Who has social phobia?
It is difficult to say how many people suffer from the disorder. Scholarly studies have used a variety of definitions for social phobia, but such reports put the incidence in the United States at anywhere from 3 percent to 13 percent of the population experiencing it during their lifetime. U.S. surveys have indicated that women and girls outnumber men and boys three to two among those with symptoms of social phobia. Men, however, have been more likely to seek treatment. A variety of studies have demonstrated that social phobia is most likely to develop in the teen-age years, as a result of a childhood history of social fears and shyness, although it can start earlier or later. Mental health professionals report that many people suffer quietly for years, looking for help only when their fears have caused a major life crisis. Although definitive data are still to be collected, social phobia is considered to be a chronic condition that requires ongoing treatment. About half of the people
