Lifetime co-morbidities between social phobia and mood disorders in the USNational Comorbidity Survey

Background. General population data were used to study co-morbidities betwe en lifetime social phobia and mood disorders. Methods. Data come from the US National Comorbidity Survey (NCS). Results. Strong associations exist between lifetime social phobia and major depressive disorder (odds ratio 2.9), dysthymia (2.7) and bipolar disorder (5.9). Odds ratios increase in magnitude with number of social fears. Repo rted age of onset is earlier for social phobia than mood disorders in the v ast majority of co-morbid cases. Temporally-primary social phobia predicts subsequent onset of mood disorders, with population attributable risk propo rtions of 10-15 %. Social phobia is also associated with severity and persi stence of co-morbid mood disorders. Conclusions. Social phobia is a commonly occurring, chronic and seriously i mpairing disorder that is seldom treated unless it occurs in conjunction wi th another co-morbid condition. The adverse consequences of social phobia i nclude increased risk of onset, severity and course of subsequent mood diso rders. Early outreach and treatment of primary social phobia might not only reduce the prevalence of this disorder itself, but also the subsequent ons et of mood disorders.