Journal of Depression and Anxiety
Open Access

An Editorial on Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)

Marcela Almeida^{* *}Correspondence: Marcela Almeida, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL,, USA, Email:

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Editorial

Because of the burden associated with the disorder, the higher suicide rate, and the frequent comorbidity with substance abuse disorders, social phobia (social anxiety disorder) is a prevalent and dangerous condition that should not be dismissed. The excessive and irrational dread of being inspected or criticized by others characterizes social phobia. Adolescence is a common starting point for the illness. Evidence-based treatments, such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and psychopharmacological medicines, can effectively address the symptoms of social phobia. Treatment recommendations for social phobia are presented in this document, which are based on a comprehensive review of all known randomised trials. CBT versions have been shown to be beneficial in controlled research among psychological therapies.

The medications of first choice are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) venlafaxine. Psychiatric comorbidity is common in immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMID), such as multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but little is known about the frequency of social phobia in IMID, or the causes linked to social phobia. The goal of this study was to find out how common social phobia is in people with MS, IBD, and RA, as well as the factors that contribute to it. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for social phobia. The impact of virtual reality technologies on the treatment of social phobia was investigated in this scoping review (25 papers were included).

Virtual reality exposure therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, exposure caused by a medical condition, in vivo exposure - based, and waiting lists were all used to treat social phobia. The most effective strategy was identified as virtual reality, which not only improved social phobia but also resulted in real-life changes such as increased vocational success. The majority of research (76%) employed VR Head Mounted Displays, following by VR-based Specific Systems (24 percent). Although VR approaches have shown to lower anxiety in patients, it is critical to consider elements such as how therapists manipulate the environment and individual features in order to achieve the greatest results.

Selective mutism (SM) and social phobia (SOP) are anxiety disorders that cause distress and inefficiency in social situations. SOP usually begins in adolescence and affects about 8% of the general population, whereas SM begins before age 5 and affects up to 2% of children. The prognosis involves a severe form that increases the likelihood of additional diseases or long-term social incapacity, but younger age and lower symptom severity may be correlated with improved outcomes. SOP therapies are more wellestablished, whereas promising and new SM-treatment tactics must be widely disseminated. This article examines the literature on specific phobias. To reach its current form in DSM-IV, social phobia has gone through a lot of diagnostic change. Panic disorder with agoraphobia, avoidant personality disorder, depression, and "shyness" are among the differential diagnoses.

It's crucial to think about cross-cultural difficulties because the disease might manifest differently in different cultures and social circumstances. According to current epidemiological research, it is prevalent, with a lifetime prevalence of 13.3 percent in the United States. Under-recognition of social phobia is still a problem. Other mental diseases, such as anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol misuse, and personality disorders, are frequently comorbid. Psychodynamic theories and evidence from familial and genetic studies, neurological research, and imaging are now used to understand the aetiology of social phobia. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and beta-3-adrenergic blockers, as well as intellectual therapy, including group approaches, have all been shown to be effective.