SAD Diagnosis

The level of disability is an important diagnostic factor in distinguishing SAD from shyness. 

SAD can, in some ways, be considered a very extreme form of shyness.  Shyness is defined as the fear of social situations involving meeting strangers or scrutiny by others, so people with SAD suffer from excessive shyness in certain social settings.

Social anxiety symptoms are often associated with other conditions including depression, panic attacks and alcohol or stimulant misuse.

You may have first experienced symptoms of SAD in your mid to late teens, but many people do not consult their doctor until they are well into adulthood, often about 20 years later. 

People suffering from SAD (and their doctors) sometimes think that their symptoms can be put down to personality traits rather than an anxiety disorder that can be treated.