Social anxiety disorder

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Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by the fear and avoidance of social or performance situations where patients feel that others may scrutinize them and they may embarrass themselves. According to the NIMH, SAD affects approximately 15 million adults in the United States. Despite the prevalence of the disorder, SAD remains underdiagnosed and undertreated by clinicians. SAD patients have anticipatory anxiety about these situations, and this anxiety can become so pronounced that patients cannot function normally in their daily lives. Social anxieties can be limited to a particular situation or apply to a variety of situations. In addition to anxiety, patients experience physical symptoms including blushing, sweating, trembling, and nausea.