Mood disorder may affect 3.2pc of public
Thousands of lives across HK are being disrupted by the anxiety condition
An estimated 110,000 people in Hong Kong may suffer from social anxiety disorder (SAD) - a common, but frequently ignored, mood complaint that can devastate sufferers' social lives.
The figure was based on a telephone poll of 3,006 people aged between 15 and 45 carried out by the Chinese University between March 11 and 25.
It found that 3.2 per cent of people had symptoms of the disorder, a rate comparable with other countries.
The study was the first of its kind in Hong Kong.
SAD sufferers can experience symptoms including a raised heartbeat, trembling, blushing and stuttering when in social situations. They typically shun social gatherings and daily activities involving other people because of overwhelming feelings of anxiety.
The study found that people with SAD were 1.8 times more likely than others to be unemployed.
It also indicated that 74 per cent of SAD sufferers felt extremely anxious when speaking with their supervisors or people in high positions - compared with 16 per cent of people without the disorder.
Sixty per cent of sufferers said they became extremely nervous when speaking in front of groups of people, compared with 13.6 per cent of unaffected people. Psychiatry professor Lee Sing, who headed the research team, warned that sufferers who failed to receive early treatment could eventually develop depression, a key factor in many suicides.
The findings showed that, similar to other mental diseases, women were more prone to developing SAD, at a ratio of 1 to 1.5.
Sixty-five per cent of all SAD sufferers were aged between 30 and 45, with symptoms beginning on average at 19.6 years of age.
Professor Lee said SAD seriously disrupted sufferers' daily routines.
'Some patients are too scared to ask the driver to stop when they are riding a bus. They always stay on until it reaches the bus terminal and take a long walk to their destination.'
Professor Lee said the disorder was caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
People raised in traditional Chinese families who were discouraged from speaking out or expressing their views in public were particularly vulnerable.
Clinical psychologist Kathleen Kwok Pik-san said SAD could be easily distinguished from shyness, as the mood disorder seriously disturbed victims' daily activities.
Ms Kwok said statistics showed 17 per cent of SAD patients also suffered from depression and 19 per cent were alcoholic.
She said the disorder could be treated with a combination of drugs and cognitive behavioural therapy.
