Social Phobia Paper

576 Words3 Pages
Every year Social phobia affects 12.1 percent of the entire population worldwide. Social Phobia is a fear of going to public places, meeting new people and even doing something as simple as talking on the phone. Treatments for this disorder include prescription medications and cognitive behavioral group therapy. Jim is a thirty year old male who suffers from Social Phobia he has had one girlfriend that he is now married to. He has had no other past relationships. He cannot look people in the eye, order food, and his job is now suffering. In reviewing the case study described I now have an even greater concern for the individuals suffering from Social Phobia and in acknowledging how many individuals that are affected, it is important to review the treatments procedures and methods used for treating Social Phobia. Social Phobia usually occurs after an individual has experienced a very traumatic event, and they may not even be aware that the event occurred; this can still cause them to have the disorder. Usually the individual experiencing the phobic behavior is aware of their behavior but can still do nothing to calm themselves in social situations. The DSM IV symptom criteria for Social Phobia is A persistent fear of performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or situations, fearing that they will act in a humiliating or embarrassing way. Any exposure to a feared social situation causes anxiety which usually comes in the form of a panic attack. The individual then avoids these social situations or endures them with large amounts of distress. These behaviors interfere with the individuals normal routine, job or academic functioning or relationships with others (Abnormal Psychology an integrative approach, 151). There was one case study with a participant named Jim. He was unable to look people in the eye when talking to them. Made his
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