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A European perspective on social anxiety disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

Y. Lecrubier
Affiliation:
Inserm, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière,Paris, France
H.U. Wittchen
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology,Munich, Germany
C. Faravelli
Affiliation:
Department of Neurologic and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Florence,Florence, Italy
J. Bobes
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina, Servicio de Psiquiatria,Oviedo,Spain
A. Patel
Affiliation:
Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry,London, UK
M. Knapp
Affiliation:
Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry,London, UK
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Summary

Epidemiologic surveys conducted across Europe indicate that the lifetime prevalence of social anxiety disorder in the general population is close to 7%. The disorder in adulthood rarely presents in its ‘pure’ form and 70–80% of patients have at least one other psychiatric disorder, most commonly depression. Social anxiety disorder is a risk factor for the development of depression and alcohol/substance use or dependence, especially in cases with an early onset (< 15 years). Individuals with social anxiety disorder have significant functional impairment, notably in the areas of initiation and maintenance of social/romantic relationships and educational and work achievement. The economic consequences of social anxiety disorder are considerable, with a high level of diminished work productivity, unemployment and an increased utilisation of medical services amongst sufferers. Effective treatment of social anxiety disorder would improve its course and its health and economic consequences.

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Review
Copyright
Copyright © Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 2000

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