Social anxiety disorder affects about 15 million adults in the US, and it’s typically treated with a range of psychiatric medications. But a new analysis has found that cognitive behavioral therapy is notably better than drugs for managing this condition, in addition to being much safer. Researchers analyzed a total of 101 studies that included 13,164 people with a long history of severe social anxiety.
Several different forms of “talk therapy” were effective, including self-help and psychotherapy, but cognitive behavioral therapy was best. The common antidepressant drugs SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) were also effective, while the other commonly prescribed drugs, benzodiazepines and MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors), were less so. However, all these drugs are associated with potentially severe side effects, and their benefit stops after you stop taking the drug.
By contrast, cognitive behavioral therapy, in addition to being more effective than all these medications and completely safe, can help people make lasting changes to the way they handle stressful situations. Overall, the researchers conclude that “Greater investment in psychological therapies would improve quality of life, increase workplace productivity, and reduce healthcare costs.”
(Source: The Lancet Psychiatry, September 2014 DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(14)70329-3)
