Social anxiety disorder (SAD)
SADSocial anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder defined by intense, persistent fear of social situations in which a person may be judged or embarrassed.
Feared situations include speaking in public, meeting strangers, eating in front of others or being observed at work. The fear goes far beyond ordinary shyness, provokes physical symptoms such as blushing, sweating and a racing heart, and leads to avoidance that limits education, career and relationships. It usually begins in adolescence and affects men and women in similar numbers.
Diagnosis is made through a clinical interview, often supported by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, and requires that fear has persisted for six months or more and causes real impairment. Cognitive behavioral therapy and certain prescription medications are the established approaches. Cannabidiol has been studied in small trials involving simulated public speaking, and the evidence is early and no approved use exists.