Cognitive behavioral therapy is more effective and more likely to have longer lasting effects after treatment has stopped, in comparison with medication, for combating social anxiety disorder, a new study finds. The new research suggests that talk therapy, in contrast to antidepressants, the most common treatment used for social anxiety disorder, is best for the common anxiety disorder.

Social anxiety, a psychiatric condition that includes intense and sometimes debilitating fear and avoidance of social situation, affects nearly 13 percent of Americans and Europeans. Many individuals suffering from this disorder never receive treatments. Those who do receive treatment often end up with medication, which is more accessible and because there is a shortage of trained psycotherapists.

The study findings, a network meta-analysis that collected and analyzed data from 101 clinical trials comparing the various type of medication and talk therapy, are published online in the September 26 issue of The Lancet Psychiatry.

Evan Mayo-Wilson, DPhil, study leader and a research scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in a statement, “Social anxiety is more than just shyness.” He continued, “People with this disorder can experience severe impairment, from shunning friendships to turning down promotions at work that would require increased social interaction. 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.”

The study analyzed data from 13,164 participants in 101 clinical trials. All of the participants suffered from severe, longstanding social anxiety. Approximately 9,000 participants received a placebo pill or medication, while over 4,000 received psychological intervention.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 15 million, or 6.8 percent, suffer from social anxiety disorder, which is equally common among men and women and often starts at around age 13.