Somatic symptoms in social phobia: a treatment method based on rational emotive therapy and paradoxical interventions

Social phobia is often accompanied by somatic symptoms such as trembling, blushing, and sweating. In cases where these symptoms are predominant and, rather than the social situation, represent the feared stimulus, their unpredictable occurrence may reduce the effectiveness of an otherwise successful treatment, such as exposure in vivo. In this study, a paradoxical treatment approach, combined with rational emotive therapy, is employed with three social phobic patients with fears of blushing, trembling, and sweating, respectively. Results indicate that a paradoxical treatment may be an effective strategy in reducing somatic symptoms in social phobia.