How can you differentiate social anxiety disorder from specific phobia?

How can you differentiate social anxiety disorder from specific phobia?

• A. Social anxiety involves fear of a specific object or situation with avoidance and impairment; social anxiety is fear of social or performance situations with scrutiny.
• B. Social anxiety involves fear of a social or performance situation with potential scrutiny and impairment; specific phobia is fear of a specific object or situation with avoidance and impairment, lasting at least 6 months.
• C. Social anxiety is fear of a specific object or situation; specific phobia is fear of social situations.
• D. Both disorders require impairment in all settings.

Answer: (B)

The difference comes from what triggers the fear. Social anxiety disorder centers on fear of social or performance situations where there could be scrutiny or judgment, leading to avoidance and significant impairment in social, work, or school functioning. Specific phobia, on the other hand, is a fear of a specific object or situation with avoidance and impairment tied to that particular trigger (like spiders, heights, or flying). A key detail for many phobias is a duration of at least six months, which helps distinguish persistent phobias from shorter-lived fears. So this option correctly captures the distinction: social anxiety is about social or performance fears with potential scrutiny and impairment; specific phobia is about a specific object or situation with avoidance and impairment, lasting at least six months.

The difference comes from what triggers the fear. Social anxiety disorder centers on fear of social or performance situations where there could be scrutiny or judgment, leading to avoidance and significant impairment in social, work, or school functioning. Specific phobia, on the other hand, is a fear of a specific object or situation with avoidance and impairment tied to that particular trigger (like spiders, heights, or flying). A key detail for many phobias is a duration of at least six months, which helps distinguish persistent phobias from shorter-lived fears.

So this option correctly captures the distinction: social anxiety is about social or performance fears with potential scrutiny and impairment; specific phobia is about a specific object or situation with avoidance and impairment, lasting at least six months.