Social Anxiety

Has anyone here suffered from social anxiety and overcome it?

For me its getting ridicilous, if Im walking alone on town I always constantly think about what people think of me. I get nervous just going to stores because that means I have to socialise(well handing him/her cash is socialising for me lol) a bit with the store clerc. Just idiotic things like that. Whenever I hear someone laughing while Im walking I imidietly think they are laughing at me.

For some reason its not at all like that if Im walking around with a friend.

Dont get me wrong Im not a complete loner and I dont avoid social situations, Im just not comfterable in social situations. Not even when drunk.
I always avoid eye contact and stuff like that and I hate it, but no matter how hard I try I automaticly lower my head when I approach someone and if I dont I just feel very acward.
I cant say I have poor confidence because Im always pretty confident in my abilitys. But whenever I am in a crowd I get very drawn back.

Anyone had this **** and overcome it and what did you do to get rid of it?? :scratch:

Paxil seems to work for me

I had it too, along with depression...what a bitch. Might wanna talk to a doctor, I just overcame it naturally, and now I don't givva **** what people think about me. Overcoming it was very difficult though.

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Originally Posted by mass junkie

Paxil seems to work for me

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would prefer a non medical way :( Im already on Remeron cause of my depressions and just throwing in more meds doestn seem to be a cure just a treatment.

BTW has anyone else noticed that nowdays shrinks just writes a presription for some med and then send the patient home. Happened to both me and my sister husband. They basicly said now that you got this med your on your own. :(

Hoss how did you overcome it?? Anything special you thought about or did it just gradualy go away?

id say just act like you own the world. dont hang your head. keep your chin up and make eye contact until they look away. you are the man. just realize it. AD

johan Lexapro is designed for this disorder.20mg ed fora month and you'll be back to your old self.A little xanax in the mix helps also....worked wonders for me bro

I just overcame it by doing the things I feared one at a time. Once you overcome one instance you can start to overcome them all. I still have problems with social anxiety but it is not as bad as it was. Just try to stick it out and deal with things. I tried xanax for ahwhile and it seemed to help, then I started to forget the xanax and relize I could deal with the situation without the drug.

I share your anxiety, and from what you have revealed about yourself in previous posts, I would say that it has to do with growing up in an emotionally hostile environment. In such an environment one develops a radar as to what others feel or think. And a kind of paranoia about how one should react/adapt/be. However, I cannot be sure that this is as relevant to you as it was for me. And identifying a "cause" does not necessarily make a problem/anxiety evaporate, though it might open certain avenues to explore: such as joining an Alanon group. Also it is one perspective of the problem which could have many other relevant viewpoints with equally relevant "solutions".
What helps me to live with this anxiety is sometimes to make a concerted effort to go out. Increased familiarity with the situations that trigger anxiety will paradoxically diminish this anxiety.
Instead of shying away from looking at people, concentrate at looking at them and learn to make "small talk". For instance it helps diminish anxiety if you get to know (not in the biblical sense nor even in any "deeper" sense other than a simple mutual acknowlegement) some or just one person in a supermarket. Be creative, and experiment, document your anxieties and your solutions, identify and ultimalely extend your comfort zone.

I also have it. I don't ask women out because of it, I have to wait for them to do it for me. Fortunately I'm told I'm not an ugbo so I do fine I suppose, but nevertheless I could be doing a lot better (unless I'm annoying or something). It sucks having to wait for a girl to basically throw herself at me before I do anything. I'm also lazy so that isn't helping me any. Anyways, I have other problems as well and I can't beat them all. The only thing I've had any success with is my OCD. I dimished that a lot by confronting it and teaching my brain that those anxieties were not grounded in reality. I just don't have the drive or the will to go through that again with my social anxiety, my generalized anxiety and my depression. I feel so tired these days. I just can't do it. If you have the drive though, confront it. Spend some time forcing yourself to do things you don't necessarily want to do. If a friend asks you to go to a club or something, then go. Good luck man.

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Originally Posted by Nathan

I also have it. I don't ask women out because of it, I have to wait for them to do it for me. Fortunately I'm told I'm not an ugbo so I do fine I suppose, but nevertheless I could be doing a lot better (unless I'm annoying or something). It sucks having to wait for a girl to basically throw herself at me before I do anything. I'm also lazy so that isn't helping me any. Anyways, I have other problems as well and I can't beat them all. The only thing I've had any success with is my OCD. I dimished that a lot by confronting it and teaching my brain that those anxieties were not grounded in reality. I just don't have the drive or the will to go through that again with my social anxiety, my generalized anxiety and my depression. I feel so tired these days. I just can't do it. If you have the drive though, confront it. Spend some time forcing yourself to do things you don't necessarily want to do. If a friend asks you to go to a club or something, then go. Good luck man.

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Sounds like your coming around bro...good to hear..

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Originally Posted by mass junkie

Paxil seems to work for me

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They give babies paxil??wtf.............j/j bro

~ I had severe social anxiety, i couldnt even walk in to a mall!! So the Dr put me on ativan as needed. It is like a miricle pill~

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Originally Posted by SpunHoney

~ I had severe social anxiety, i couldnt even walk in to a mall!! So the Dr put me on ativan as needed. It is like a miricle pill~

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I just had normal anxiety,work related,couldn't imagine going through that :(

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Originally Posted by Nathan

I also have it. I don't ask women out because of it, I have to wait for them to do it for me. Fortunately I'm told I'm not an ugbo so I do fine I suppose, but nevertheless I could be doing a lot better (unless I'm annoying or something). It sucks having to wait for a girl to basically throw herself at me before I do anything. I'm also lazy so that isn't helping me any.

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OMG that sounds EXACTLY like me...

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Originally Posted by Da Bull

johan Lexapro is designed for this disorder.20mg ed fora month and you'll be back to your old self.A little xanax in the mix helps also....worked wonders for me bro

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So the effects of one month on Lexapro is permanent? **** if thats the case I got to get my hands on it!!

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Originally Posted by Martin43

I share your anxiety, and from what you have revealed about yourself in previous posts, I would say that it has to do with growing up in an emotionally hostile environment. In such an environment one develops a radar as to what others feel or think. And a kind of paranoia about how one should react/adapt/be. However, I cannot be sure that this is as relevant to you as it was for me. And identifying a "cause" does not necessarily make a problem/anxiety evaporate, though it might open certain avenues to explore: such as joining an Alanon group. Also it is one perspective of the problem which could have many other relevant viewpoints with equally relevant "solutions".
What helps me to live with this anxiety is sometimes to make a concerted effort to go out. Increased familiarity with the situations that trigger anxiety will paradoxically diminish this anxiety.
Instead of shying away from looking at people, concentrate at looking at them and learn to make "small talk". For instance it helps diminish anxiety if you get to know (not in the biblical sense nor even in any "deeper" sense other than a simple mutual acknowlegement) some or just one person in a supermarket. Be creative, and experiment, document your anxieties and your solutions, identify and ultimalely extend your comfort zone.

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Thanks Martin thats some real solid advice bro!! Thats most likely my cause, what is a Alanon group??

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Originally Posted by Nathan

I also have it. I don't ask women out because of it, I have to wait for them to do it for me. Fortunately I'm told I'm not an ugbo so I do fine I suppose, but nevertheless I could be doing a lot better (unless I'm annoying or something). It sucks having to wait for a girl to basically throw herself at me before I do anything. I'm also lazy so that isn't helping me any. Anyways, I have other problems as well and I can't beat them all. The only thing I've had any success with is my OCD. I dimished that a lot by confronting it and teaching my brain that those anxieties were not grounded in reality. I just don't have the drive or the will to go through that again with my social anxiety, my generalized anxiety and my depression. I feel so tired these days. I just can't do it. If you have the drive though, confront it. Spend some time forcing yourself to do things you don't necessarily want to do. If a friend asks you to go to a club or something, then go. Good luck man.

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Yeah finding the energy is the tricky part.....its so easy to just say **** it and just stop trying, must have been hell with the OCD. Glad to hear you got rid of that!

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Originally Posted by SpunHoney

~ I had severe social anxiety, i couldnt even walk in to a mall!! So the Dr put me on ativan as needed. It is like a miricle pill~

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Interesting have to look into it!

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Originally Posted by abstrack

I just overcame it by doing the things I feared one at a time. Once you overcome one instance you can start to overcome them all. I .

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Thats exactly what I had to do... I used to have it so bad I became paranoid with everyone around me...Even sometimes at my own family functions. This was all the way up to about 2 years ago..
It all started when I got a bartending job. You HAVE to deal with people in order to make your money...I had no choice..then I got a sales job about 6 months ago where you have appointments all day long with people.
So I definitely agree with abstrack....sometimes you just have to take chances...as much as it sucks, I think if you face reality it isn't all that bad. And you feel so much more confident in yourself. The only thing I still do, and I think it is just by choice, is, I will put my head down to avoid conversations ..and I do that still quite alot...But I think that may have to do with my ADD.. I lose interest very quickly, and when people want to strike up a conversation of something that I have absolutely no interest at all, then I avoid eye contact. It sounds bad I know... but then again, I'm always on the run, and don't have time to chat anyways, unless of course I'm on AR. :)



BW

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Originally Posted by Da Bull

I just had normal anxiety,work related,couldn't imagine going through that :(

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~ You have no idea and since i couldnt go in to a mall i was having withdrawrels from shopping~ But what is good bout the ativan i find it is easier to weign (spelling) your self of it, and you dont get as easliy addicted to it as you would clonpin or xanax. i swear i tried everything, the best thing to do is to look back threw your family history, hopefully they would be more supportive then mine, it was like a sin to admit that you need help, they think that is shows sign of weakness. which it doesnt., but if a family member has the same prob and they have a med that worked for them it will more then likely work you~

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Originally Posted by SpunHoney

~ I had severe social anxiety, i couldnt even walk in to a mall!! So the Dr put me on ativan as needed. It is like a miricle pill~

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Benzodiazapines such as Ativan and Xanax work for a while but are addictive and you can build a tolerance. I am glad they are working for you spunhoney but beware of the limited time they are effective. The best and most recommended drugs are selective Seratonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). They all work but you need to find the one you tolerate best. Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac (the cheapest because it's available in generic for) and Lexapro. I've been on Zoloft for 8 years and it changed my life. I can go to the mall, sit at a tablle with my co-workers and have lunch and make eye contact without feeling self conscious.

this is an excellent thread. Gety it out there to the people that there not the only ones going through this. I recently(2 months ago) went on celexa for anxiety, and im also perscribed ativan for it too when neccisary.The celexa i just upped to 40 mg a day so im waiting to really feel that but i have high hopes.
the ativan is a wonder pill in the sense that when you become so overcome with anxiety and you cant seem to talk your self out of it, takeing ativan will calm you right down. See...im fine in groups, social situations, anthing like that, not so easy for me to aproach a girl but its not that hard either, for my anxiety pops up unexpected(still trying to figure ou tthe reason) but i tihnk by me logging it and everhtinbg im coming down to i usually only get them the day affter a heay night of drinking....ie being hung over.
Also FYI,,,,none of these random anxiet attatcks happened until AFTER i used anadrol for the first time...stay away from it, it made me feel like **** and m 95% it contributed to my anxiety
Good to knowe theres other poeple out there. takes time guys but youll beat it

No expierince personally, I don't give two ****s what people think about me. Like said above hold your head up high, and look people in the eyes when you talk to them, it will take some getting used to.

Is nobody else seeing a trend emerging regarding those who get really into fitness? I bet you wouldn't have nearly this percentage of members who suffer from mental disorders on, say, a gardening discussion board. :)

i suffer from anxiety also and every time i go to the doc they keep thrying to get me on antideppresants,after trying wellbutrin(got me way to wired,didnt sleep for days),then remeron(made me want to sleep for days).ive pretty much givin up on them,the doc did give me benzos witch seem to help,but i dont want anymore antideppressants because most have sexual sides.its not something for me,does anyone know any other antideppresants without sexual sides?