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Social Anxiety Disorder ( Disorder ) Essay

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Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), also sometimes referred to as Social Phobia, is described by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) as the “extreme fear of being scrutinized and judged by others in social or performance situations” (2016). The third most diagnosed mental disorder (Social Anxiety Disorder, 2016) social anxiety disorder is believed to affect nearly 15 million adults in the United States (Understanding the Facts: Social Anxiety Disorder, 2016) and is a growing concern in today’s ever more socially connected world. Much of the concern over social anxiety disorder stems from the idea that the age of onset often occurs during youth; around age 13 (Understanding the Facts: Social Anxiety Disorder, 2016) and that, of those affected, nearly one third state that they suffered symptoms of the disorder for more than 10 years before seeking out professional assistance (Understanding the Facts: Social Anxiety Disorder, 2016). It is at this point in personal development (age 13-14) that most adolescents, according to information found in the Encyclopedia of Children’s Health (ECH), enter into what German psychoanalyst Erik Erikson referred to as the fifth stage of personality development, or the Identity v. Role Confusion stage (ECH, 2016). It is during this fifth stage of development that adolescent’s generally begin to mature (ECH, 2016) both physically and mentally. Investigating how social interactions and relationships impacted personal

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