A new study from Rhode Island Hospital researchers shows that obese individuals with social anxiety related only to their weight may experience anxiety as severe as individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). The findings directly conflict with the criteria for SAD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV). The study is now published online in advance of print in the journal Depression and Anxiety.
The DSM-IV indicates that an individual with a medical condition should only be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD) if the anxiety is unrelated to the medical condition. A workgroup for the proposed draft of the upcoming edition of the manual, DSM-5, has recommended modifying the criteria so that individuals with medical conditions such as stuttering, Parkinson's Disease, and obesity can be diagnosed with SAD if the anxiety is excessive or is unrelated to the medical condition.
Since the DSM-IV was published, researchers have examined whether or not individuals with a medical condition who suffered with SAD should be excluded from the diagnosis, with several studies focused on individuals who stutter. To date, however, no research has been done among individuals who are obese and the anxiety is related only to obesity and is considered severe.
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April 14 2011
