22nd February 2024

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made by considering both the patient’s symptoms and diagnostic tools such as SPIN and LSAS.

Individuals with suspected social anxiety disorder may find it difficult to attend appointments in person. Therefore, alternative ways of initial assessment should be used, for example, online or telephone consultations. 

A thorough history should be taken including what the patient fears, their levels of avoidance, and the level of impairment to day-to-day activities. Many patients have comorbid mood, anxiety, personality and alcohol and substance misuse disorders. These should also be considered on assessment. 

Social anxiety disorder can be subtyped into generalised or performance social anxiety disorder. In the former, symptoms occur in a social/public setting, whereas in the latter, symptoms are only present when an individual needs to perform e.g. speaking in front of people or performing for an audience.