Risk Factors for Social Anxiety Disorder

by Amy Scholten, MPH

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Risk Factors

Symptoms

Talking to Your Doctor

Living With Social Anxiety Disorder

Resource Guide

A risk factor is something that raises your chances of getting a health problem.

You can have social anxiety disorder (SAD) with or without any of the risks listed below. The more you have, the greater your chances of getting it.

SAD is more common in women. It tends to appear in the early teen years and mainly in those who are shy. For some people, it may not start until they are young adults.

Other factors that may make the risk of SAD higher:

A parent, brother, or sister with SAD. Overprotection or harsh parenting may also play a role.
Mental health conditions—Most people with SAD are also likely to have:
Medical conditions such as asthma, obesity, or heart disease.
Worry caused by problems with stuttering, hearing, seeing, or burn or injury scars.
Problems with alcohol or substance use.
Childhood issues such as physical or sexual abuse, early separation from parents, or problems in school.

REFERENCES:

Social anxiety disorder. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website.http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115906/Social-anxiety-disorder. Updated September 21, 2018. Accessed February 27, 2019.

Social anxiety disorder: More than just shyness. National Institute of Mental Health website. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness/index.shtml. Accessed February 27, 2019.

Social phobia. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/anxiety-and-stressor-related-disorders/social-phobia. Updated July 2018. Accessed February 27, 2019.

Last reviewed December 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrian Preda, MD Last Updated: 2/27/2019

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