| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/26/2006 4:44:20 PM | | Ive recently been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder after being this way for 12 years. Ive always had trouble looking people in the eye. Always wanted to be alone. Always walked with my head down. I get worried if people are looking at me like work or a mall type place. Wondering if they are thinking bad things about me or talking about me. I get so self concious sometimes that when someone asks me something, i cant come back with a reply fast enough even though its a pretty simple question and i get a weird look for it or an insult at my expense. And yes, im not very good with the opposite sex which pisses me off more then anything cause its been my life. Im turning into a nihilist lol And after reading this...a major sign of depression and what i have is the word "always" being said too much throughout this....So what i have to ask, id prefer people who have it or dealt with it...how do you deal with it? | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/26/2006 5:55:17 PM | Hi there StayAndDrown, go back to who diagnosed you with this disorder and ask for a counsellor who can help you to go through 'socialisation therapy'. Socialisation is a life long process and there is no reason why you can not learn to interact with others in society now in a way that you want to. Even the most confident person faces discomfort in certain situations, they have just learnt how to cope with it, okay?
You just need to be with someone who understands this disorder to assist you how to over come the anxiety. And I say that those people who are rude to you are not a good example of social interactions as they are not displaying any social manners at all.
Go to the library and find books on interacting with others, Libraries are quiet and rarely crowded so you can start talking to the Librarian and then after awhile you will probably come to recognise people who go there at the same time as you and you can start talking to them. Don't think a 12 year way of communicating is going to change quickly, it takes time and practice to bring new behaviours into our life.
Question to ask yourself are;when did I recognise this behaviour? where do I think it came from? what can I do right now to make a change today?
A little tip for learning eye contact, read something in front of a mirror and look up as though you were reading it to someone else and were looking at them. This will assist with the physical lifting of the head to look into people's eyes. Don't wear caps down over your eyes when out, sunglasses cover the eyes and still allow you anonymity from others. And hold your head up high and proud.
Good luck and I wish you nothing but success in this new life challenge. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/26/2006 6:26:06 PM | I have social anxiety too(as well as depression)since I was a teenager(was shy even before that). From what you said, it sounds like mine is not quite as bad as yours, though I can definitely identify with some of the things you said. I don't know exactly what's causing it(could be a number of different things). I went through many years of therapy and nothing much seemed to help(except for relaxation techniques, basically meditation, one can do at home when you have some privacy). Out of all the years of therapy I had, not even one therapist sugested it could stem from a physical problem(hormonal imbalance, mercury toxicity), and all seemed to hammer away at the mental/psychological apspect of it. I feel it was largely a waste of time and money but I know some people say it helps them.
I tried prescription drugs like paxil and zoloft but they didn't help me that I could tell and the side effects were bad and scary(mostly the sexual side effects). I suppose if I planned to become a monk and never have sex again then the side effects would not have been quite so bad.
If I were wealthy and had good health insurance, I'd probably have solved my problems with social anxiety and depression by now(or at least made lots of improvement), but since I am not wealthy and don't have good health insurance, I can't really afford to do the other things I think that might help me(experimenting with supplementation, doctor visits to get hormone tests done, testing for mercury toxicity, etc.). | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/26/2006 7:25:30 PM | | You don't need therapy, and you certainly do not need to start swallowing chemicals. You can overcome the anxiety simply by participating in groups that have public speaking as part of their programs, anything that will get you up in front of others to talk. Examples are business network groups, Optimists, hobby clubs, book clubs, poetry readings, etc. etc. I've seen in my groups people come in who would literally stutter, fail, resort to cue cards, but within a few months were up and running like pros. Practice makes perfect. The only hard part is getting yourself into it the first time - look for a friend or business/work associate that can bring you to such a gathering, they are everywhere. You can do this. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/26/2006 8:05:28 PM | I know that the groups and public speaking thing has helped many people overcome their anxiety, but it didn't help me. I spent several years in group therapy and it caused me a ton of stress and anxiety and I don't feel like it helped me. Part of my individual therapy over the years was to do public speaking, but all that did was cause me huge amounts of stress and probably sent my cortisol levels through the roof and I don't feel like I benefitted from it.
I believe part of my problem is that my social anxiety is tied to a dissatisfaction with the way I look and until I can be satisfied with the way I look(I don't want to look perfect), I don't think I'll be able to fully overcome social anxiety. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/27/2006 3:34:17 AM | @Pittmaster ~ with all due respect, it seems like you really don't know what you're talking about.
@Gentlegiant127 ~ thank you for stating what I just did in a much more polite way....
OP, as someone who has social anxiety, meds in conjunction with therpay CAN help if you have a willing spirit. On the practical side, know what your limitations are and don't expect to much of yourself. I know not to go to the mall on the weekends, not to go places where I'll be exposed to a lot of new people like big parties etc. Pay attention to yourself also ~ if you are planning to go out, make sure you are up for it ~ if not, don't go. My friends know what my limits are and they repsect them. And, if I know that there is something coming up that may cause stress, I prepare for it several days in advance. I recently went away for the weekend on an outing and everybody knew that when I disappeared with my book, I wasn't being rude, I was merely getting myself centered.
I recentlt read a really good article that links shyness to social anxiety and it seems that one of the roots of it all is an inability/discomfort level with small talk. Seems that when the discussion is actually beyond small talk, we do much better. We're just not able to engage in small talk.
Good luck OP. Feel free to message me if you like if you need to talk. It doesn't go away, but it does get easier ~ with a lot of hard work. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/27/2006 4:53:48 AM | | so you would have been 15 when your social anxiety started right(so you were basically just starting your teenager life which brings on many new stresses such as the opposite sex, harder school etc)? Well some people do have chemical imbalances and what not, but keep in mind EVERYONE not just some or many but EVERYONE has feelings of insecurity and fear and any other emotion you can think of. It's not always easy to talk to someone, maybe medication is the answer, maybe therapy, but most likely if you practise just making small talk with people you will find that you'll have more and more confident feelings, more often.(try talking to people who don't make you feel nervous such as little old ladies or sale clerks, or whoever fits that description) In life we can't always control events, but we can control what these things mean to us. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/27/2006 11:33:15 PM | | I pop a xanax before i go out to where there will be many people, this of course goes against my stance on prescription drugs, especially psychiatric drugs but i am unable to afford a psycholigist | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/28/2006 2:38:31 AM | Hey there, what a great bunch of people on this Forum . I ain't no 'little' old lady at 172cm's however, if you want an older ear to chew feel free to use mine. And what great achievable strategies are being offered, go read a book, let friends know, know your limitations. Man these are all strategies that $160 per hour Psychologists would be suggesting to you, I know, work in similar field. So take it on board and give it a go and pretty soon you will find your little niche and piece of peace on the planet.  | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 7/29/2006 10:13:09 PM | | My social anxiety went away after I stopped caring about people. Now I don't get nervous anymore and feel like I'm gonna pass out. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 8/8/2006 5:49:43 AM | | social anxiety disorder exists because of one thing every single person lacks "confidence" it is something you need to build on, some never do, and some find the light at the end of the tunnel | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 9/21/2006 12:11:06 AM | I have social anxiety too. It sucks the big one.
And it's soo hard to battle. I guess I'm trying to face my demons and get out there anyway. We'll see if it works. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 9/21/2006 2:53:32 AM | Hi there, social anxiety comes in many shapes and forms. I come across as being 'very social and out there'. Inside I'm dying a million deaths, read the books, got out there and adapted a 'social self'. Am okay now as long as I know 1 person where I am going.
Hang in there and find your own way and remember you are your own self.
And if I may pass on this statement from our Peter Brock (Aussie V8 Racing Car Driver who died recently) in an interview.
" It is none of my business what other people think about me, it is there business not mine".
I have found this to liberate me from many thoughts I had about others and how they viewed me. I don't even believe my mirror any more LOL | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 9/22/2006 8:52:36 AM | OP-
You may or may not, have some vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Checking them first might be an easier way to go about a process of elimination. Its what I would do before taking any meds.
Hows your diet? Do you get enough protein which is imperative for proper brain function?
Are you lacking calcuim and magnesium? A deficiency in both or one , can cause anxiety. Taking them is like taking a natural tranquilizer.
Do you have an iron deficiency? This can and will cause panic attacks if you are lacking it.
Do you take a good multi vitamin daily? A high quality one will cover all the basics you need. One of those is the vitamin B complex. This complex gives a calming effect, maintains normal nervous system function, and helps with the production of neurotransmitters.
Essential fatty acids. These are outstanding for good brain health . The largest quantity of EFA's are in the brain. It needs them to work properly.
You can buy GABA at any health food store. It is as strong as valuim. Follow the directions with this one, you dont want to take too much.
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/3/2006 9:15:03 AM | I've been dealing with social anxiety my whole life and I used to get really depressed until I just let go of many of my desires, women, money, lot's of friends and just dealt with making myself a better person.
I used to be out of shape and void of any direction drowning in my own self pitty until I set some goals.
First goal I accomplished was quitting smoking.
Second I got into shape.
Third learning "Buddhism" to control the self completely through "meditation" to rid myself of the fears that come with having social anxiety.
I'm rebuilding myself from the ground up, loving myself and not desiring what I don't have but doing all that I can to better myslef.
Self improvement is the only way of dealing with social anxiety which is simple but hard at the same time. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/3/2006 7:02:12 PM | Lotsa good advice here.
Pitmaster is mistaken. This is first and foremost, a metabolic disorder, involving methylation chemistry.
Now, this next statement is going to bother some folks.
Meds are bandaides. They won't effectively treat the underlying issue.
Thats the fact that you have less than stellar absorption in your gut, and may also have one or more enzyme function issues associated with an important pathway that regulates the associated production of GABA, gamma-amino-butyric acid and glutathione. You can directly assist GABA production, which is short circuited via a coenzyme deficit (B6), by using theanine as a supplement, 200 mg, couples times a day (thats an 1/8th teaspoon). What does GABA and its kissing cousin, glutathione need? Ahh. Selenium. Notable in its short in many soils around the world. Ditto for zinc.
In depression, you have a problems in producing correct quantities of we call the indoleamines, serotonin and melatonin, that happens in liver and brain. The single most important cofactor: B6. And it needs zinc to do its moleular boogey.
To correct this, you need: B6 (60 mg, in two doses preferrably P5P which also needs B2 for correct function), B12, zinc chelate, vitamin C and selenium methionate. Two more items: sam-e and TMG.
That comment about getting out? Literally, you also need sunshine, in doses of 20 min, every other day. If not, use lightbox therapy. In the morning. This corrects vitamin D3 metabolism deficiency. You can also try adding D3 itself (buy it in the allergen free version).
This kind of post will piss off a lot of physicans, who would rather keep you on meds for many years. Y'all are a good source of revenue; built in clientele.
Welcome to my world: orthomolecular medicine with a twist.
Hint: ain't gonna see this recommendation very many other places...unless you look for related mood disorders: autism, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Think of it as a sliding scale of enzymatic mishaps (stops) on the connected molecular ride between liver and brain: leaving transulfonation station on the Methylation RR. All Aboard! | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/4/2006 6:33:14 AM | | dont ya just love holistic medicine that can cure every thing from mental disorders to musculoskeletal problems to chronic inflammatory issues...geeesh....doctors sure have duped us all these years..... | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/4/2006 8:46:42 AM | *laughing* Linus Pauling, a holistic medicine man. Ya, right.
Big Pharma *loves* dupes like you. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/4/2006 11:38:36 AM | for me I dont like large crowds I get really worked up and wnat to go home and I panic. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/4/2006 11:55:27 AM | This is one of the better websites with information on what social anxiety disorder is, how it can be successfully treated (usually by cognitive-bahavioral therapy, CBT), how to find CBT groups for social anxiety disorder, and a pageful of helpful links.
http://www.socialphobia.org/whatis.html | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/4/2006 4:02:02 PM | | I feel like I'm comming outta my skin in public places, I feel like screaming, running..I'm going to check out this site thank you.. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/5/2006 6:10:38 PM | | I’ve been on a similar path as dreamfavor mentions above. It seems to be working for me. Good to hear that someone else has found the buddhist approach to be effective as well. | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/11/2006 3:34:11 AM | | Thankks to the original post I can now put a name to what I have been feeling for 3 years | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/11/2006 12:11:09 PM | Sombient - can you put that in English that I can understand? Just tell me what vitamins and how much, don't confuse me with all that other stuff.
Thanks,
Fry | |
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| Social Anxiety Disorder
Posted: 10/11/2006 12:31:50 PM | There is no single known cause of social anxiety disorder, but research suggests that biological, psychological and environmental factors may play a role in its development.
* Biological: Social anxiety disorder may be related to an imbalance of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Neurotransmitters are special chemical messengers that help move information from nerve cell to nerve cell in the brain. If the neurotransmitters are out of balance, messages cannot get through the brain properly. This can alter the way the brain reacts to stressful situations, leading to anxiety. In addition, social anxiety disorder appears to run in families. This means that the disorder may be passed on in families through genes, the material that contains instructions for the function of each cell in the body.
* Psychological: The development of social anxiety disorder may stem from an embarrassing or humiliating experience at a social event in the past.
* Environmental: People with social anxiety disorder may develop their fear from observing the behavior of others or seeing what happened to someone else as the result of their behavior (such as being laughed at or made fun of). Further, children who are sheltered or overprotected by their parents may not learn good social skills as part of their normal development.
Treatment options.....
The most effective therapy currently available is cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT). In some cases, medication may also be used to help ease the symptoms of social anxiety disorder so that CBT is more effective.
* Cognitive-behavior therapy: The goal of CBT is to guide the person's thoughts in a more rational direction and help the person stop avoiding situations that once caused anxiety. It teaches people to react differently to the situations that trigger their anxiety symptoms. Therapy may include systematic desensitization or real life exposure to the feared situation. With systematic desensitization, the person imagines the frightening situation and works through his or her fears in a safe and relaxed environment, such as the therapist's office. Real life exposure gradually exposes the person to the situation but with the support of the therapist.
* Medication: There are several different types of medications used to treat social anxiety disorder, including: antidepressants, like Paxil; tranquilizers (benzodiazepines), such as Xanax, Librium, Valium, and Ativan; beta-blockers, often used to treat heart conditions, may also be used to minimize certain physical symptoms of anxiety, such as shaking and rapid heartbeat.
Counseling to improve self-esteem and social skills, as well as relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, may also help a person deal with social anxiety disorder.
Hope this helps | |
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