Social Anxiety Disorder

Ludi · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

frankthetank, I have social anxiety, part of anxiety disorder. I take Cymbalta, an antidepressant, which helps but I still need to put effort into being social. I don't think there is a magic bullet, but any medication which effectively treats anxiety disorder should help with social anxiety. You just need to try them until you get one which works. It takes 4 - 6 weeks to see if the med is working, so this can be a long process. Most important, you need to find a physician you trust who will help you with this. Not a psychologist - but a general practitioner or a psychiatrist. (MD, not phD).

That's in my experience and opinion.
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Ludi · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

PenultimateManStanding · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:40 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

I had that for a while in my late teens. I didn't want to go out or face anyone. As a permanent condition it's pretty frightening. My prayers go out to you Frank. Just remember those hot Brazilian chics, if your wife isn't hot enough. I imagine she probably is, so quit whining. Learn to enjoy what you have.
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catbox · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

Yup, find a good psyche nurse practitioner, I had to after I stopped drinking. I never knew what was underneath my drinking self until I stopped. But anxiety was the major thing that came along with my withdrawal syndrome. I have a feeling it was there all along. Also, I have some bi-polar attributes....not full blown, but some there. I am only in my first 15 months of sobriety (no AA for me) so my brain and nervous system are just starting to heal up. I do know that social anxiety for me has gone down in the last year. I can actually stand in line at a store without feeling like running out or passing out. Still hard to speak with people 1:1 at times.
I think being around people has helped a bunch too. When the anxiety was at it's worst, I was craving being around people because I thought I was going nuts (withdrawal syndrome kicked in and I had no idea what was up!). I think, somehow, making that step to be around people helped me in an odd way....I do know drinking was beginning to shut me off from the world and my family, but also made it so I could go out..see music in a crowd, etc....

So, a few things I still use when I am heading into crowded situations or other social deals where I am still a bit fearful (fear is the culprit!) I take Theanine.....the stuff found in green tea that calms you. Also I pop a few Calms Forte. Natural calmers! They have been good for me! Stop by any vitamin store to check this stuff out...ask questions too and be open about what's up. As far as "meds" go...they effect everyone differently. I have tried all the ad's when I was loaded, didn't work...., and I've tried some while sober...only making my feel wired and more anxiety ridden....thus....not really working for me and my possible BP stuff. So far I have decided to go the natural route and up my omega 3 intake....I believe it's helping!

Overall, what has helped get me to feeling pretty good is the bicycle, A good healthy diet. Vitamins and minerals, and a sleep routine that I stick to every day. Therapy has been good too. I have also really had good luck with acupuncture! As of late, I've tossed in massage....the cranial stuff is amazing!....also realized I have TMJ going on and this helps that and the anxiety.

I know I've gone overboard here...but I know anxiety due to it being there in a big way the last 15 months....maybe life long?
Seek some help! You'll be glad you did.

catbox
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threadbear · Expert Joined: Jan 22, 2005 Posts: 7783

Hey Frank, You're communicating with a bunch of people who spend more time in a virtual community than a real one. They're also among the first to see problems looming on the horizon. i would hazard a guess that at least 50% are in the same boat.

Unfortunately for those so "gifted" anxiety has survival value. I love the expression "survival of the fittest", implying resiliency and strength, the dominant lion on the savannah type. In fact, the people most likely to survive a cataclysm are the shy, anxious, gazelles, literally afraid of their own shadows.

Unfortunately, these people seem to cluster, or marry one another, so their children get the full genetic burden/gift. An adaptive state,can become maladaptive, in that case. It sounds like your grandmother could have been the result of a union like this.

I'm not terribly socially anxious, but have had anxieties and phobias, most of my life and was socially anxious in my teens. I think the most important thing for those who are socially anxious is to take mild medication, if necessary, but also be involved with others in situations that encourage self transcendence. If you have a hobby you love and you are engaging with others who have the same passion, self recedes into the woodwork, letting your soul and spirit enjoy the event, uninhibited and unimpeded.

Thanks for sharing yourself with us. More light should be shed on the personality traits attendant with anxiety that stalk peak oil forums. Smile

perdition79 · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

So now we can use the term "Social Anxiety Disorder" for hermits and paranoid shut-ins. I love America.

To anybody who thinks they have "Social Anxiety Disorder" or any other excuse to take prescription drugs, here's a little motivational pep talk for ya:

You're the center of your own universe, but guess what: nobody's out to get you, you're not important enough to be a threat to anyone else. Life is cheap, and yours is no exception. To about 6.5 billion people, you exist only as an object to be exploited. Get over yourself, get out of your suburbanized, cookie-cutter life, head downtown, park the car and walk around a bit. Enjoy your community. Stare at beautiful women, eat delicious food at small restaurants, go to concerts, listen to a crazy homeless street preacher for five minutes. Enjoy your life. These carefree days are few and fleeting. When TSHTF, will you look back wistfully at simple pleasures in your town, or will you remember days of popping pills to make you numb, sitting around watching television and playing on the internet? Christ, should this even be an issue at this website? We are the 1 percent of people who KNOW that these are the best days we'll ever see in our lives, and some among us are avoiding life? Come on!

That said, I'm done paying my bills, so I'm heading to downtown St. Petersburg, five minutes drive from my apartment, to pay $1 for parking, walk around while eating a chicken parm sandwich, stare at women, buy some records, maybe see a $15 concert by a band I've never heard of. Crazy street preacher is probably asleep in Williams Park right now, so no ranting about our eternal damnation. No drugs, no alcohol, no pharmaceutical goodies; just pure, uncut life. Mainline some while you still have the chance.
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Chris25 · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:04 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

WildRose · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1092

Frank, I had my share of social phobia in my younger years. I was quite overweight as a youngster and endured a lot of ridicule. Then, when I'd finally had enough of that, I started running and got into really good shape and then had a different problem - too much attention from the opposite sex! For me, this led to social anxiety, especially in situations where I had to mix with a lot of people I didn't know. I am still more comfortable with smaller groups and one-on-one, but I have gradually learned to navigate the larger group situations with relative ease.

What has helped me is taking the initiative with a stranger by imagining that he or she is just as uncomfortable as I am about making small talk. I got so used to doing this that my kids, when they were younger, would comment on the friendly conversations they witnessed between me and the bank teller or the lady beside us in the doctor's waiting room. Then I transferred this to the larger group situations. Just try not to be too hard on yourself, and not to build the social event or exposure up in your head too much.

PenultimateManStanding · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

WildRose · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1092

PrairieMule · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

I use to have social anxieties when I was younger. My advisor in college suggested I take as many Public Speaking Classes for my business degree electives. So I took about 12 hours of Public Speaking, Voice and Diction, Business Communications, and a course on Selling.

By the time I graduated I could debate confidantley in front of 200 of my peers.

Try a Dale Carnagie Course and a lot of cardio exercise instead of Paxil. That stuff is addictive.
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PenultimateManStanding · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

frankthetank · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:00 pm Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder

Wow. Thank you for all the encouraging words. I kind of had a thought that people on here might know something about it. For some reason we "Get it" while the other 99% have no clue (they don't!).

Its really tough when the only time you can converse with others is online or in a drunken state!

Yes my wife is very attractive, but for some reason this area has A LARGE number of very attractive college age girls (no lie) and i see a lot of good looking women with UGLY dudes! I wouldn't say i'm ugly, but skinny! Too bad winters here suck, taxes are HIGH, and job market is only good for professionals.

I pretty much avoid most social situations, even when i'm in stores. Like if i see an employee coming to ask if i need help, i'll walk the other way! or if i see someone i know, i do the same thing. Its weird? Job interviews are probably the worse, i try to stay at jobs as long as possible because i fear the hiring process so much (behind public speaking, which i only had to do in high school--not good). I pretty much left college because there was NO way i could make it through a speech course that was required.

Alcohol only came into my life less then 2 years ago. Other then that i've never been drunk. A girl i know from work TOLD me to go to a party (until then i never showed up). I got all liquored up before that and WHAM, i was free. I still use alcohol for social functions (always before i go...i never drive...) and thats about it. I hate drinking it, so i just take shots of Rumpelminz or something like that. I'm no drunk and the last time i had alcohol was over a month ago. Although, all this talk makes me want to go downtown and dance! (which i'm not really good at sober/drunk)

Thanks again.
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WildRose · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1092

vision-master · Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Social Anxiety Disorder