Diagnosing a Social Phobia

Social phobia is an irrational and intense fear of one or more social situations. Most sufferers fear only specific social situations, although those with generalized social phobia fear most social encounters.

The DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual; 4th Ed.) provides a specific list of diagnostic criteria for social phobia.

• Marked and Persistent Fear: A persistent and intense fear of one or more social situations, due to a fear of showing anxiety symptoms or acting in an embarrassing way.
  
  
• Anxiety Response: Exposure to the feared situation results in an intense anxiety reaction, which may take the form of a panic attack.
  
  
• Recognition That Fear is Irrational: Adults with social phobias recognize that their fear is out of proportion, although children may lack this insight.
  
  
• Avoidance or Distress: The sufferer goes out of his or her way to avoid the situation. The situation can be endured only with great distress.
  
  
• Life-Limiting: The phobia severely impacts the sufferer’s personal, work or school life.
  
  
• Six Months Duration: In children and teens, the phobia has lasted at least six months.
  
  
• Not Caused by Another Disorder: Many anxiety disorders and physical illnesses cause similar symptoms. The therapist will rule out other causes before diagnosing a social phobia.
  
  
• Not Related to a Physical Disorder: If the sufferer also has a physical condition, the phobic response is not limited to anxiety about displaying the effects of that condition in public. For example, a person with Parkinson’s disease would not be diagnosed with social phobia if he feared trembling in public.

Social phobia cannot be diagnosed simply by reading a list of diagnostic criteria. If you suspect that you or a loved one suffer from social phobia, contact a mental health professional in your area. A trained therapist will use his or her clinical judgment to arrive at the correct diagnosis.