Recent research out of Rhode Island Hospital raises an interesting question. If you suffer with severe social anxiety due to a medical condition such as stuttering, Parkinson's disease, or obesity, should you be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD)?
Currently, the DSM-IV states that a diagnosis of SAD will not be given if social anxiety is the result of a medical condition.
Researcher Kristy Dalrymple argues that excluding people whose social anxiety stems from a medical condition may prevent them from receiving treatment that could potentially help.
In the study, published in the Journal of Depression and Anxiety, patients seeking bariatric surgery were evaluated and placed into one of three groups: those diagnosed with DSM-IV SAD, those with severe social anxiety due to obesity, and those without a history of psychological problems.
Results showed that the group with severe social anxiety due to obesity experienced more disruption in their social lives and more distress over the past month than those with DSM-IV SAD.
As a result, it is suggested that in the upcoming DSM-5, a diagnosis of SAD should be possible even if the social anxiety is only related to a medical condition.
So, the question is: If someone suffers severe social anxiety due to obesity, is the answer to receive treatment for social anxiety or lose weight? Or both? Personally, I think neither alone is the solution, and that a combination of efforts is likely the best course of action.
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