Preface

For the first half of my life, I experienced severe social anxiety disorder. I was a confused, miserable reprobate. As a promising young actor, I was given every opportunity to succeed. I let my condition sabotage my success through substance abuse, promiscuity, and a total disregard for anyone who offered to help. I was unable or unwilling to establish, develop, or maintain healthy relationships, and my social life consisted of partying with B-list celebrities and insinuating myself into their success.

At midlife, I chose a different path. I returned to the university, earned my degree in the humanities, and became a behaviorist specializing in what is still nicknamed the “neglected anxiety disorder.” This is because few therapists have the expertise to tackle what field experts consider the most underrated, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed disorder. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is manipulative and intractable, sustained by the irrational thoughts and behaviors of the roughly 360 million individuals caught in its densely interconnected network of fear and avoidance of social and performance situations. The fear is so intense that even the thought of going out in public can trigger high levels of anxiety and panic.

Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things a socially anxious individual will ever do. It takes enormous courage and the realization that they are of value, consequential, and deserve to be happy. My goal in life is to alleviate the symptoms of social anxiety for anyone who has the commitment and determination to recover.

Robert F. Mullen, Ph.D.