Diagnóstico diferencial da fobia social: Uma revisâo

Social phobia is a common mental disorder that can cause considerable distress and impairment in functioning and quality of life but it is still an underdiagnosed and undertreated disorder. The differential diagnosis is not always simple. because its clinical features overlap with many other mental and non-mental disorders characterized by social avoidance. The aim of this study was to review the literature and discuss the differential diagnosis of social phobia with the following conditions. normal social anxiety (shyness), depressive disorders, alcoholism, body dysmorphic disorder, panic disorder and agoraphobia, simple phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, delusional disorders and avoidant and schizoid personality disorders. A Medline and Lilacs search was conducted between 1990 and 2002, using the key words social phobia, social anxiety disorder, diagnosis and defferential diagnosis. The accurate diagnosis is very important for the appropriate treatment approach.