The following treatment approaches are often effective for treating social anxiety disorder. You can learn these techniques during counseling or treatment by a mental health provider.
Cognitive behavior therapy is very useful in treating social anxiety disorder. The central component of this treatment is exposure therapy or systematic desensitization, which involves helping you to gradually become more comfortable with situations that frighten you.
The exposure process often involves 3 stages:
Cognitive behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder also includes anxiety management training—teaching you techniques such as deep breathing, relaxation exercises, or meditation to help control your level of anxiety. Another important aspect of treatment is called cognitive restructuring, which will help you to identify unrealistic thoughts and develop more realistic expectations about the likelihood of danger in social situations. The duration of this treatment varies from 1-4 months. Approximately 50% of people show symptomatic improvement.
You can also benefit from supportive therapy, such as group therapy, which helps you learn how to interact comfortably with other people. Couples or family therapy can help to educate your significant others about the disorder. You may also benefit from social skills training.
The idea behind this type of psychotherapy is that symptoms of social anxiety disorder may be the result of mental processes which the patient is not aware of. The mental health clinician could help to clarify these mental processes, thus relieving symptoms. The duration of treatment is approximately 12 weeks.
Any program to relieve stress and anxiety (such as yoga, meditation, exercise, hypnosis, learning to delegate work) and assertiveness training will help to relieve the anxiety that is felt in various social situations. These stressing relief techniques could be added to cognitive behavioral therapy.
Anxiety disorders. National Institute of Mental Health website. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml. Updated March 2016. Accessed June 27, 2017.
Mortberg E, Clark DM, Sundin O, Aberg Wistedt A. Intensive group cognitive treatment and individual cognitive therapy vs. treatment as usual in social phobia: a randomized controlled trial. Acta Psychiatr Schand. 2007;115(2):142-154.
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Social anxiety disorder. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115906/Social-anxiety-disorder. Updated November 8, 2016. Accessed June 27, 2017.
Social phobia. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/anxiety-and-stressor-related-disorders/social-phobia. Updated May 2014. Accessed June 27, 2017.
Last reviewed June 2017 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrian Preda, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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