Social Anxiety Disorder - Comorbidity

Comorbidity

There is a high degree of comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders. Social phobia often occurs alongside low self-esteem and clinical depression, due to lack of personal relationships and long periods of isolation from avoiding social situations. To try to reduce their anxiety and alleviate depression, people with social phobia may use alcohol or other drugs, which can lead to substance abuse. It is estimated that one-fifth of patients with social anxiety disorder also suffer from alcohol dependence. The most common complementary psychiatric condition is unipolar depression. In a sample of 14,263 people, of the 2.4 percent of persons diagnosed with social phobia, 16.6 percent also met the criteria for clinical depression. Besides depression, the most common disorders diagnosed in patients with social phobia are panic disorder (33 percent), generalized anxiety disorder (19 percent), post-traumatic stress disorder (36 percent), substance abuse disorder (18 percent), and attempted suicide (23 percent). In one study of social anxiety disorder among patients who developed comorbid alcoholism, panic disorder, or depression, social anxiety disorder preceded the onset of alcoholism, panic disorder and depression in 75 percent, 61 percent, and 90 percent of patients, respectively. Avoidant personality disorder is also highly correlated with social phobia.

The condition is also seen as comorbid with the Autistic Spectrum, especially with Autism and Aspergers Syndrome, approximately 7.4% of individuals with a Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but is more common in higher-functioning individuals who have a desire for social interactions, but are also aware of their social deficits.

Because of its close relationship and overlapping symptoms with other illnesses, treating social phobics may help understand underlying connection in other psychiatric disorders. There is research indicating that social anxiety disorder is often correlated with bipolar disorder and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Some researchers believe they share an underlying cyclothymic-anxious-sensitive disposition. In addition, studies show that more socially phobic patients treated with anti-depressant medication develop hypomania than non-phobic controls. This can be seen as the medication creating a new problem, and also has this adverse effect in a proportion of those without social phobia.