SOCIAL PHOBIA - THE NEED FOR TREATMENT

Social phobia is associated with a high level of dysfunction because o f the direct effect the disorder has on the ability of the individual to interact with others in social or work situations. The level of imp airment and disability is seen to be as severe as and, in some cases, more severe than is seen in other chronic disorders such as depression . The disability is increased by a cascade of comorbidity which appear s, in almost all cases, to be secondary to the social phobia. This pap er discusses different treatment modalities and details the efficacy o f moclobemide in both short-and long-term treatment. A subanalysis of those with severe to most severe social phobia at the start of treatme nt shows that efficacy is more clearly seen in the severe group compar ed with those with moderate severity. The clinical relevance of those findings is discussed here.