Treatment Options

The bad news: Social anxiety is a disease of resistance, and because of this there are very few structured therapeutic programs available, given that most people who suffer from it are too embarrassed to seek help.

The good news: For those who do seek help, therapy for social anxiety sufferers has been proven to be very successful.

Research, clinical studies and evidenced-based practices have provided multiple options for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. AKFSA knows that a one-size-fits-all approach does not apply to finding the best fit for treatment. Therefore, we bring new voices to the public and professional view, allowing you to learn more about multiple options and practices.

Evidence-Based Approach

We recognize many clinicians use evidenced-based methods with great success. One such method that has been successfully practiced on thousands of individuals since 1978 is the Berent Method of High Performance Therapy for Social Anxiety.  Developed by Jonathan Berent, LCSW, ACSW, the Berent Method is unique in that it is intended only for sufferers who have “initiative” for the healing process and is based on a combination of core work, technique and historical work. The multi-faceted treatment empowers sufferers to access and sustain the use of under-used neural pathways.

In the Berent methodology, core work is the process of helping a sufferer resolve the emotions of embarrassment, shame and humiliation associated with excessive nervous system activity. Technique focuses on adrenaline acceptance, where sufferers learn to take the adrenaline that is felt during anxiety-inducing situations and turn it into a source of power. Historical work pinpoints how a negative association to adrenaline was learned over the years.

The Berent Method, like all psychotherapies, focuses on the domains of physiology, behavior, cognition and emotion, using the acronym FATE:

F = Function (physiology)

A = Action (behavior)

T = Thinking (cognition)

E = Emotion

Sufferers begin by filling out a multi-modal life inventory to organize pertinent life information, which is crucial for developing and sustaining a proactive energy to achieve health and happiness. The inventory also helps sufferers identify historic negative associations to select situations.

The concept of “mind states” is then introduced. There are five mind states in the Berent Method, each with a specific energy. Because the baseline for social anxiety is imbalance, creating a synergy amongst these mind states and their respective energies is key.

A “before” and “after” ego-graph is presented with the goal of making objectives as concrete and scientific as possible. Strategies are taught to facilitate “mind state” development. A behavioral hierarchy of anxiety challenges is established, with the sufferer then developmentally facing these challenges using the adrenaline control technique.

Sufferers are then guided into the process of learning how they repress anger and rage — an essential step to healing, as this re-cycled and often non-conscious energy drives the obsessive worry, anxiety, under-lying unhappiness and possible dysthimia or depression.

Journaling is also done in between formal sessions to enhance therapeutic productivity and productive functioning by organizing critical content and facilitating attachment to crucial issues and dynamics.

Research-Based Approach

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, CBT for short, is currently one of the most accepted and practiced psychotherapy used to threat social anxiety. CBT is a research-based therapy, meaning its accepted strategies and methods come from numerous clinical studies that yielded high success rates and proven effectiveness. While treatment will vary by therapist and by the needs of the client, these are some core features of CBT:

• Client and therapist work as a team, collaboratively developing strategies for overcoming anxiety
• A focus on learning new skills and strategies to deal with the anxiety
• A brief therapy consisting of usually 12 – 16 sessions
• Setting specific goals to allow the client to become his/her own therapist
• A focus on changing the present and looking at current cognitive and behavioral patterns, rather than the past
• Client and therapist work together to create specific goals and agendas that allow the client to become his/her own therapist
• Identifying and understanding thought patterns to gain better control and flexibility over them in social situations
• Homework in the form of real-life experiences in between sessions that allow clients to practice new ways of thinking and behaving

Social Skills Training

As a supplement to CBT, many people find some form of social skills training very helpful. Obtaining practice and training in skills like speaking in public, carrying out a conversation and maintaining eye contact can be very beneficial and can build confidence and comfortability.

Medication

The use of medications in treatment is a very subjective issue that must be considered by the therapist, client and treating psychiatrist or physician. Through a team approach, all variables are brought into consideration by reviewing the therapeutic progress, need and effectiveness during the treatment process. Social anxiety does not always require the use of medications, and this is precisely why it is important to know the options and utilize the professional support model listed above prior to beginning any treatment. Medications alone cannot adequately treat social anxiety.

The most commonly prescribed types of medications for social anxiety are generally Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Lexapro; Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Cymblata and Effexor; Benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax; Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) such as Nadril; and various Beta-Blockers.

With consistency, determination and the right support, social anxiety disorder can be managed and even conquered.