Terms Related to Social Anxiety

Disorder
For More Info see Social Anxiety Disorder
adrenaline - A transmitter produced by the adrenal gland and by the sympatheic
nervous system. It causes most of the physical symptoms produced by fear, panic
and anxiety. Also see: epinephrine

anxiety - The emotion of fear, tension, or uneasiness.

benzodiazepine - A class of medications that are used primarily as anti-anxiety,

anti-panic, and sleeping agents that are commonly referred to as tranquilizers.
Common benzodiazepines are Valium™, Xanax™, and Klonopin™.

beta-blockers - any of a class of drugs that combine with and block the activity of
a beta-receptor to decrease the heart rate and lower high blood pressure.

CBT - Cognitive Behavior Therapy. A form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the

substitution of desirable patterns of thinking for irrational faulty ones.

depersonalization - A strange or unreal feeling related to the self. Example:

Feeling that your mind is outside your body,that your arms or legs are detached
from your body or belongs to someone else.

detoxification - the medical treatment of withdrawing someone from addictive

drugs such as alcohol through medications and hospitalization to minimize the
withdrawal symptoms.

Dopamine - A neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates thought, movement and

behavior.

GABA - Gamma Amino Butyric Acid. The major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the
brain.

MAOI - A class of antidepressant medications that block or inhibit the enzyme

monoamine oxidase, not only in the brain but throughout the body which increases
the levels of certain neurotransmitters.

neurotransmitter - A chemical produced by nerves that allows information to be

transferred from one nerve to the next. Examples: adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin,
acetylcholine, GABA
panic attack - A spontaneous, sudden, unexpected and brief episode of terror when
there is no reason to be fearful.

palpitations - A strong, rapid heart beat associated with the feeling that your heart is
going to jump out of your chest.

serotonin - A neurotransmitter found in areas of the brain associated with mood,

pleasure, sleep, reduction of aggression and reduction of the perception of pain.

SSRI - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor. A class of antidepressants (as

fluoxetine or sertraline) that inhibit the inactivation of serotonin by blocking it’s
reuptake by presynaptic nerve cell endings.

tricyclic antidepressant - A class of antidepressant medications whose basic

chemical structure consists of three rings hooked together.

twitch - a sudden muscle spasm, and usually one caused by a nervous condition.

withdrawal - a set of symptoms which occur when addictive drugs such as alcohol
or caffeine are not increased in dosage to overcome the effects of the tolerance that
builds while taking them or when they are abruptly discontinued.