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Cannot cope with social anxiety anymore

I'm at the point where I really cannot cope anymore I think I have social anxiety and it's holding me back. I have overcome it a few times but only temporarily I try to avoid people and i don't keep conversations going. I want to talk to people but there's something inside that is stopping me. I've never told anyone before I really don't know what I can do to cure it.
Go outside, join a club you're interested in.
Reply 2
i hope you get well soon my friend. wish you best of luck for your future. as suggested, talk to your GP about it.
I'm really sorry you are suffering. There are people who can help you. Talk to your GP; if you're at Uni approach their counselling service. CBT might be very helpful - addressing anxiety can be a little painful, as you need to slowly face some of the things you find stressful, but the longer it goes on, the more you are likely to withdraw from teh things that scare you, and the harder it will get.

Please get some help, I'm sure you really are worth it. Believe in yourself, get the help you deserve.
Reply 4
Original post by digitalangel18
I know medication isn't the answer but speak to your GP, it can help. You don't even have to tell anyone your going, they can talk to your about treatments from therapy, medication or self help book etc. You clearly want to get better and they can offer you treatments :smile:


Original post by 4keven4
i hope you get well soon my friend. wish you best of luck for your future. as suggested, talk to your GP about it.


Original post by cheshiremum
I'm really sorry you are suffering. There are people who can help you. Talk to your GP; if you're at Uni approach their counselling service. CBT might be very helpful - addressing anxiety can be a little painful, as you need to slowly face some of the things you find stressful, but the longer it goes on, the more you are likely to withdraw from teh things that scare you, and the harder it will get.

Please get some help, I'm sure you really are worth it. Believe in yourself, get the help you deserve.


Thank you for your replies i am going to contact my GP tomorrow
Original post by Anonymous
I'm at the point where I really cannot cope anymore I think I have social anxiety and it's holding me back. I have overcome it a few times but only temporarily I try to avoid people and i don't keep conversations going. I want to talk to people but there's something inside that is stopping me. I've never told anyone before I really don't know what I can do to cure it.


You should go and see the counsellor at your uni - that's what I'm doing :smile:
Reply 6
Don't you think you're medicalising your problem by talking about a 'cure' and diagnosing your condition? Don't you think that your anxiety is a very human thing, not a disease but a character trait. It would be good to see your GP anyway. But I would recommend you expect to be put out of your comfort zone, rather than given medication that won't solve any underlying problem.

I hope what I say is not too controversial, I don't mean it to be. This is just what I think.
Reply 7
Original post by Pride
Don't you think you're medicalising your problem by talking about a 'cure' and diagnosing your condition? Don't you think that your anxiety is a very human thing, not a disease but a character trait. It would be good to see your GP anyway. But I would recommend you expect to be put out of your comfort zone, rather than given medication that won't solve any underlying problem.

I hope what I say is not too controversial, I don't mean it to be. This is just what I think.


I understand what you mean, I think it is more of a subconscious problem that interferes with what my conscious wants to do. I have thought about CBT or even hypnosis to try and get rid of these subconscious thoughts. I don't think medicine is the answer it's a matter of reinventing how my subconscious sees and deals with the world. It's not normal to feel this anxious I don't think it's a natural character trait more likely it's due to past experiences that have imbedded ideas and doubts in my mind. I will not take medicine I think it will mask the problem.
Original post by Anonymous
I'm at the point where I really cannot cope anymore I think I have social anxiety and it's holding me back. I have overcome it a few times but only temporarily I try to avoid people and i don't keep conversations going. I want to talk to people but there's something inside that is stopping me. I've never told anyone before I really don't know what I can do to cure it.


My girlfriend has/had pretty severe social anxiety, to the point where she'd break down if she had to leave my bedroom for any given reason.

After a while she went to see a doctor, who put her on Citalopram. She started out on 20mg, was on that for a while, then moved down to 10mg for a very short while before coming off it completely. The withdrawal wasn't nice, but it wasn't as bad as she thought.

As a result, she's now more mentally equipped to deal with social situations as and when they arise.

Medication doesn't work for everyone, nor is it something to be used as a crux indefinitely, but as a temporary solution it does appear to work (though the results are very subjective).
Original post by Anonymous
I'm at the point where I really cannot cope anymore I think I have social anxiety and it's holding me back. I have overcome it a few times but only temporarily I try to avoid people and i don't keep conversations going. I want to talk to people but there's something inside that is stopping me. I've never told anyone before I really don't know what I can do to cure it.


I think that while you look to deal with the problem, talking to people who are understanding of how difficult it is for you can help. You won't be under any pressure with them, you don't have to worry about what you say or don't say.

If you don't know anyone like that PM me if you want to:smile:

In terms of a cure I think that is would be more accurate to say that you look to deal with the symptoms, not find a cure. A cure implies that after you do something, take something, you will be free from it. It is more likely that you will learn to deal with your anxiety better to a point where it doesn't really bother you too much. Sometimes it will come back, other times you will be better:smile:

In terms of dealing with it its good you are seeing a GP-they can help more than anyone.
Merely speaking to someone can really help. :smile: Getting it off your chest and having reassurance over your worries feels amazing.
Original post by Anonymous
I'm at the point where I really cannot cope anymore I think I have social anxiety and it's holding me back. I have overcome it a few times but only temporarily I try to avoid people and i don't keep conversations going. I want to talk to people but there's something inside that is stopping me. I've never told anyone before I really don't know what I can do to cure it.


Hey,

Can you provide a little more info.

When you want to speak to people whats the feeling like that stops you?

Is there a particular social situation when you feel like you can't interact with people?
Original post by alexorlandocross
Hey,

Can you provide a little more info.

When you want to speak to people whats the feeling like that stops you?

Is there a particular social situation when you feel like you can't interact with people?


I don't know i feel myself trying to walk away like i'm too vulnerable if i stay. I feel as though people will look down on me, not agree with what i say and i will come across as awkward or weird. It's in general i try to avoid small talk because i don't want people to know too much about me. I hate when you first meet people and the ones that ask a lot of questions about me that's when i feel most of my anxiety. It really is ruining my life, I have a good personality and this prevents people from seeing that.
Original post by Anonymous
Thank you for your replies i am going to contact my GP tomorrow


How did the GP appointment go?


I used to have really bad social anxiety, it hurt my relationships for my entire life up to a few years ago. I saw a doctor, got help, and although I still find making friends difficult, I've gotten so much better at everyday social tasks - for instance calling someone for something, or speaking to staff in stores - things I could never do in the past!

I really would advise talking to your GP if you haven't already. I got talk therapy alongside medication and I think that's the best combination (though obviously I'm a little biased here), but I know a lot of people are averse to taking medication. If you ask your doctor about it he can explain the effects and hopefully assuage any anxieties you may have about taking it.
Original post by Sabertooth
How did the GP appointment go?


I used to have really bad social anxiety, it hurt my relationships for my entire life up to a few years ago. I saw a doctor, got help, and although I still find making friends difficult, I've gotten so much better at everyday social tasks - for instance calling someone for something, or speaking to staff in stores - things I could never do in the past!

I really would advise talking to your GP if you haven't already. I got talk therapy alongside medication and I think that's the best combination (though obviously I'm a little biased here), but I know a lot of people are averse to taking medication. If you ask your doctor about it he can explain the effects and hopefully assuage any anxieties you may have about taking it.


Do you mind me asking if you still take medication.

I am considering going to my GP to ask for medication for social anxiety. I am on a waiting list for a social anxiety clinic :smile: and reckon that medication combined with cbt would be a good moe.
What worries me is the possibility of having to take medication for life....
Original post by Anonymous
Do you mind me asking if you still take medication.

I am considering going to my GP to ask for medication for social anxiety. I am on a waiting list for a social anxiety clinic :smile: and reckon that medication combined with cbt would be a good moe.
What worries me is the possibility of having to take medication for life....


I have klonopin which is a benzo and I take that if I feel really anxious about something, but no, I don't take anything day-to-day. I take the klonopin perhaps once a month for anxiety and only if something is super scary but mostly I'm drug-free for anxiety. :smile:

I would say if it's bothering you, then talking to your GP is a good idea. Medication can be a great help in the meantime while you're waiting for therapy. You might get prescribed a SSRI antidepressant - these would need to be taken everyday and help with anxiety. If not that then you may be given either a beta-blocker or benzodiazepine class of drug. These drugs are taken as needed rather than everyday like the SSRI so might be better if you want the feeling of control over taking them rather than worried about taking it "for life" (which, btw, I think is unlikely - the talk-therapy should help you a lot and hopefully you'll find yourself needing the drug less as it goes on).

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