This woman is sharing her experience in an online newsgroup -- which, in this case, is not a gathering spot for outcasts who are on the brink of violent acts, but for those who are painfully shy. Here they can safely confide in each other -- from a distance -- about how difficult it is to voice their opinions, ask someone out on a date or, on a more serious note, keep on living. Shyness can be a minor part of a personality or something that can cripple a person's life. Some become so afraid of everyday situations -- like being introduced to others, being the center of attention or having to speak in front of a group -- that they withdraw completely. But where shyness ends and social phobia begins is a tough call.

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According to the Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Association, social phobia (or social anxiety disorder) is the third most common psychiatric problem. Although it can start during childhood, social phobia usually takes hold sometime between the ages of 15 and 20, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. The treatment of those afflicted is a big market that could be served medically if someone started producing a magic pill, or at least advertised it that way. Especially since reports from the Indiana University Southeast Shyness Research Institute and pioneering shyness psychologist Philip Zimbardo of Stanford University show that shyness is on the rise. And as technology grows, and more and more aspects of society become automated -- as ATM machines replace tellers and online ticketing replaces travel agents -- doctors like Bernardo Carducci predict there will be more people without social skills.

So when the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved Paxil, normally used as an antidepressant, as the first official drug to treat social anxiety disorder, shyness specialists started speaking up. The drug, which is said to reduce anxiety, has been a godsend to people whose lives are often paralyzed. In fact, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last August reported that it was effective. Paxil belongs to a class of anti-depressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI); it works by inhibiting the reabsorption of serotonin -- which is a neurotransmitter that sends electrical signals from one neuron to the next -- in the brain. This ends up increasing serotonin levels, which affects mood. Although psychiatrists routinely prescribe anti-depressant drugs like Paxil, Zoloft and Prozac to those with social phobia/shyness, companies like SmithKline Beechem couldn't promote it using that information. Now that SmithKline has the official FDA stamp of approval, it allows the company to start mass-marketing the benefits of the drug to the quieter set of our population.

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