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Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder by Amy Scholten, MPH

If you are diagnosed with social anxiety disorder , your doctor may prescribe medication to help you feel less anxious and afraid. A doctor or counselor who is trained in treating social anxiety disorder can also help you to become more comfortable in social situations. The optimal treatment for most patients includes a combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy (eg, cognitive-behavioral therapy ).

Treatment involves the following:

Medications | Other treatments—therapy

Surgical procedures are not indicated for the treatment of social anxiety disorder.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR. American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
Schneier FR. Clinical practice. Social anxiety disorder. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:1029-1036.
Social phobia (social anxiety disorder). National Institute of Mental Health website. Available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/social-phobia-social-anxiety-disorder.shtml . Updated October 2008. Accessed October 30, 2008.

Last reviewed November 2012 by Michael Woods, MD

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Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder by Amy Scholten, MPH

References:

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