title: Social phobia: the consumer's perspective.
abstract: Although social phobia is a treatable condition, it remains a stepchild in the health care system. Consequently, the majority of sufferers, an estimated 2.4 million American adults, go untreated. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) seeks to lower the barriers to treatment by supporting programs to promote awareness of social phobia among the public and health care professionals. The small minority of patients who do have access to treatment, which generally includes cognitive-behavioral and/or pharmacologic therapy, are able to improve their personal and professional lives and return to productive and satisfying lifestyles. This article describes the breadth of the problem of untreated social phobia, the need for early identification and treatment, and the significant improvements in patients' lives that can be achieved with professional care.
authors.affiliation: Anxiety Disorders Association of America, Rockville, Md. 20852.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014837:Voluntary Health Agencies