Social Anxiety Disorder
Treatment Options
Social phobia is a serious,
highly disabling disorder if left untreated. Individuals
with social phobia can benefit from different types of
treatments. There are two effective treatments available
for social phobia, medication and psychotherapy. However,
the outcome of the treatment depends on the individuals
and whether the social phobia is complicated by other
conditions such as depression or substance abuse. Some
people respond faster or better to the treatment than
others.
Medication. There
are three types of medication prescribed for individuals
with social phobia:
Antidepressants.
Antidepressants are considered to be the most
effective medication for individuals with social
phobia. The most prescribed antidepressants are
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
(which is in the process of becoming the
first-line medication for social phobia) and
monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
Anti-anxiety
medication. Benzodiazepines (also known as
anti-anxiety medication) can be prescribed to
control anxiety symptoms. Anti-anxiety medication
is less often prescribed in people with social
phobia because of its habit-forming side effects.
When prescribed, benzodiazepines are a short-term
treatment option.
Beta
blockers. Beta blockers, a heart medication
used for high blood pressure, are prescribed to
block the autonomic response (tremor, increased
heart rate) in people with social phobia.
| Unfortunately,
due to the chronic condition of social phobia,
the medication withdrawn is associated with high
rates of relapse. Psychotherapy.
Medication can be combined with psychotherapy for
a better outcome in people with social phobia.
There are two types of therapy:
Behavioral
therapy. Behavioral therapy is a form
of psychotherapy that focuses on
modifying or "unlearning" those
maladaptive behaviors that cause
psychological discomfort. Behavioral
therapy uses two major approaches: (1)
various relaxation techniques to control
the anxiety, and (2) exposure techniques
that gradually expose the person to
situations that cause anxiety by forcing
the person to cope with the fear.
|
|
|
Cognitive-behavioral
therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is
considered the most effective psychotherapy
method to treat social phobia. This type of
therapy considers that our thoughts and not the
external situations, people or events, trigger
the behavior and feelings. This form of therapy
retrains the way a person thinks and reacts to
different stimulus. Cognitive-behavioral therapy
involves two components for a better outcome,
cognitive component and behavioral component. The
cognitive component helps people change those
dysfunctional thinking patterns that trigger and
maintain the anxiety. This is achieved through a
method called cognitive restructuring. The
behavioral component focuses on changing the
person's reaction to feared situations. This is
achieved through exposure therapy, when in a safe
setting, individuals with social phobia gradually
face their feared situations, initially using the
imagination and later facing real social
situations.
- Hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is used to
change peoples' behaviors, emotional content, and
attitudes. This form of therapy uses deep
relaxation and an altered state of consciousness
to help people reprogram subconscious
"programs" that can be part of the
social phobia.
Article by Alina Morrow
MS Psychology
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com
|
|
. |
Overview
| Conditions
& Diseases | Sitemap
| Medical
Images
Add
OmniMedicalSearch.com To Your Favorite's Folder
Copyright © OmniMedicalSearch.com
OmniMedicalSearch does not
provide medical advice and the Medical Conditions &
Diseases section is for informational purposes only.
Please see our Medical Disclaimer and always consult with your physician.
|
