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New uses for antidepressants: social phobia
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45267-0559, USA.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Social phobia is a common psychiatric disorder causing significant impairment and often co-occurring with other conditions. Several antidepressant medications, including MAOIs and SSRIs, effectively alleviate social phobia symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Social phobia is a prevalent psychiatric disorder identified in community surveys.
- It is frequently associated with considerable functional impairment.
- Comorbidity with major depression, substance use disorders, and other anxiety disorders is common.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the efficacy of antidepressant medications in treating social phobia.
- To summarize findings from controlled studies and case reports on pharmacotherapy for social phobia.
Main Methods:
- Review of data from epidemiologic surveys.
- Analysis of controlled studies on antidepressant efficacy.
- Examination of case reports and open trials for promising treatments.
Main Results:
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (phenelzine, moclobemide, brofaromine) show substantial efficacy.
- Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (fluvoxamine, sertraline) are effective.
- Other SSRIs and venlafaxine show promise in preliminary studies.
Conclusions:
- Antidepressant medications are effective treatments for social phobia.
- MAOIs and SSRIs are established treatments.
- Further research supports the use of other agents like venlafaxine.