Prevalence of Social Anxiety Disorder Among Adults
An estimated
7.1%
of U.S. adults had social anxiety disorder in the past year. Past year prevalence of social anxiety disorder among adults was higher for females (8.0%) than for males (6.1%).
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) or social phobia is common in the general population, with a
lifetime prevalence of 2–5% in adults
. It presents as a fear of any situations in which interactions with other people are required. SAD is said to be the third most prevalent psychiatric disorder in the world.
Prevalence of Social Anxiety Disorder Among Adults
An estimated
7.1%
of U.S. adults had social anxiety disorder in the past year. Past year prevalence of social anxiety disorder among adults was higher for females (8.0%) than for males (6.1%).
Unfortunately,
no one seems to
have an exact answer as to why anxiety is so common, but many attribute this presumed increase in anxiety disorders to factors such as social media, poor sleep habits, lowered stigma, and underreporting in the past.
According to the US National Comorbidity Survey, social anxiety has a 12-month prevalence rate of 6.8%, placing it as the third most common mental disorder in the United States. Statistically, social anxiety disorder is more
common in women than in men
.
The exact cause of social phobia
is unknown
. However, current research supports the idea that it is caused by a combination of environmental factors and genetics. Negative experiences also may contribute to this disorder, including: bullying.
3. When does social anxiety disorder start and how long does it last? Social anxiety disorder typically starts
in childhood or adolescence
. Among individuals who seek treatment as adults the median age of onset is in the early to mid-teens with most people having developed the condition before they reach their 20s.
What age does anxiety peak?
Anxiety disorders seem to peak at two main times: during childhood
(between five and seven years of age)
, and during adolescence. There is definitely a cohort of patients who have anxiety disorders in childhood, which corresponds to when they have to leave the house and go to school.
Anxiety becomes more common with older age
and is most common among middle-aged adults. This may be due to a number of factors, including changes in the brain and nervous system as we age, and being more likely to experience stressful life events that can trigger anxiety.
- Do Your Research. …
- Do Empathize. …
- Don't Forget Your Partner Knows Their Anxiety Best. …
- Do Learn Your Partner's Triggers. …
- Don't Think Anxious Behavior Is Directed Towards You. …
- Do Watch Your Language. …
- Don't Sacrifice Your Needs. …
- Do Practice Ways to Stay Calm.
Shyness and social anxiety disorder are two different things. Shyness is a personality trait. Many people who are shy do not have the negative emotions and feelings that accompany social anxiety disorder.
They live a normal life
, and do not view shyness as a negative trait.
What causes shyness?
What Causes Shyness? Shyness emerges from a few key characteristics:
self-consciousness
, negative self-preoccupation, low self-esteem and fear of judgment and rejection. Shy people often make unrealistic social comparisons, pitting themselves against the most vibrant or outgoing individuals.
GAD and SAD
may also occur together
, and having either of these conditions increases the likelihood that a person may experience depression or other anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Why Are You so Quiet?
- You Just Need to Think Positive.
- You Just Need to Face Your Fears.
- I Know How You Feel; I'm Shy, Too.
- Why Don't You Have a Drink to Loosen Up?
- Let Me Order for You.
- Wow, Your Face Just Turned Really Red.
Only a trained mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, can diagnose a mental health disorder like social anxiety. While
you cannot self-diagnose
, you can take steps to figure out if your symptoms are the result of normal shyness or if they could be something more.
A simplified version of what goes on in the brain:
We can say that
no one is “born” with social anxiety
. You may remember circumstances and events from very early in life, but there is no “gene” that codes for social anxiety, and there is not an immutable set of genes that cause social anxiety to occur.
