News Release
November 23, 1999

---

 "Oh no! Not a holiday party!"
Social Phobias Prevent Millions from Enjoying Social Situations

Forget about being the life of the party. What if you’re afraid to go to the party at all?

Millions of Americans find themselves in this predicament, not only around the holidays, but year round. These individuals suffer from a social phobia, a mental disorder which interferes with their ability to work, socialize and go about a daily routine. Social phobics have a persistent fear of exposure to possible scrutiny by others. They fear they will do something or act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing. As a result, they avoid any situation in which other people are present.

"Mental health professionals are not concerned with normal anxiety. It is normal to have some anxiety – ‘butterflies in the stomach’ – before an encounter with the boss or before giving a speech. Most people are not incapacitated and manage to get through the ordeal," said Daniel Gruener, MD, President of the Medical Staff and Associate Medical Director for Inpatient Services at Friends Hospital, the nation’s first independent, non-profit psychiatric hospital.

"A social phobia, however, interferes with functioning at work or in usual social situations. It is fear and anxiety that has somehow gone awry; that inexplicably reaches overwhelming levels; that dramatically reduces or eliminates productivity and significantly intrudes on an individual's quality of life. Family, friends and even the patient can find no obvious cause and often dismiss the problem as shyness," Dr. Gruener said.

Symptoms of social phobia include blushing, sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, nausea or other stomach discomfort, lightheadedness, and other symptoms of anxiety. Social phobias occur equally among men and women, generally developing after puberty and peaking after the age of 30. In severe cases, a person may fear activities as mundane as signing a personal check, buttoning a coat or eating a meal in front of other people.

More than 23 million Americans, or one out of four, suffer from an anxiety disorder. Phobias are one of five major anxiety disorders including: Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

At sometime during their lives, nearly a quarter (24.9%) of the adult population in the United States will have an anxiety disorder. Only substance-related disorders are more common (26.6%). A national survey shows that the percentage is greatest for social phobias (13.3%).

"It is important that people recognize that effective treatments are available which allow them to return to relatively normal, productive lives. Phobias can be treated by behavioral methods, medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy or both," said Dr. Gruener.

###

 [Home] [History & Facts] [Programs & Services] [Admissions] 
  [Events]  [Volunteers] [Contributions] [Photo Gallery] [Employment] 
[Facts about Mental Illness]  [News & Publications] [Contact Us]

 

 Copyright © 2000 Friends Hospital. All rights reserved.
Revised: July 27, 2005