Social Anxiety Disorder Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders. 12% of Americans today have experienced social anxiety in their lifetime. Social anxiety causes a person to be afraid of being laughed at, being judged, and even being embarrassed in front of many people. It is so effective that a person with this disorder may have to stop doing their daily things just to not feel judged, laughed at, or embarrassed. Social anxiety is more likely to appear early in life. 50% of people who develop this disorder are by age 11, and 80% developed this disorder by age 20. The symptoms of the disorder are blushing, sweating, trembling. palpitations, nausea, panic attacks and stuttering. Most people who suffer from it may use drugs or alcohol to relieve themselves and also to reduce their fears. History of Social Anxiety Disorder Social anxiety was a term created in 1900. In the 1930s, psychologists used the term “social neurosis” to describe extremely shy patients (2). Isaac Marks created the idea for the name Social Phobia in the 1960s. After creating the word, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) accepted it and officially included it in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for the first time (2). Further attention and research was directed to the disorder by psychiatrist Michael Leibowitz and clinical psychologist Richard Heimberg. (2). “The DSM-IV gave Social Phobia the alternative name of social anxiety disorder” (2). Research continued every day on anxiety. In the 90s. Paroxetine became one of the first prescription drugs approved in the United States for social treatment and to teach a patient with social anxiety to behave, react, and think differently in situations that help them feel less anxious or afraid. CBT also helps people learn how to develop social skills. Works Cited Hollander, Eric and Nick Bakalar. Coping with Social Anxiety: The Ultimate Guide to Effective Treatment Options. New York: H. Holt, 2005. “Social Anxiety Disorder.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. February 19, 2014. “Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder).” NIMH RSS. February 12, 2014. "Treatment of Anxiety Disorders | NIH MedlinePlus the journal." United States National Library of Medicine. United States National Library of Medicine. February 13. 2014 .