To Study Social Anxiety Disorder In Early Adulthood And Its Homoeopathic Management

NEED FOR STUDY:

Data from the National Comorbidity Survey reveals that Social Anxiety Disorder is the third most common psychiatric condition after major depression and alcohol dependence.

Developmental stage: Early adulthood is a characterized by significant social, emotional and cognitive development.

Social Functioning: Social Anxiety Disorder can significantly affect individual’s ability to form and maintain relationships, pursue education and career goals and engage in social activities.

Risk Factors: Research can help identify risk factors and protective factors associated with development and persistence of Social Anxiety Disorder during early adulthood.

Risk Of Chronicity: If left untreated, Social Anxiety Disorder in early adulthood can persist into later stages of life, leading to chronic impairment and reduced quality of life.

Stigma Reduction: Research helps us understand the various factors contributing to Social Anxiety Disorder, reducing the stigma around them.

REVIEW OF LITRATURE:

INTRODUCTION :

Social Anxiety Disorder (ICD11 CODE - 6B04) is a fear of one or more social situations wherein the patient is concerned about being harshly judged and evaluated for their performance or interpersonal interactions. There is an out of-proportion fear that they will be shamed by the experience.

Disabling performance anxiety when speaking in front of a crowd is a common example of Social Anxiety Disorder, as is severe anxiety at having to meet and engage with new people.

According to Indian journal of psychiatry, 2023; the highest prevalence of Social Anxiety Disorder was found among the 18-29 age group is 41%, followed by 30-39 age group is 24%.

National Mental Health Survey (NMHS); 2016 reports indicate a higher risk of Social Anxiety Disorder among males compared with females.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS:

Normative shyness, Agoraphobia, Generalized anxiety disorder, Separation anxiety disorder, Major depressive disorder, etc.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER:

Onset of Social Anxiety Disorder may follow a stressful or humiliating experience (e.g., being bullied, vomiting during a public speech), or it may be insidious, developing slowly. First onset in adulthood is relatively rare and is more likely to occur after a stressful or humiliating event or after life changes that require new social roles (e.g., marrying someone from a different social class, receiving a job promotion). Social anxiety disorder may diminish after an individual with fear of dating marries and may reemerge after divorce.

HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH :

Mental diseases of Psychosomatic type (§225): Mental diseases that arise as a result of psychological symptoms, such as fear, anxiety, avoidance behaviour, and negative thoughts related to social situations. Such diseases may be of recent origin and may not have developed fully into corporeal diseases. But if left untreated they may damage the body. According to aphorism 215-216 Hahnemann considers mental disease as onesided diseases of the chronic type affecting the whole psychosomatic entity.

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT:

Constitutional homeopathic medicines prescribed as per the patients. Common suitable homeopathic drugs for Social Anxiety Disorder: Aconite, Argentum nit., Gels, Lycopodium, Medo., etc.

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:

1. To reducing anxiety symptoms, improving social functioning and relationships, increasing confidence in social situations.

2. To improve social anxiety with homoeopathic medicine.

SOURCE OF DATA :

O.P.D of C.D. PACHCHIGAR Homoeopathic college & hospital.

DATA ANALYSIS AND METHODS:

Improved: Subjects showing reduction in anxiety symptoms, improve social functioning, increasing confidence in social situations and decrease in intensity and severity of disease. [Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)]

Not Improved: No clinically favorable improvement after medicinal interventions.

Left the treatment: Subjects who will not maintain follow-ups till advised to discontinue treatment.