Thread Topic: What have you tried to combat social anxiety?
|
disorderguy
Joined: May 5, '09
Status: Admin |
2009-05-19 13:13:31 |
|
I'm curious about what you have tried and how well it worked. In my own experience, I've tried two drugs. One a beta blocker, which shuts down the body's physical reaction to a surge of stress. I found the result interesting when I had to do a public speaking event. Mentally I was as stressed as ever, but I didn't get the shakes, racing heartbeat, etc. that are often associated with acute social anxiety. I found this helpful, afterall the physical symptoms contribute to feelings of embarrassment and panic, but I would have liked something to help with the mental side of things. The second I've tried is Xanax, which is prescribed as an anti-anxiety drug. This did relax me more than usual in stressful situations, but the problem is that as the calming effect is made stronger (by higher doses) so too is the side effect of sleepiness increased. It doesn't really help to be nodding off when all you want is a reduction in anxiety. The best long-term strategies are probably not drug based at all. Actually confronting your fears and using cognitive-behavioral techniques will, I believe, give longer-lasting results. However, confronting one's fears is very difficult. Because of this I have not made a real commitment to this strategy. I may have to build up the will to try, however. Living with social anxiety isn't much fun. But I am interested in hearing how other people have tried to confront their anxiety. Please share. |
|
|
Unanswered Thread: where do you go to get your test marks? posted by Dark 8 days ago |
|
|
Digit
Joined: May 9, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-23 09:32:31 |
|
definately agree with that last part. using such drugs are just blotting out the symptoms, a paliative at best, not a cure. maybe if they worked as a long term fix from a single dose (or course). i've taken Cognitive behavioural therapy in the past, but am going to be going back for more after a serious bout over the last winter. i think diet plays a big role, and "lifestyle"... like getting enough sunlight (or just vitamin D). i've tried several hypnotherapies and confidence boosters (which you can find on the net), and they also seem quite surprisingly effective. i know i'm still quite avoidant, but at least i dont get full blown panic attacks these days. building up is about as best we can do. cant hold ourselves expectantly to successfully push ourselves into a quantum leap transformation. there's lots of strategies. and i'm sure no single one is going to be the magic bullet. i also find that meditation, and alot of chi-gung, tai-chi and other "practical taoism" really helps too. as does yoga to some extent. somewhat more controversially, i've also just started taking an interst in the work of Willhelm Reich, whome, to surmise, found "chi" ("orgone") through more post-industrial western technological means on the back of his work in psychology. so in other words... have bigger and better orgasms, and more of them, and it might just really help break through the inhibitions. building more strength in cutting through this burden we have on us. i built a tiny orgone accumulator, the simplest an easiest i could find an explanation of in youtube, with just a sheet of foil and a towel... i wasnt expecting anything noticeable, but in seconds after having made it, i was laughing and felt a levity i had not felt since last in romantic love. and since then, i've been able to get out and about to see my friends again, which i effectively had not done for over half a year! |
|
|
vladdy
Joined: May 23, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-23 20:23:40 |
| i find that xanax and inderol together work well. | |
|
vladdy
Joined: May 23, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-23 20:28:06 |
|
also-1 way to look at it is that it's a medicine for a medical condition, so it's like taking a blood pressure pill every day or a baby asprin a day to prevent heart attacks. |
|
|
disorderguy
Joined: May 5, '09
Status: Admin |
2009-05-25 19:28:18 |
| vladdy, could you tell me more about inderol? I haven't heard of that one. | |
|
QuietBird
Joined: May 25, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-25 23:38:35 |
| I dont know, i just found out i had this thing, so i dont know what to do, but all these suggestions could help me too i guess | |
|
Idiocyprone
Joined: May 26, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-26 15:00:11 |
| Paroxetine and Citalopram | |
|
BlackBallet
Joined: May 24, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-28 10:30:23 |
| I've tried Xanax a little bit ago but I had some freaky side effects like hallucinations and yellow eyes, although the drug worked for anxiety with me, the side effects were not worth it! | |
|
BlackBallet
Joined: May 24, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-28 10:33:03 |
| My doctor suggested listening to music in stressful situations, that's has been the best stress reliever so far for me, hope it helps | |
|
Perfectionist
Joined: May 29, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-29 22:39:02 |
| I don't like the Rx drugs because they don't solve the problem just cover it up for a while (and those side effects). I've found hypnotherapy, yoga, and cognitive-behavioral techniques the most effective but you have to keep up with them! | |
|
disorderguy
Joined: May 5, '09
Status: Admin |
2009-05-30 09:09:17 |
|
I sort of agree, Perfectionist. But I think the drugs could also give a person a window of opportunity to confront and eliminate irrational fears. But I don't know the statistics on how many people return to their anxiety when going off the meds. Cognitive-behavioral techniques are probably the best non-drug option. Basically they consist of the mind curing itself by confronting irrational thoughts and overcoming the anxiety response. Psychologist David Burns has some great books on it: http://bit.ly/BXsS9 |
|
|
wchris
Joined: May 31, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-31 08:40:56 |
|
I have been seeing a therapist since January, a delayed reaction to major setback triggered by friend's suicide a year ago. The main focus has been on my grief and depression, but we've also addressed my tendancy to avoidance, that was something I have always been struggling with. We are now discussing trying to work through this with meds being a last resort. My regular dr did put me on a mild dose of cymbalta, which seems to do nothing until I try to go off it, then I go off the deep end. I just discovered that my dr did not even prescribe an effective dose! Mismanagement, non-management.....? So my therapist & I are discussing possibly me contacting a psychiatrist to see about really addressing this, getting a good opinion re:meds and management. I'm hesitant (anxious) and it is a very big decision, so not as far as you yet, but your info is very helpful. "Think of it as a window of opportunity to confront and eliminate irrational fears" - I like that. Meanwhile, I don't know if this would help with avoidance problems, but it helps me with depression: aerobic exercise. I've been going on more vigorous walks/jogs with my new dog and that is helping quite a bit. Boosts the endorphins, that helps. But as someone else said, you've got to keep it up! Not that easy to do but may be worth a try :-) |
|
|
kyle09
Joined: Jul 3, '09
Status: New User |
2009-07-03 05:58:49 |
| i cant cope with it at all its ruined my life, icant even walk into a room without getting the shakes and a sinking feeling and loosing the abillity to speak. ive lost most of my mates because of it and no one wants to no me because they think im a dick. its strange because i was very popular when i was at school good at football got the girls and everything that comes with that, i still had this problem back then but i used to combat it by being aggresive and i created a persona were i couldnt be toached because i was hard, but in reality i wasnt and has i left school and had to opperate in a real environment it seemed inpossible to interact with people and gradually i became a shy clumsy arkward person. im very depressed and i have contemplated suicide but i no it would brake my mums heart so im trying my best to carry on. hope nobody has to suffer from this apart from me. | |
|
kyle09
Joined: Jul 3, '09
Status: New User |
2009-07-03 05:59:57 |
| i cant cope with it at all its ruined my life, icant even walk into a room without getting the shakes and a sinking feeling and loosing the abillity to speak. ive lost most of my mates because of it and no one wants to no me because they think im a dick. its strange because i was very popular when i was at school good at football got the girls and everything that comes with that, i still had this problem back then but i used to combat it by being aggresive and i created a persona were i couldnt be toached because i was hard, but in reality i wasnt and has i left school and had to opperate in a real environment it seemed inpossible to interact with people and gradually i became a shy clumsy arkward person. im very depressed and i have contemplated suicide but i no it would brake my mums heart so im trying my best to carry on. hope nobody has to suffer from this apart from me. | |
|
jpmger
Joined: Dec 29, '09
Status: New User |
2009-12-29 12:55:53 |
|
There are free telephone support groups for social anxiety. Social Phobics Anonymous (a nonprofit) provides them: [no urls] |
|
|
Unanswered Thread: Is it true posted by akshaikh 13 days ago |
|
|
Need to see a psychologist? Find reviews on the best doctors in your area at Angie's List
(Get access to thousands of reviews for a small charge) |
|
