London: It is a familiar problem — a crowded party, a group of strangers, and increasing levels of anxiety as small talk dries up. But for those who suffer from blushing and shyness, help could soon be at hand in Britain. The NHS is considering offering drugs or even surgery to treat such conditions.
The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) is drawing up plans to treat people it claims suffer from social anxiety disorder. Nice says that one in eight people suffers from the disorder, and is considering whether the health service should fund therapy, treatment, or surgery to prevent blushing.
But the body stood accused of attempting to "medicalise" basic human characteristics, and pouring money into the pockets of drug companies, regardless of the bill for taxpayers.
Plans drawn up by Nice say that about 12 per cent of the population suffers from social anxiety disorder at some point in their life that leaves sufferers fearful in many social situations, such as meeting new people, talking to authority figures, parties and "performance situations", such as making speeches.
Dr Joanna Moncrieff, a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer at University College London, said she was "extremely concerned" that so many common fears were being treated as symptoms of medical disorders.
"Some people will find parties and public speaking more difficult than others, but I think it can be extremely damaging to label them with a medical disorder that needs treatment. Effectively that is telling people that they can't deal with things themselves," she said.
