Abstract

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) also known as social phobia is the most common anxiety disorder. It is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, with 12% of American adults having experienced it in their lifetime. It is characterized by intense fear in one or more social situations, causing considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some parts of daily life. Social phobia, one of the most common anxiety disorders in adults, is thought to affect about one percent of children. It is possible that the incidence is higher than one percent because children’s symptoms may incorrectly be attributed to a shy personality rather that a treatable conditions.