How many people have social anxiety disorder?

The NICE Social Anxiety Guidance (Full Guidance 2013) states there are no UK based epidemiological surveys that specifically report data on social anxiety disorder in adults. However, section 2.1.2 of the guidance goes on to quote “…it is clear that social anxiety is one of the most common of all the anxiety disorders”.

The same guidance also quotes “the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey reveals that social anxiety disorder is the third most common psychiatric condition after major depression and alcohol dependence (Kessler et al., 2005a)”.

The U.S. NCS-R (12-Month Prevalence Table) and associated data at the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey quote 12-month prevalence at 7% (including mild, moderate and severe cases).

At the more severe end of the spectrum, using “strict criteria and face-to-face interviews” the USA data reveals a 12 month prevalence of 2.8% (Grant et al, 2005).

If such percentages were replicated in the UK, it would equate to over 3.5 million adults with some form of diagnosable social anxiety and over 1.5 million at the more severe end of the spectrum . Children and teenagers would bring the totals even higher.

Further USA data is available at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/social-anxiety-disorder.

Adolescent prevalence rates in the UK are not currently known but USA data are at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/social-anxiety-disorder – adolescents