Anxiety In Late Adulthood

The disorder is experienced when a person is exposed to possible scrutiny by other people, which create fear or anxiety regarding a social situation. It includes social situations such as meeting unfamiliar people, having a conversation, performing in front of other people and being observed. If the individual is a child, the anxiety does not only occur when they meet adults, but also when they meet their peers (Autism Speaks, n.d.). Among the fears of the individual is the fear that they will act in a way that may expose their anxiety or that other people will evaluate them negatively. They fear being embarrassed or humiliated or being rejected by others because they offended them. This situation is usually provoked by social situations and …show more content…
Most of the individuals who usually seek treatment as adults have their median onset stage before their 20s (NICE, 2013 ). There are also some individuals whose onset comes later in life. According to results by a study carried out by (Stopa and Clark (1993), most adults with an onset of social anxiety behavior in their late adulthood usually experience this condition as a recurrence of their childhood conditions. This is because the condition can be naturally remitting especially if there is no treatment in the first occurrence. In the study, adults with various anxiety disorders were observed for 12 years. At the beginning of the study, they had an average of 19 years. Over the following 12 years 37% of the adults recovered, as compared to 58% for GAD and another 82% for panic disorder (NICE, 2013 ). Thus, there is a possibility that out of the individuals who develop social anxiety disorder in their early stages in life, some will outgrow the condition. However, if social anxiety behavior among children or adolescence proceeds into adulthood, then the chance of recovery is minimal especially in the absence of