The study aimed to evaluate the clinical response to venlafaxine in social phobia in 12 patients who were non-responders to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and to assess how the response could be influenced by the comorbidity in Axis II with avoidant personality disorder (APD). The duration of the study was of 15 weeks using open flexible doses regimen in individuals with or without concomitant APD. The venlafaxine dose ranged from 112.5 mg/day to 187.5 mg/day. Venlafaxine improves social phobia and/or APD symptomatology, as demonstrated by decreasing Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale total scores (P < 0.05). In fact, venlafaxine significantly reduced the avoidant behaviour and specific sociophobic aspects, while notably improving the depression dimension and the basic anxiety symptoms. With regard to tolerability, the profile of venlafaxine was satisfactory with the main side-effects being nausea, headache and anxiety.