Social phobia: an update

The literature on social phobia is reviewed in this article. Social phobia has undergone considerable diagnostic evolution to reach its present form in DSM-IV. Its differential diagnosis includes panic disorder with agoraphobia, avoidant personality disorder, depression, and "shyness." Cross-cultural issues are important to consider because the disorder may manifest differently in different cultures and social settings. It is common, with a lifetime prevalence of 13.3% in the United States according to recent epidemiological studies. Underrecognition of social phobia remains an issue of concern. Comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, including other anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol abuse, and personality disorders, frequently occurs. Current conceptualizations of the etiology of social phobia reflect psychodynamic theories and evidence from family and genetic studies, neurobiological research, and neuroimaging. Drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and beta3-adrenergic blockers have proven to be efficacious, as has cognitive-behavioral treatment, including group approaches.