estimates of lifetime prevalence vary but according to a US study, 12% of adults in the US will have social anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, compared with estimates of around 6% for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), 5% for panic disorder, 7% for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 2% for obsessive-compulsive disorder
significant degree of comorbidity between social anxiety disorder and other mental health problems, most notably depression (19%), substance-use disorder (17%), GAD (5%), panic disorder (6%), and PTSD (3%)
social anxiety disorder has an early median age of onset (13 years) and is one of the most persistent anxiety disorders
only about half of those with the disorder ever seek treatment, and those who do generally only seek treatment after 15-20 years of symptoms
a significant number of people who develop social anxiety disorder in adolescence may recover before reaching adulthood
if the disorder has persisted into adulthood, the chance of recovery in the absence of treatment is modest when compared with many other common mental health problems
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