Adults with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and their friends.
These survey results about friends and social anxiety disorder are part of a larger survey conducted by the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA). The survey was conducted online between December 11 and December 17, 2007 by Harris Interactive, an online market research firm. Study participants included 287 people with SAD. Study participants were asked a variety of questions about the general impact of the disorder, impact on relationships (romantic, friendship, and professional) as well as their treatment history. Results of the study were weighted to reflect the same demographics as the U.S. population.
A number of questions about friendships were asked.
In general, about three-quarter of respondents felt that their friendships had been negatively affected by SAD, and about one-quarter felt the impact was major. Some of the negative effects included losing touch with friends, not going places with friends, and not returning phone calls.
About half of respondents reported keeping their symptoms a secret from friends. For those that were not keeping it a secret, about half felt that their friends did not take the disorder seriously or were uncomfortable talking about it.
Sadly, about half of respondents reported having no close friends at all.
In terms of treatment, nearly two-thirds of those receiving treatment felt that it had a positive impact on their friendships, and about one-third believed that it had a major positive impact.
If you have no close friends, or have difficulty establishing and maintaining friendships, treatment such as medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy may help. Finding friends who are accepting and understanding of your symptoms and the disorder will also make it easier to develop close friendships.
Source:
Anxiety Disorders Association. The effects of social anxiety disorder on personal relationships: Survey results. Accessed September 14th, 2008.
