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Post by silentamour on Jan 13, 2007 21:56:42 GMT -5
Has anyone been diagnosed with this? I am a 15 year old girl and I was diagnosed with moderate-severe social anxiety disorder over the summer by my psycologist who was treating me for depression and suicide. He offered me medicines, but I'd rather be myself than be forced to be outgoing by chemicals.
Does anyone else agree with this? Debates?
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Post by albetross on Jan 13, 2007 23:06:19 GMT -5
yeah, I was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder about three years ago. I was put on meds but while my friends and family said I was improving with them I also became suicidal from them so I stoped taking them and I stoped going to my psycoligist
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Post by MrNice on Jan 14, 2007 0:13:38 GMT -5
i was not diagnosed with a social anxiety disorder however I am quite sure I can find all necessary symptoms I am against using drugs of any sort, but I have some thoughts - don't think in terms of being forced to be outgoing or having some sort of disorder - just think about what you want to do, if you can do it, whether the anxiety causes unhappiness
the goal is for you to have a better life - if you become more outgoing and have a better life because of it, why is that wrong?
maybe you are outgoing, but you have some issues that prevent you from really being yourself, some fears, like the social anxiety
you are probably more outgoing with some people and less outgoing with others - there is no permanent level of outgoingness that is defined by 'yourself' so to speak
for you right now forcing yourself to be outgoing seems uncomfortable and painful - so you say that its not being yourself but if you enjoyed being outgoing then you would not want to go back to your old self
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shysinger
New Member
I'm a firm believer in the impossible.
Posts: 29
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Post by shysinger on Jan 14, 2007 0:51:26 GMT -5
I was never diagnosed with SAD but I'm quite sure I had it. I had panic attacks, and felt extremely uncomfortable in social situations. I remember starting a new job and having to say hi and chat in the coffee room to be polite. I stammered like crazy I was so nervous. I did have friends, but I was only really close to a few. I would get invited to parties by people at work and stuff, but seldom went. I would even walk into a restaurant and walk out before ordering because I felt so self-conscious. You note I am saying this mostly in past tense because I have, amazingly, overcome much of this, without the help of drugs. I suppose my journey of recovery began with my realization that I was really scared of what other people thought of me - so much so I tried in every way I could to please them. I suppose I was afraid that if they saw who I really was they'd realize I wasn't good enough. It all sounds really easy in words but when you feel like this it's not like you can change your thinking over night. It's a process. I suggest starting with morning pages. Morning pages is something Julia Cameron recommends in "The Artist's Way". You're supposed to write 3 pages of stream-of-consciousness every morning... whatever is in your mind, and if you can't think of anything to write about, you write about that. For me it took quite a while to feel like that was doing anything, but, as I filled notebook after notebook, I started to realize how negative my thinking was. That was my first real awareness that the world I inhabited was created by my thoughts. The second thing that happened... was that I started to hear my own small quiet voice. I found myself saying to myself, 'well, what do I think about that'... 'would you like to do that?' I used the creative process (the tasks in the Artist's Way) to explore what I like and don't like, what I feel about things, what I think, who I am. Although I'm still not always comfortable in social situations, I'm far more confident now. My suggestion to you is that you explore your creative talents and play with things that are fun or meaningful. Because of the Artist's Way, I started painting - nothing earth shattering, but I enjoy it. I play at writing music and playing guitar, and stuff like that. I'm more interested in my life, happier with who I am, and I think that helps me approach social situations without so much dread. I think that if the depression is severe, sometimes drugs may be necessary to correct an imbalance in the body. It's just a temporary measure though. Counselling is important - I'd suggest music therapy or art therapy if it's available. Try to find creative activities that you enjoy. You might also try having a gratitude journal... and set yourself a goal of finding 5 or 10 things every day that you're grateful for... I'm grateful for... SHY united, Tom Hanks movies, green tea, honey, walks in the snow, singing, naps, long hot baths.... just my two cents cheers shysinger
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Post by melissaqu on Jan 14, 2007 13:24:46 GMT -5
That was a really nice entry shysinger I diagnosed myself with Social Anxiety Disorder. I went to the doctor to see if I should go on medicine and they agreed that I had this. I'm finally off of the medicine though and seeing a therapist helps. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a good way of changing the way you think with social anxiety. It forces you to think otherwise, it takes some work though. I believe that if you want to work at being healed, it could work, you just have to be patient and learn from yourself and others around you.
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Post by huskydawg on Feb 2, 2007 2:26:44 GMT -5
How does cognitive therapy work with social anxiety? I can see how it'd work for depression and feeling worthless, but I can't seem to calm myself down anticipating speaking in front of others (my heart gets racy) even when I analyze the situation clearly rather than in a distorted way. Usually it doesn't turn out that badly but the buildup to the point where I have to speak drives me nuts.
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Post by Sweet Pea on Feb 2, 2007 11:01:49 GMT -5
here's a little write up about CBT on the site of a clinic that treats anxiety disorder that might explain how it can help. www.uh.edu/anxiety/cbt.htm
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Post by melissaqu on Feb 2, 2007 17:13:53 GMT -5
That's a good website to check out. There are a lot of ways that it can help with social anxiety. I'm doing it right now. It's a slow process, but each week I feel a little bit more confident, and a little bit more bold. It's really hard to do if you don't want to actually put yourself in the field of what makes you anxious. Like us socially anxious people, we really don't want to be in a room full of people right? CBT helps in ways that would change your thinking of what might happen so that you can eventually build up the courage to walk into that room. I hope that was helpful!
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Post by lennythegiant on Mar 20, 2007 21:33:35 GMT -5
Never went to get an actual diagnosis, but I wouldn't be surprised if I do have it. I'm definitely not normal, that's for sure.
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Post by melissaqu on Mar 24, 2007 17:26:18 GMT -5
You can totally have SAD and be normal! It just means we have difficulties in some areas, but who doesn't?
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Post by cradith on Apr 9, 2007 13:21:51 GMT -5
I have always been anxious in social situations, after my Mum passed away I started having panic attacks and was put on meds and sent to counselling. I went off my meds a few times to see if I was getting better or if it was the meds. I went back on after the birth of my son I got post partum and my worrying was getting out of control. I have now accepted the fact that I will be on them for a while. I am not big on taking meds but right now it is better than the alternative.
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Post by melissaqu on Apr 13, 2007 18:41:07 GMT -5
I was talking with a social worker at my job and she was encouraging me to go back on medication AND do therapy at the same time. I worked so hard getting off the medication, and I feel alright, so it would be like going backwards for me to go back on them. I just feel like the medicine helped me as much as it could, and now the rest is up to me. I have nothing against medication, in fact I think some of them are wonderful in helping people, but I'm not at the point in my life where I want to be controlled anymore. I think the therapy program I'm in now is going to help me overcome social anxiety with out medication. I feel the same way now as I did when I was on Lexapro so what's the difference? Too much pressure.
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Post by Orionation on Apr 21, 2007 15:22:18 GMT -5
Yes I have been diagnosed with severe social anxiety disorder. I've been trying a lot of meds but nothing has done anything for me yet. I recommend trying to get into a social anxiety therapy group if you can ... a group of several socially anxious people with a therapist. I'm trying to get into one now and I've heard it can work wonders ... just make sure you have health insurance so you dont go broke
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Post by xnickx on Apr 26, 2007 18:37:01 GMT -5
I gotta get checked out for this.
I'm nervous in any scenario where more than 3 people are present,take going shopping one time i got so crowded that i just ran and knocked 3 people over in the process =/
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Post by Sweet Pea on Apr 26, 2007 18:49:26 GMT -5
I gotta get checked out for this. I'm nervous in any scenario where more than 3 people are present,take going shopping one time i got so crowded that i just ran and knocked 3 people over in the process =/ wow...did you panic?
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