Making a Plan for Change
81Medications
Numerous medications have been shown to be effective for treating social phobia 
(Van Ameringen, Mancini, and Patterson, in press). Mostly, these include certain anti -
depressants that also target anxiety (such as paroxetine and venlafaxine) and certain 
anti-anxiety drugs (for instance, clonazepam). Typically, medications are taken on a 
daily basis. To varying degrees, all medications are associated with certain side effects. 
However, for most people, these side effects are quite manageable and most tend to 
decrease over time.
Other Treatments
There are a number of other therapies that have preliminary or limited research 
support for treating social anxiety. Some of these treatments are quite new, and all of 
them have only been investigated in one or more studies for social anxiety (most of 
which are not controlled studies). Though it is too early to know if these therapies are as 
 effective as CBT and medications, here are some brief descriptions of these approaches:
MINDFULNESS TRAINING
Mindfulness training involves learning to focus on one’s present experiences (for 
example, thoughts and feelings) without judging them or trying to change them and 
without dwelling on the past or anticipating the future (see Orsillo and Roemer 2005). 
Meditation is often a component of mindfulness training. Preliminary evidence sup -
ports the use of mindfulness for treating general worries (Roemer and Orsillo 2007) 
and for preventing relapse in depression (Williams et al. 2007). Evidence from a recent 
pilot study suggests that mindfulness training may be useful for treating social anxiety 
(Bögels, Sijbers, and Voncken 2006).
ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)