Psychological Therapies for Social Anxiety for Adults
There are different types of therapies that can be helpful for people who are struggling with social anxiety, below are some of the key evidence-based therapies that are recommended by NICE Guidance . Evidence-basde therapy means that these therapies have been trialled and found to be helpful for people experiencing social anxiety.
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with a therapist. The NICE Guidance states this us “the first treatment you should be offered”. The NHS webpage states “CBT is generally considered the best treatment, but other treatments may help if it does not work or you do not want to try it.” – see our page What is CBT.
• CBT-based supported self-help (sometimes called guided self-help). This involves working through a CBT-based workbook or online course with regular support from a professional (please note this option may not be available in all regions and can depend on your NHS service).
• Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. For those that decide not to have CBT, CBT-based supported self-help or medication, you may be offered a psychological therapy called short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. We elaborate on this further on our psychological glossary page (please note this option may not be available in all regions and can depend on your NHS service).
• Self-help. Whilst only mentioned in the NICE Guidance as “CBT-based supported self-help”, self-help is specifically mentioned within the NHS social anxiety webpage. Please also see our page on self-help.
For more information please see the relevant sections of NICE Guidance
Other psychological therapies for Adults
There are some other therapies available, such as Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) that have been trialled in supporting people with social anxiety. Currently, implicit in the NICE Guidance, there is not a robust evidence base supporting these as recommended treatments. However, some people may still find these approaches helpful in managing their symptoms of social anxiety. It is important to find a therapeutic approach that works for you, you can find out more about these approaches – and others – within our page glossary psychological therapies
Psychological Therapies for Social Anxiety for children and young people
Accessing treatment as a child or young person can be anxiety-provoking. As such treatment should be offered in a location that you feel comfortable, such as your home, at school, or in a community centre. You should be offered CBT, as above, either individually or in a group setting with other children and young people who are experiencing social anxiety. Your therapist may also invite your parents or carers to support you through treatment.
Please note children and young adults have different NICE recommendations for treatment of social anxiety. Please see the relevant sections within NICE Social Anxiety Public Guidance and NICE Clinical Guidance for Healthcare Professionals.
If you are unsure about which treatment is right for you your GP will be able to discuss the above options and offer details of any local services, such as Talking Therapies in England, or CAMHS, that offer the support.
Please also see our pages on Children and social anxiety and Teenagers and social anxiety