here to learn more about what CBT is and treatment for generalized anxiety disorder.