SAD is not taken seriously enough - do you agree?

Callie Joined: Sep 2, '10 Status: New User	2010-09-05 13:45:22
	I have had Social Anxiety Disorder since I was thirteen - and throughout this time, I have learnt that it does not seem to be taken as seriously as it should be. At times, I would have an anxiety attack in school and would be sent to the office, in which our deputy head would always tell me, "You must remember, there are people in this school who have much worse than you." And that would upset me - because he made it seem as if it was nothing, as if I could control it. Sometimes, I couldn't make it out of the house out of fear of social situations, and I was self-mutilating to help deal with it - how can that be dismissed as a "minor" problem? It is still like that, now. I believe that SAD is not taken seriously enough - do you agree?
aca6 Joined: Dec 19, '09 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 14:03:09
	Yes, I do agree it is not taken seriously enough. When younger many say it is just a phase, something that shall pass, when in reality it goes deeper than that. There might be others with "worse" problems but does that give society the right to ignore it? No, it does not. It can continue for years, thus it is not passing nor would it be minor. People need to take it as a serious thing and try to do something early on e.i. read the warning signs, try to help it in the earlier stages before it progresses.
1_schizo_grl Joined: Mar 15, '10 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 14:06:25
	Any disorder that inhibits the quality of one's life, should definetly be taken seriously. Do you have a school counselor? They are trained in psychology.
Callie Joined: Sep 2, '10 Status: New User	2010-09-05 14:18:26
	>Aca Yes, I understand the whole "phase" take on the matter, especially when said person is a minor. I believe this ignorance is what causes it to become worse, leading to complete social isolation, or in other words, agoraphobia. There is a line between a "phase" and a "problem" - when a person merely feels shy in social situations, that is most likely a phase, but when a person is having anxiety attacks in social situations, that is a problem. It needs to be understood that if left, a person can develop more severe disorders, such as Depression, which is continously linked to anxiety. And that they should look out for the warning signs, and therefore stop the problem before it becomes severe. >Schizo I agree, completely. We do not have a school counselor - our school is extremely catholic and takes the traditional approach of it being demons that need to be beaten on your own. But, my head of year has now said she wishes me to see an educational psychologist, but as it is my final year, I cannot understand the point, anymore.
aca6 Joined: Dec 19, '09 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 14:35:10
	"Yes, I understand the whole "phase" take on the matter, especially when said person is a minor. I believe this ignorance is what causes it to become worse, leading to complete social isolation, or in other words, agoraphobia. There is a line between a "phase" and a "problem" - when a person merely feels shy in social situations, that is most likely a phase, but when a person is having anxiety attacks in social situations, that is a problem." Exactly that. There is a line, though hard to tell, for when normal shyness interferes with regular life style. We as people, need to be conscious of that, or at the very least the "medical professionals" do. "It needs to be understood that if left, a person can develop more severe disorders, such as Depression, which is continously linked to anxiety. And that they should look out for the warning signs, and therefore stop the problem before it becomes severe." An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure as they say. :P
Callie Joined: Sep 2, '10 Status: New User	2010-09-05 14:48:40
	>Aca. Exactly. The "professionals" are constantly complaining that more has to be done to prevent the developing mental disorders, that more has to be done to stop the disorder in the early stages, but when it comes to making this happen, they are to hopeless to do anything about it. Sometimes, I think the patient would make the better "professional" . . .
aca6 Joined: Dec 19, '09 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 14:51:00
	Callie: Agreed. I find the people on this forum, most of them anyway, know much more about the disorders because they have actually experienced them. Maybe we should all write a letter of complaint? :P Personally, I find the "professionals" to be hypocrites in the worst sense of the word. They say one thing but do the complete opposite. It makes you wonder who the real crazy ones are...
purplerain Joined: Jun 3, '10 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 14:57:28
	i know what you guys mean about social anxiety, I'm on meds now, makes it a little better, but wish I would've got help when I was younger. Mine is really bad I still can't go inside a Wal-Mart or to other real crowded places but I have left the house a few times.
Callie Joined: Sep 2, '10 Status: New User	2010-09-05 15:01:18
	>Purple It is ridiculous, how SAD is seen as among the minor problems, while one of the most apparent, as a person is most likely to notice a person standing in the middle of a store having an anxiety attack, causing dicrimination to be worse against said person who has SAD. And, from experience, I know that school is not the best place for this to happen . . .
purplerain Joined: Jun 3, '10 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 15:04:27
	Yeah I'm in my thirties and I have anxiety so bad it is horrible I should've got help when I was younger and I think it can be hereditary cause my daughter has anxiety, but not as bad as me.
Callie Joined: Sep 2, '10 Status: New User	2010-09-05 15:07:43
	>Aca I have always thought this. With me, I don't think therapy would truly work unless the therapist had experienced what I was going through themselves, because otherwise they tend to sound like a textbook, which makes me ignore them. If they have never experienced it, I do not think they can truly understand. Plus, I also think "professionals" can come across extremely professional - I can hardly talk to them at fear of them thinking I am stupid and laughing at me. They need to make patients feel more comfortable, with them. The "professional" is definetely more crazy than the patient, in most cases . . . the programme Skins, shows this wonderfully.
aca6 Joined: Dec 19, '09 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 15:10:50
	Callie: Yes. It seems we both have the same views. A professional can never truly know what the patient is going through simply from learning it from a textbook. It is ridiculous to even think they can. If their demeanor is cold, hostile, and uncaring the patient will not and can not feel comfortable in their office. This needs to change. Certainly the furniture at the very least. xD Jk. ^^^
Callie Joined: Sep 2, '10 Status: New User	2010-09-05 15:12:02
	>Purple Anxiety is hereditary, in many ways. A strange, but true fact - my grandmother and father suffered from OCD, and because OCD is an anxiety disorder, I was told that it was more likely I would have some sort of anxiety disorder, even if it is different, in other words, my SAD. In my opinion, the way how most professionals are extremely patronizing these days prevents people from coming out about their problems, especially people with social problems - I know that I can barely talk to a "professional" at fear that I will sound stupid and they will laugh. . .
Callie Joined: Sep 2, '10 Status: New User	2010-09-05 15:17:15
	>Aca Yes, exactly. I understand that a professional cannot get to close to the patient, but that does not mean they have to be hostile and patronizing, which does not help the patient at all. A warm and understanding tone, and an informal tone, as to talk formally makes it sound as if they are repeating the words from a textbook, would be perfect from a professional, but they come few and far between. Still, I can wish . . . One thing that severely annoys me, is the discrimination against self-mutilation in hospitals . . .
aca6 Joined: Dec 19, '09 Status: Senior User	2010-09-05 15:20:21
	Callie: I wish! I doubt most are able to find a good medical professional like that though. Is wishes were fishes... :P You are correct yet again on the second part. Self injury is severely discriminated against in hospitals. It's sickening the way some doctors and nurses treat self injurers as if they were not human at all.
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