Most people experience some amount of anxiety in their lives.  But some are so anxious that they cannot go to work without having an anxiety attack or they feel physically ill from nerves at the thought of going to the grocery store.  For millions of people, these feelings are a reality.  They are locked in a lonely world of anxiety and fear.  And what they fear most is other people.

AFRAID OF PEOPLE, airing on public television stations between April 2002 - 2003 (check local listings), is a one-hour documentary narrated by Donny Osmond that follows the lives of five extraordinary people - including Dr. Barbara Markway - who have been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder.  People with this disorder are not just shy; they have an intense fear of being scrutinized or humiliated by others.  Social situations of any kind can cause intense anxiety in sufferers and, in extreme cases, they withdraw from society altogether.  In the program, viewers learn about the symptoms, emotions and challenges those with social anxiety disorder face and about the treatments available to help people on their road to recovery.

Although it is the third largest mental illness in our country - after depression and substance abuse - social anxiety disorder was only identified in the mid- 1980s.  It affects over 10-million people in the U.S., yet took decades for the disorder to be recognized by the medical community.  Until recently, little was known about this disorder, let alone how it could be treated and even detected; but research conducted in the last few years has shed new light on social anxiety disorder and with this research has come new hope.

It is very frightening for people who suffer from this disorder to tell their story in front of cameras - and this may be the reason there has never been a documentary made on the subject.  Finding people to participate in the program took months, but finally Pam, Barb, James, Kayla and Chris made the difficult decision to share their stories in the hopes of helping others.  Their struggles and triumphs demonstrate that with determination, courage, patience and proper care, social anxiety disorder is something that can be conquered.

Pam is in the middle of trying to get better, James has just recently made the decision to seek help, Chris has been in treatment for five years and considers himself 90 percent better and Barb, after struggling with recovery for many years, has finally learned to accept that coping with social anxiety is a daily struggle.  The program also explores the story of Kayla, a seven-year-old girl whose social anxiety has caused her to withdraw and stop speaking at school.

AFRAID OF PEOPLE traces social anxiety disorder in these individuals from the beginning through treatment and recovery.  They share their pain about growing up with a disorder that often went unrecognized and untreated, and explains their relief knowing there was a name for what they had.  Each is at a different stage of their fight, yet their common experiences bond them.

Performer Donny Osmond, who personally struggles with this disorder, is an advocate for millions of Americans who share his suffering - many of whom do not know there is a name and diagnosis for their intense social anxiety.

Excerpts of interview with Donny Osmond

Produced in 2001, AFRAID OF PEOPLE is supplied by Randall Productions, Inc. and presented by American Public Television through the Exchange service at no cost to public television stations nationwide.

Video tape copies of the documentary can be ordered by contacting Freedom from Fear.