Guidelines of the Brazilian Medical Association for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of social anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder. The condition has a chronic course usually with no remission and is frequently associated with significant functional and psychosocial impairment. The Brazilian Medical Association, with the project named Diretrizes ('Guidelines'...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Revista brasileira de psiquiatria 2010-12, Vol.32 (4), p.444-452
Main Authors: Chagas, Marcos Hortes N, Nardi, Antonio E, Manfro, Gisele G, Hetem, Luiz Alberto B, Andrada, Nathalia C, Levitan, Michelle N, Salum, Giovanni A, Isolan, Luciano, Ferrari, Maria Cecília Freitas, Crippa, José Alexandre S
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Subjects:
Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis
Brazil
Diagnosis, Differential
Humans
Phobic Disorders - diagnosis
Societies, Medical
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Summary:Social anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder. The condition has a chronic course usually with no remission and is frequently associated with significant functional and psychosocial impairment. The Brazilian Medical Association, with the project named Diretrizes ('Guidelines', in English), endeavors to develop diagnostic and treatment protocols for the most common disorders. This work presents the most relevant findings regarding the guidelines of the Brazilian Medical Association concerning the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of social anxiety disorder. We used the methodology proposed by the Brazilian Medical Association for the Diretrizes project. The search was performed on the online databases Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Lilacs, with no time restraints. Searchable questions were structured using PICO format (acronym for "patient or population"; "intervention, indicator or exposition"; "control or comparison" and; "outcome or ending"). We present data regarding the clinical manifestations of social anxiety disorder, impairments and implications related to the condition, differences between the generalized and specific subtypes, and the relationship with depression, drug dependence and abuse, and other anxiety disorders. Additionally, the main differential diagnoses are discussed. The guidelines are intended to serve as references to the general practitioner and the specialist as well, facilitating the diagnosis of social anxiety disorder.
ISSN:1516-4446
DOI:10.1590/S1516-44462010005000029