Social Anxiety Disorder

[DesertWolf]

Thought I'd post this informative video about social anxiety disorder. People often have it without knowing it, and go through a lifetime not knowing that things don't have to be this way for them.

[video=youtube]

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

Thanks for the video. I will watch it in a second.

I have been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, and can answer any questions about it, if anybody has any? My SA used to be a lot worse than it is now - I used to not be able to go into stores without a panic attack. Now I can go shopping, go to concerts, ride the bus, attend college, and attend social events when possible, etc.

It has been a lot of hard work, though, and a lot of desensitization. I still haven't gotten over my SA with women, to the point where I can try to make a move...but that is another matter.

 

[DesertWolf]

My SA used to be a lot worse than it is now - I used to not be able to go into stores without a panic attack. Now I can go shopping, go to concerts, ride the bus, attend college, and attend social events when possible, etc.

It has been a lot of hard work, though, and a lot of desensitization. I still haven't gotten over my SA with women, to the point where I can try to make a move...but that is another matter.

I too have been diagnosed with social anxiety. It varies in intensity over the months depending on how depressed I am, whether I have had any negative or positive encounters, etc. Some days the anxiety would cripple me to the point where I couldn't approach a staff member at a store to ask him a question, yet on some other ones I could give a presentation to a group of people without too much stress.

 

[Masson]

I usually don't have a problem when it comes to doing something be it a social activity or what not , what really triggers my anxiety is the thought of having to talk to people. From experience I know I don't cope well with meeting someone new and because of that I just avoid it. And for some reason it has gotten a bit worse in the last month...I'm at a point right now that I don't even know how to interact with people anymore , I mostly just stay and listen to what my friends say and go "mhm" , "yeah" just random sounds to show that I hear them.
That internal fear of rejection is so big that I cannot be myself around anyone and just create this mask of someone I'm not and I cant control it. So many mixed thoughts go daily through my head that its getting hard to even be myself when I'm alone.

 

[Felix]

Stop caring what others think of you! Your fear is based on you being percieved by others as an akward/creepy/stupid/ugly/disgusting/perverted/whatever individual!

Repeat... "I give a honeysuckle, I give a honeysuckle, I give a honeysuckle..." over and over and you'll be fine!

Been doing that and it kind of worked a bit

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

If I give a honeysuckle, obviously I care what people think of me...wouldn't it be the other way around? LOL

 

[Murmur]

I have Social Anxiety and rarely leave the house. That's just the way it is.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

I used to be that way, before I got on medication and got some CBT.

Granted, I still have a lot of fears. But I'm able to socialize a bit, and leave the house and go to the store.

It was so bad at one point that I was promised a new phone by my mom (I was 24 at the time), and I sat outside the Verizon store and couldn't go in. My mom had to go in and get my phone for me, that's how bad it was. And I was looking forward to picking it out myself.

Now, I went into the Verizon store to get a new smartphone a year ago, and picked everything out myself and was able to ask questions. And a week ago, my screen protector broke, so I went back there and bought some new ones.

 

[joejoeyjoseph]

I used to be that way, before I got on medication and got some CBT.

Granted, I still have a lot of fears. But I'm able to socialize a bit, and leave the house and go to the store.

It was so bad at one point that I was promised a new phone by my mom (I was 24 at the time), and I sat outside the Verizon store and couldn't go in. My mom had to go in and get my phone for me, that's how bad it was. And I was looking forward to picking it out myself.

Now, I went into the Verizon store to get a new smartphone a year ago, and picked everything out myself and was able to ask questions. And a week ago, my screen protector broke, so I went back there and bought some new ones.

Congratulations man! That's really good progress. Right on.

 

[sunshinemisa]

I just want to say thank you for the information on this topic. I always though of myself as someone with high anxiety, but now I believe I have to a degree some social anxiety. It's not extreme where I can't leave the house but, I do recognize some characteristics. I searched for information and some self testing and according to these tests, I scored "high" for social anxiety.

I have a question if anyone can help, it would be greatly appreciated. In the past year I have accepted that people wil always talk and that I don't care about that anymore. But, that doesn't mean that I don't have some anxiety, just not high anxiety like before. So the question is, do you think that seeing someone about this will help ? Does anyone have some advice?

 

[joejoeyjoseph]

I have a question if anyone can help, it would be greatly appreciated. In the past year I have accepted that people wil always talk and that I don't care about that anymore. But, that doesn't mean that I don't have some anxiety, just not high anxiety like before. So the question is, do you think that seeing someone about this will help ? Does anyone have some advice?

This guy's talks are amazing. He kind of sounds like Winnie The Pooh though and some people can't get past that... Anyway, if you have some down time, give it a listen, it's free also.
The Six Fears - Rodney Smith

 

[sunshinemisa]

I have a question if anyone can help, it would be greatly appreciated. In the past year I have accepted that people wil always talk and that I don't care about that anymore. But, that doesn't mean that I don't have some anxiety, just not high anxiety like before. So the question is, do you think that seeing someone about this will help ? Does anyone have some advice?

This guy's talks are amazing. He kind of sounds like Winnie The Pooh though and some people can't get past that... Anyway, if you have some down time, give it a listen, it's free also.
The Six Fears - Rodney Smith

Thanks JoeJoeyJoseph!

 

[DFURY7]

Another one with SA right here. It used to be alot more severe a few years back. It was to the point where I couldn't go to the mall,big stores,school basically any crowded place without having a mini panic attack. Id get dizzy,light headed,hot/sweaty,cold hands and flat out uncomfortable. It was a miserable experience but through mental and physical conditioning I have come a long way with it. It was so bad to the point where I never thought I would be able to hold a job because my anxiety attacks in public. I still get a little nervous around a group of new people or talking to a female that Im attracted to but thats pretty much normal for everyone,I quickly get comfortable with the situation.

For some people seeing a shrink and taking meds is the only thing that really helps. I did neither and just started doing alot of exorcising because my doctor told me it would help with my anxiety,it has to an amazing level.