Treatment for Specific Phobias and Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
Matthew D. Jacofsky, Psy.D., Melanie T. Santos, Psy.D., Sony Khemlani-Patel, Ph.D. & Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D. of the Bio Behavioral Institute, edited by C.E. Zupanick, Psy.D. and Mark Dombeck, Ph.D.Treatment for Specific Phobias
We previously described this disorder and reviewed its diagnostic criteria.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for specific phobias is typically a straightforward and systematic approach. Behavioral exposure therapy consists of gradual exposure to the feared object or situation either in vivo (live), in imagination, or a combination of both. Therapy participants may begin by exposure to photographs of the feared object before facing the real object or situation. Cognitive therapy can be utilized to address cognitive distortions related to over-estimation of risk or harm associated with the feared object. For example, a person who has developed a fear of snakes may be misinformed and believe that snakes are aggressive and predatory, when in reality their tendency is to hide and avoid human contact.
Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
We previously described this disorder and reviewed its diagnostic criteria.
Social Phobia responds quite well to standard cognitive-behavioral therapy. Studies demonstrate the positive effect of treatment remains after treatment ends (Taylor, 1996). There is evidence that exposure therapy alone may be as effective as a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies (Feske & Chamblass, 1995). Behavioral techniques for social phobia consist of exposing the therapy participant to feared interpersonal situations. Common examples are interacting with strangers or peers, inconveniencing others, and eating in public.
Cognitive therapy frequently focuses on decreasing the excessive concern regarding the opinion of others. Furthermore, it is necessary to correct the inaccurate belief that inept, social behavior will result in becoming a social outcast. People with social anxiety also display a tendency toward excessive self-monitoring, or self-observation in social situations. This excessive self-focus increases their distress by creating more uncomfortable physical sensations (such as blushing). This in turn increases the person's worry that others will notice, and judge them in a negative way. Self-focus can also interfere with a person's ability to fully participate in conversations. This further solidifies the belief they are socially incompetent.
Often, social skills training can be an important part of treatment for social anxiety. Social skills are skills acquired over time through participation in social gatherings and social discourse. Unfortunately, people with social anxiety have avoided social gatherings for much of their life. Therefore, these skills are often lacking or rudimentary at best. Most of us take for granted social skills. However, imagine what kind of experiences you would have if you didn't know how to "read" the social cues that someone wishes to disengage from a conversation. Or, suppose you didn't understand the give-and-take of social dialogs and simply talked about yourself non-stop. From these examples, you can see the importance of social skills. Lacking these skills, a person is likely to have many unpleasant social interactions without understanding why. Lacking this understanding, people erroneously conclude they are somehow defective and incompetent. Thus, avoidance of social situations is perpetuated since most of us naturally prefer to avoid unpleasant situations. This avoidance creates a cycle whereby there are no opportunities to learn social skills. A social skills training group address this problem in a safe and comfortable manner.
Social skills training is usually delivered in a group therapy format. This is because a therapy group provides an ideal social environment in which to practice these skills.
A high percentage of people with Social Phobia use alcohol to self-medicate before attending social events. Treatment may need to specifically address excessive alcohol use/abuse.
Resources
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Articles
- What is Anxiety?
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The Biopsychosocial Model of Anxiety
- The Biopsychosocial Model: Causes of Pathological Anxiety
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety Disorders
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety: Part II
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety: Part III
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety: Part IV
- Psychological Explanations of Anxiety Disorders
- Psychological Explanations: Part II
- Social Explanations of Anxiety Disorders
- Development & Maintenance of Anxiety Disorders
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Classification & Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders
- The Classification and Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders
- Panic Attacks: A Classic Symptom of Several Anxiety Disorders
- Panic Disorder
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Selective Mutism
- Agoraphobia
- Specific Phobias and Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Other Anxiety-Related Disorders
- Anxiety and Other Psychiatric Disorders
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Anxiety Disorder Theories and Therapies
- Anxiety Disorders: Theories and Therapies
- Behavioral Learning Theory and Associated Therapies
- Operant Conditioning
- Operant Conditioning and Avoidance Learning
- Contemporary Views of Behavioral Learning Theory
- Behavioral Therapies for Anxiety Disorders
- Cognitive Theory and Associated Therapies
- Cognitive Therapy
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Adjunct Therapies
- Pharmacologic Treatments (Medication)
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Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
- Treatment for Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Treatment for Selective Mutism
- Treatment for Panic Disorder
- Treatment for Specific Phobias and Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (OCSDs)
- Conclusion
- Anxiety Disorder References & Additonal Resources
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Book & Media Reviews
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- Anxiety
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- Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic
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- Passing for Normal
- Phobic and Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents
- Repressed Spaces
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- Stress
- Stress Survival Guide
- Textbook of Anxiety Disorders
- The 10 Best Anxiety Busters
- The Age of Anxiety
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- The Dutiful Worrier
- The Emotional Eater's Repair Manual
- The Male Stress Survival Guide
- The Places That Scare You
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- Treating Affect Phobia
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Self-Help Groups
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Links
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Videos
- How to Manage ADHD and Anxiety
- What You Need to Know about Students with ADHD and Anxiety
- How To Make Room For Gratitude In An Anxious Brain
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- Anxiety and Teen Girls with Lisa Damour, PhD
- Is it Anxiety or a Heart Condition?
- Identifying and Treating Anxiety in Kids and Teens
- Child Anxiety, It’s Real
- Helping Children Cope with Anxiety
- Anxiety, Trauma and How Prolonged Exposure Therapy Works For PTSD
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26 more
- OCD, Phobias and Anxiety
- How Weighted Blankets May Lift Anxiety
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- Too Scared: Social Anxiety Disorder
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- Treating Anxiety Disorders: A Unified Protocol
- Treating Youth Anxiety and Social Phobia
- Overcoming Anxiety in Children and Teens
- Treating Anxiety in Children and Teens with ASD
- Back-to-School Anxiety
- No More Shame: My life with Anxiety and Depression
- Adolescent Depression and Anxiety
- What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
- Living Without Fear
- What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
- What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
- School Anxiety! Activities To Help Kids and Teens Manage It
- Recognizing and Treating Problematic Fear and Anxiety in Children
- How To Stop Overthinking When You Have Anxiety
- My Anxiety Is Making Me Anxious!
- Evidence-Based Treatment Planning for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Video
- Managing Anxiety in Youth: More Action Than Talk
- Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety
- Recent Advances in Anxiety - Children/Adolescents
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More Information
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with David Barlow, Ph.D. on the Nature and Treatment of Anxiety and Panic Disorders
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Dr. Michelle Craske on Anxiety Disorders Research and Treatment
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Richard Heimberg, Ph.D. on Anxiety Research and Treatment
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