Social Anxiety Disorder (sometimes called simply "SAD") is a temporary-to-permanent condition that is similar to depression, in which the sufferer feels extremely uncomfortable in social situations. Often it is mistaken for simple shyness or even snobbery, when in fact there is something chemically ?imbalanced? in the brain tissue that is the culprit. SAD can be diagnosed in a number of ways, but you must first learn to recognize a few of the common symptoms.

It is very important to note that, before any kind of treatment or medications are prescribed for social anxiety disorder, a proper diagnosis by a qualified doctor must be made. The diagnosis helps to scientifically establish if any other medical conditions exist in the patient that are either contributing to or mimicking the anxiety disorder. Medications must never be taken on self-diagnosis.

Antidepressants, benzodiazepines (mild tranquilizers), and other anti-anxiety drugs like monoamine oxidase inhibitors, benzodiazepines, beta-blockers and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used to treat anxiety disorders. These are available under various brand names. Any of these or a combination of them may help a person with anxiety disorder, though certain ones are better for certain people. However, these are to be taken under the supervision of a medical practitioner and may require monitoring since prolonged usage may be harmful.

However, these medications can often take several weeks to show their full effect, and the doctor must monitor the progress regularly to determine if the dosage needs to change according to response, or if alternative medication may be required.