What is social anxiety disorder?

Social anxiety or phobia is characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. Social phobia can be limited to one type of situation or, in its most severe form, one may experience symptoms anytime they are around other people.

How do members experience social anxiety disorder?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with social anxiety disorder*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for social anxiety disorder*

*Data from patients with social anxiety disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with social anxiety disorder*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Paxil)
Perceived effectiveness
for social anxiety disorder (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (7)
Treatment

(Talk therapy)
Perceived effectiveness
for social anxiety disorder (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (3)
Treatment

(Ativan)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (3)

*Data from patients with social anxiety disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has social anxiety disorder on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 162
20s 661
30s 1,749
40s 2,206
50s 1,907
60s 1,252
70+ 518

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 1,949
Female 6,370

We’re all in this for good.

By sharing your stories and data, you will:
  • help each other live better and uncover the best ways to manage your health today
  • help researchers shorten the path to new treatments tomorrow

How much good can your data do? A whole lot, as co-founder Jamie Heywood explains in this video.

What is social anxiety disorder?

Social anxiety or phobia is characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. Social phobia can be limited to one type of situation or, in its most severe form, one may experience symptoms anytime they are around other people.



Common symptoms reported by people with social anxiety disorder

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for social anxiety disorder

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Paxil)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
545
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (7)
Treatment name(s)

(Talk therapy)
Type
Psychotherapy
How many have tried
2,573
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (3)
Treatment name(s)

(Ativan)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
850
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (3)

Data from patients with social anxiety disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with social anxiety disorder

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Paxil)
Perceived effectiveness
for social anxiety disorder (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (7)
Treatment name(s)

(Talk therapy)
Perceived effectiveness
for social anxiety disorder (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (3)
Treatment name(s)

(Ativan)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
social anxiety disorder (3)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with social anxiety disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:



Who has social anxiety disorder on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 28 new patients joined this month
  • 1,321 say social anxiety disorder is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 162
20s 661
30s 1,749
40s 2,206
50s 1,907
60s 1,252
70+ 518
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 1,873
20-29 years 468
30-39 years 327
40-49 years 163
50-59 years 51
60-69 years 7
70+ years 3

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 1,949
Female 6,370

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 3,495
Not Diagnosed 2,895

These charts show data from social anxiety disorder patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: