| Social Anxiety Disorder is an affliction affecting millions | | | | The third and most damaging of the three types is |
| of American each year. Sometimes referred to as | | | | Avoidant Personality Disorder. This is the form of the |
| Social Phobia, it is a condition that can often be | | | | disorder that can cause individuals to avoid all social |
| mistaken for shyness hen seen in its mildest forms. | | | | contact with other people, including dating and |
| However, for those whose lives are disrupted by any | | | | friendships. Studies have shown that individuals with |
| of the three types of social anxiety, its effects can be | | | | this type of social anxiety are generally male, and have |
| devastating. With symptoms ranging from mild | | | | usually lived with the symptoms of the disorder since a |
| discomfort with public speaking to full-blown panic | | | | very young age. Much of the focus on treatment for |
| attacks in any social encounter, this sometimes | | | | social phobia has been on finding ways for these |
| debilitating disorder often goes undiagnosed and | | | | individuals to manage their affliction, with the evidence |
| untreated. | | | | indicating that they can generally be helped through a |
| Of the three types of social anxiety, what is known as | | | | combination of the same behavior modification and |
| Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder is by far the most | | | | drug treatments that work for patients afflicted with |
| common. It is characterized by general feelings of | | | | the generalized form of the disorder. |
| discomfort for certain individuals when they are faced | | | | It is important to remember that all but the most |
| with common social interactions like speaking with a | | | | uninhibited of us suffer from at least some form of |
| superior at work or attending a social function. Often | | | | shyness. None of us actively seek out embarrassing |
| mistaken for shyness, this type of social anxiety | | | | situations, nor do we enjoy that feeling of |
| disorder affects millions of Americans in their daily lives. | | | | self-consciousness that sometimes accompanies new |
| Non-Generalized, or Performance Anxiety Disorder is | | | | and unfamiliar environments. Most of us, however, |
| another of the three types of social phobia. We all | | | | learn to manage and overcome our shyness; any |
| know - or we may in fact be - one of those individuals | | | | person whose shyness takes any of these more |
| who are afraid of speaking in front of large groups, or | | | | extreme forms may be suffering from social phobia, |
| being called upon to answer questions during class or | | | | and should immediately seek treatment to avoid the |
| a meeting. Most people with this condition simply avoid | | | | negative effects that the disorder can have in their |
| any situation in which they are or may be required to | | | | lives. |
| perform in front of other people. | | | | |