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            Despite the wide availability of effective treatments, fewer than 5% of people with SAD seek treatment. However, it is important to realize that SAD can be successfully and fully treated today.

            Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been the most successful treatment for SAD. CBT helps to change both cognition and behaviors that are part of a mental health disorder. Many research studies have shown that, after the completion of CBT, people with SAD no longer is controlled by fear and anxiety. With the cognitive methods of CBT, people with this disorder (with the help from a therapist) aim to identify irrational beliefs ad thought patterns and replace them with more realistic views. They work on problems such as misperceptions of self, guilt, embarrassment and etc. With the behavioral methods, people with SAD are gradually exposed to anxiety-provoking situations so that over time they elicit less fear.

            Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is intense anxiety or fear of being negatively judged or rejected in a social or performance environment. SAD affects about 7% of the general population. Social anxiety disorder affects about 15 million American adults and is the second most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder. The average age of onset for this disorder is during the teenage years.

            People with this disorder often avoid social situations because they may worry about being viewed as stupid, awkward or boring. When a social situation is unavoidable, they experience significant anxiety and distress both mentally and physically. Strong physical symptoms include:

Rapid heart rate

Nausea

Sweating

Full-blown panic attacks. 

People with this disorder often recognize that their fear is excessive and unreasonable, but they often feel powerless against their anxiety.