Most socially anxious people don't realize they have a medical disorder and believe it's just their personality type, says Roy-Byrne. You can get substantial improvement with drugs and therapy but there is no cure. The drawback is that the socially anxious are the least likely to seek this kind of help, as it requires new social interaction both with an authoritarian figure and strangers. Also, such therapy may only be available in big cities. But once patients have joined the group, they tend to feel comfortable and results can be long-lasting.
Medication is an easier alternative.
About 30 percent to 40 percent of patients relapse when they stop medication for a year.