A study published Friday in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry reveals that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), rather than pharmacological or other types of interventions, may be the most effective acute treatment for individuals with social anxiety disorder.

The results from this study are important in the proper treatment of individuals with social anxiety disorder, a chronic disease that can cause significant impairment in daily life. “Social anxiety is more than just shyness,” said lead author Dr. Evan Mayo-Wilson of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in a recent statement. “People with this disorder can experience severe impairment, from shunning friendships to turning down promotions at work that would require increased social interaction.”

Researchers of the study, led by Mayo-Wilson performed a network meta-analysis on studies involving adults with social anxiety disorder, collecting and analyzing data spanning 25 years worth of studies from 101 trials and totaling 13,164 participants.

Results indicated that CBT was the most effective treatment out of several different types of talk therapy. Researchers also recommend against selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most commonly used antidepressants, due to severe side effects and lack of long-term improvement. “The good news from our study is that social anxiety is treatable. Now that we know what works best, we need to improve access to psychotherapy for those who are suffering.”

According to the statement, CBT is a type of treatment that emphasizes the healthy associations between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors within individuals. Researchers state that CBT helps people overcome constantly evading social situations.

“Greater investment in psychological therapies would improve quality of life, increase workplace productivity, and reduce healthcare costs,” said Mayo-Wilson. “The healthcare system does not treat mental health equitably, but meeting demand isn’t simply a matter of getting insurers to pay for psychological services. We need to improve infrastructure to treat mental health problems as the evidence shows they should be treated. We need more programs to train clinicians, more experienced supervisors who can work with new practitioners, more offices, and more support staff.”