Social Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms and Diagnostic Criteria
By Arlin Cuncic, About.com Guide
Understanding SAD
Learn more about the history of social anxiety disorder and what it means to have SAD.
- History of SAD
- What is SAD
- What is Social Anxiety
- Ten Things to Know About SAD
- A Day in the Life of Someone With SAD
- Prevalence of SAD
- SAD Knowledge Quiz
- 10 Things Not to Say to Someone With SAD
- Myths About Social Anxiety
- 10 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself if You Have SAD
- 11 Things to Start Doing for Yourself if You Have SAD
- Why Am I Afraid of People?
Symptoms of SAD
SAD is characterized by a host of physical and cognitive symptoms that are elicited when the sufferer is in social or performance situations. Physical symptoms may manifest as a racing heart, trembling hands, and sweating, while cognitive symptoms include automatic negative thoughts and negative core beliefs.
- Symptoms of SAD
- Blushing
- Shaking
- Eating Fears
- Phone Phobia
- Test Anxiety
- Symptoms in Adults
- Symptoms in Teenagers
- Symptoms in Children
- Negative Automatic Thoughts
- Negative Bias
- Negative Core Beliefs
- Situations that Trigger Anxiety
- The Panic Cycle
- Criteria for a Panic Attack
- The Different Types of Panic Attacks
- Safety Behaviors
- Avoidance Behaviors
Diagnosis of SAD
SAD requires that a number of specific criteria are met. These criteria are outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association.
- Getting a Diagnosis
- How to Talk to Your Doctor
- Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Treatment
- Signs You May Need a New Doctor
- Misdiagnosis of SAD
- Diagnostic Criteria
- SAD Screening Quiz
- Screening Tools
- Social Anxiety Disorder Tests
- Mini-SPIN
- Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale
- Social Avoidance and Distress Scale
- Related Disorders
Related Diagnoses
A number of psychiatric conditions tend to co-occur with SAD. Learn more about these disorders, how they relate to SAD, and what implications there are for treatment when SAD is not the sole diagnosis.
- Related Disorders
- Panic Disorder
- Depression
- Alcohol Abuse
- Eating Disorders
- Avoidant Personality Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Atttention Deficit Disorder
- Shy Bladder Syndrome
- Selective Mutism
- Physical Illnesses
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Stuttering
- Agoraphobia
- Asperger's Disorder
Risk Factors
SAD is a medical condition with specific genetic and psychosocial causes -- a family history of SAD and specific environmental triggers make you more likely to develop the disorder.
