Social Phobia Definition

Social phobia (synonyms: social anxiety disorder; social phobia, phobia; social neurosis; ICD-10 F40.1: Social phobias), also called pathological shyness, is, in a sense, a fear of other people and actions to be performed in front of them. In most cases, sufferers are very shy.

In ICD-10 F40.1, social phobia is described as, “Fear of scrutiny by other people leading to avoidance of social situations. More extensive social phobias are usually associated with low self-esteem and fear of criticism. They may manifest in symptoms such as blushing, hand tremors, nausea, or urges to urinate. In doing so, the person sometimes thinks that one of these secondary manifestations of anxiety is the primary problem. Symptoms may increase to the point of panic attacks.”

Social phobia is one of the primary anxiety disorders and thus one of the common disorders in the field of psychiatry. It is the most common anxiety disorder in Germany.

Gender ratio: Women are affected almost twice as often as men. In contrast, more men are in therapy than women.

Frequency peak: Social phobia usually begins in adolescence (around the age of 15). Rarely, individuals > 30 years of age are affected. Accurate data are difficult to determine because sufferers often do not see a doctor until very late in life.

The lifetime prevalence (disease frequency throughout life) is about 11% for men and about 15% for women. The prevalence (disease frequency) is about 2% (in Germany).

The following table shows the 12-month prevalence of social phobia [in %] of adults (in Germany).

Total Men Women Age group
18-34 35-49 50-64 65-79
Social phobia 2,7 1,9 3,6 4,6 3,1 2,1 0,7

Course and prognosis: Affected individuals avoid being the center of attention. This not infrequently results in problems in the private and professional environment. The disorder can end in social isolation. If left untreated, social phobia usually takes a chronic course. The prognosis is more favorable the earlier social phobia is treated.

Comorbidities (concomitant diseases): Approximately 80% of those affected have a psychological comorbidity (especially depression, anxiety disorders).

The following table shows the psychological comorbidity of a social phobia [in %] (in Germany).

Any mental disorder Depressive disorders(ICD-10: F32-34) Somatoform disorders(ICD-10: F42) Obsessive-compulsive disorder(ICD-10: F42) Alcohol dependence(ICD-10: F10.2) Eating disorders(ICD-10: F50)
Social phobia 87,8 65,3 31,3 11,5 10,3 0,0