Social Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms and Diagnostic Criteria
By Arlin Cuncic, About.com Guide to Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been included as a diagnosable psychiatric illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) since 1994. Learn more about the symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and underlying causes of the disorder, as well as other diagnoses that commonly co-occur with SAD.
Understanding SAD
Learn more about the history of social anxiety disorder and what it means to have SAD.
Symptoms of SAD
SAD is characterized by a host of physical and cognitive symptoms that are elicited when the sufferer is in social or performance situations. Physical symptoms may manifest as a racing heart, trembling hands, and sweating, while cognitive symptoms include automatic negative thoughts and negative core beliefs.
Diagnosis of SAD
SAD requires that a number of specific criteria are met. These criteria are outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association.
Related Diagnoses
A number of psychiatric conditions tend to co-occur with SAD. Learn more about these disorders, how they relate to SAD, and what implications there are for treatment when SAD is not the sole diagnosis.
Risk Factors
SAD is a medical condition with specific genetic and psychosocial causes -- a family history of SAD and specific environmental triggers make you more likely to develop the disorder.
