while group therapy for the GREAT group (a support group for persons with social anxiety disorder/ social phobia) was in progress, doc alistaire "ali" bilas of tv5's alagang kapatid passed by for some sound bites on the disorder.
the briefest thing i could tell him was that there is a lot of hope for people with social anxiety disorder and that a higher success rate of treatment occurs with a combination of
* anti-depressant medication (to correct the serotonin/ adrenalin imbalances which cause anxiety),
* individual psychotherapy ( to resolve psychological/ emotional issues that contribute to the disorder),
* exposure therapy via group therapy (to build social skills and confidence which is sorely lacking in people with social anxiety disorder), and
* relaxation and stress management techniques (which are natural ways of dealing with the anxiety).
having said that, i headed back to the GREAT group therapy session which culminated in an enjoyable anxiety-free lunch at the Omakase restaurant at Il Terrazo Mall.
