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Oxford study finds best way to treat social anxiety

A study published in The Lancet has found that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a psychological intervention, is the most effective type of therapy for social anxiety. However, although the report found that people generally respond well to CBT treatment, it also highlighted that some sufferers continued to experience symptoms after ending treatment.

The study compared a range of psychological, pharmacological and self-help interventions to come to the conclusion, looking at 101 trials and 13,164 adult participants who suffer from severe social anxiety.  The study was led by Evan Mayo-Wilson, from Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention.

Mayo-Wilsonsaid that “the good news from our study is that social anxiety is treatable. Now that we know what works best, we need to improve access to psychotherapy for those who are suffering.”

Social anxiety disorder is often characterized by intense fear of everyday activities such as meeting strangers, speaking in a group, or eating and drinking in public. Social anxiety can severely affect sufferers’ everyday lives, and some may experience panic attacks. It can also be linked with other mental health disorders, with around 20% of adults with depression also suffering from social anxiety.

Social anxiety is thought to affect approximately 10% of University students in the UK. Previous studies conducted in previous years have suggested that social anxiety may increase the risk of a student performing poorly in exams, failing to graduate, or dropping out of University. It is often considered to be a reason for some sufferers’ excessive use of alcohol or drugs. Social anxiety is naturally unremitting, and so in most cases needs treatment. 

Chris Pike, OUSU Vice-President for Welfare & Equal Opportunities, commented on the findings that “this study is very interesting and it’s great to hear research being done into supporting those with anxiety. It’s important to bear in mind that everyone with anxiety is different and requires different support; I myself have anxiety but did not find CBT particularly useful, instead going down the root of medication and counselling. I hope everyone who is feeling anxious, even if it just seems small, feels they can get the support they need and deserve.”

CBT is a psychological intervention, or ‘talking therapy’, where the sufferer is helped to identify unhelpful thought processes and behavioural patterns, and with the help of a therapist begins to change the thoughts and behaviour to something more rational. NHS guidance already suggests that CBT is the most effective form of treatment, though many sufferers and charities claim that it is not offered to all those with the disorder.

The study also found that for those who decline psychological therapies, the anti-depressant SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) is the most consistently beneficial form of treatment. However, SSRI sometimes has side effects which can have a negative effect on recovery.

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