A recent study conducted in the UK with a large group of 2,400 young individuals found that those who had social anxiety symptoms at the beginning of the study were more likely to have suicidal thoughts and other signs of depression two years later. These results emphasize the significance of early detection and treatment of social anxiety in young people.
New research suggests that teenagers with higher levels of social anxiety symptoms are at a greater risk of experiencing increased suicidal thoughts and other signs of depression two years later.
The University of East Angl rnrnA recent study conducted by Dr. Kenny Chiu and Prof. Argyris Stringaris highlights the importance of early interventions to tackle social anxiety in young people. Dr. Chiu, a Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at UEA’s Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies, emphasized that Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) often starts during adolescence and can cause intense fear and discomfort in social situations. The study also suggests that if left unaddressed, social anxiety symptoms may increase the risk of developing other mental health issues. Prof. Argyris Stringaris, the second author of the study, is a Professor of Child and Adolescent Psych.A psychiatry expert from University College London indicated that dealing with social anxiety at an early stage could be vital in stopping the emergence of suicidal thoughts and other depressive symptoms. The study also found that depressive symptoms after one year partly clarified the link between early social anxiety and later depressive symptoms. Dr. Eleanor Leigh, the last author and MRC Clinician Scientist Fellow at the University of Oxford, emphasized that the results underscore the significant impact of social anxiety on the continuation of depressive symptoms in teenagers.dy is based on a meta-analytic review led by Dr. Eleanor Leigh, Dr. Kenny Chiu, and Dr. Elizabeth Ballard. This review pointed out the lack of long-term research on the connection between social anxiety and suicidal thoughts in teenagers. The study examined data from the Wellcome Trust Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network (NSPN) 2,400 cohort dataset. This research project recruited over 2,400 young individuals aged 14 to 24 from London and Cambridgeshire between 2012 and 2017. The participants were evaluated over a two-year period, initially and then again at a later time.One year later, and the last one at the end of two years.
Dr Chiu stated: “This finding could not have been achieved without the NSPN consortium, which offers reliable data that is accessible to researchers in child and adolescent mental health.”
The research was supported by The Wellcome Trust Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network (NSPN) and was a partnership between UEA, University College London, and the University of Oxford.
