inhibitor (SNRI), is currently used in the treatment of taijin kyofusho and has been shown to be efficacious for the related social anxiety disorder. The primary aspect of treating this disorder is getting patients to focus their attention on their body parts and sensations. Prevalence Typically, this disease is presaged by a childhood history of social inhibition and shyness. It is possible that it could result from a humiliating traumatic experience, or it could emerge from a lifelong onset of the illness that only comes to the surface after time. Clinical data indicates that more males have the condition than females, despite the fact that females scored higher on a social phobia scale than men, and report higher scores on proclivity towards feelings of embarrassment. This differs from Western society where the prevalence of females with social phobias is to some extent greater than that of males. The lifetime prevalence of the disorder falls anywhere between 3% and 13% with changes in severity occurring throughout one's lifetime. It is estimated that about 17% of individuals with taijin kyofusho have fears of releasing foul body odor. See also Anthropophobia Avoidant personality disorder Hikikomori NEET Obsessive–compulsive disorder References Further reading External links http://www.japanpowered.com/japan-culture/taijin-kyofusho-the-disorder-of-fear http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp204-us12/2012/07/20/taijin-kyofusho-in-japan-and-south-korea/ http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/ciswp/khughes/papers/psychopathology.pdf http://jcc.sagepub.com/content/43/2/219.abstract Anxiety disorders Culture-bound syndromes Society of Japan Japanese words and phrases Phobias