Approximately 7% of the population suffers from some form of social anxiety disorder*

Social Anxiety is the third largest mental health care problem in the world today.  Alcoholism is first, depression is second, and social anxiety is third.   Social anxiety causes chronic anxiety and fear over social situations.  It prevents people from leading the life they want; it stops them from taking the job they are good at doing; it prevents them from having friends and relationships, even though they want them.  Social anxiety destroys lives.  Yet it can be fully overcome with appropriate, active, structured, cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Please read over our pages on social anxiety disorder (formerly called "social phobia").

In these pages you will find:

A definition of social anxiety disorder

Diagnostic criteria concerning social anxiety

Effective treatment of social anxiety disorder

Research showing how social anxiety disorder can be overcome

An invitation to join a free mailing list edited specifically for people with social anxiety disorder

FYI:   Social anxiety disorder's cousin, Panic Disorder, has its own therapy program explained here.   

Help for running a social anxiety therapy group:

- Cognitive, behavioral sequences so that people can learn to overcome social anxiety.

- The Social Anxiety Association will encourage and provide help for running structured CBT social anxiety therapy groups, whenever possible.  

  References/citations for the material on the Social Anxiety Association site

*Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters, EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.