Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard in the treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD), there are often long waiting lists to receive CBT. In addition, without private medical coverage, the cost of CBT can be prohibitive. There is, however, a new form of therapy on the horizon that may make CBT more accessible to those who need it.
Computer-assisted therapy (CAT) combines the expertise of a therapist with a computer program designed to execute those aspects of therapy that can be automated. Programs can be used for everything from virtual reality for exposure training to explaining the concepts of CBT. Proponents of CAT have shown that it is as effective as face-to-face therapy, with a greatly reduced need for clinician hours. Will this be the magic bullet for SAD? Only time will tell, however it seems that a form of therapy that minimizes feelings of evalution and judgement would be ideally suited to those too afraid to tell a therapist what they are feeling.
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