Why take social anxiety disorder seriously?

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) is a disabling psychiatric conditio n, characterized by a fear of negative evaluation by others. Epidemiologica l studies have shown a high prevalence of the condition in the general popu lation; the disorder is more common in women than in men. Social anxiety disorder has a typical onset during adolescence and a chroni c course; remission rarely occurs without therapeutic intervention. Comorbi d psychiatric conditions such as depression and alcoholism commonly occur i n patients with preexisting social anxiety disorder, and increase the burde n of the condition. Two subtypes of social anxiety disorder have been ident ified: "nongeneralized" and "generalized"; the latter form causes greater d isability and is more often associated with comorbidity. The socioeconomic impact of social anxiety disorder on both sufferers and t he community is considerably. For a person with social anxiety disorder, qu ality of life is greatly reduced; work, social, and personal relationships are all affected. Social anxiety disorder demands increased recognition, so that sufferers receive the treatment they need, in order to improve their quality of life through better social functioning.