Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Phobia

An intense, persistent fear of social situations where one might be scrutinized or negatively evaluated by others.

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders, affecting approximately 7% of adults. It involves significant fear of embarrassment or humiliation in social settings, leading to avoidance behaviors. SSRIs (particularly sertraline and paroxetine) are the first-line pharmacological treatment; cognitive-behavioral therapy is the gold standard psychotherapy.