Is SA really curable?

I

insertnamehere

New member
I honestly believe my SA will never leave. For me it's all one big verocious cycle that never ends. I've honestly tried my hardest in beating this SA for years and I'm still at square one.
Maybe I'm trying to say SA really is a serious matter as to what people really think it out to be and still don't know how to properly treat it. I've gone through many medications, CBT, therapists. Nothing. I'm not making this as a rant or being negative, but I truly feel I will always have this anxious feel towards being in public and never be at ease. If you've haven't experienced with SA but treat people with SA, they'd have no idea what we go though. Is that ignorant?
 
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Skatergirl

Skatergirl

Banned
Hey i'm searching for the same answer. I have social phobia for a long time now, and i wish i could just woke up tomorrow and that the SA is all cured...
But it takes time..
the key is thinking different, and feeling different.
If you don't care about other's thoughts, and if you think, well i'm me, and they have to respect me how i am. and whatever i do, or act, there's nothing bad going to happen. and everything is just fine. and if you don't feel anxious anymore, you would feel much better.
I think many Social phobic's are searching for a magical bless, who will cure us one day. But we have to switch it. I would say, do something about it. Write all your thoughts down on a paper, and try to find a good reason why you have to be anxious. Really nothing. Maybe our life isn't perfect because of SA, but we dont have to be anxious, because what happens if you are anxious, is all just a wrong way of thinking.
Did something really BAD , like a disaster happened when you had to go to somewhere you were afraid?
No.
We imagine too much. We should give our mind some rest, and think positive!
And yeah i know how hard it is to change, but try to keep in your mind, that it's all just a wrong thought, and that we can survive it anyway.
Whatever you think, REAL situations are always different.
 
BlackKids

BlackKids

Well-known member
I think that you can learn to live with it. Theres certain points say If I'm watching a good movie, when I wake up, playing music where I'd almost have to be reminded that I'm normaly always anxious.
You can't ever get rid of the emotions that cause SA but I've definatly got better. Mainly due to positive thinking and exposing myself alot more. Few years back I couldn't even go into a shop where as today It doesn't really bother me. I still feel uncomfy but I just accept it.
 
Lorraine Manca

Lorraine Manca

Well-known member
yeah, I don't think it is. Your not supposed to be negative but you have to be honest. I cant imagine getting even a little better. I can do most things just like a normal person, except its extremely unpleasant no matter how many times i do those things. I think if you have a severe case, your outta luck. Maybe if sa patients were entered into some sort of institution where they did exposures with people trained to react with an encouragement for the first month, and then a bunch that would react neutral, and then a bunch that would react negatively the next month rather than practicing exposure on random joe at the grocery store the whole exposure thing might work. whatever the treatment would be, it'd have to be extremely intensive to work. I think a big problem is that exposure shouldn't start in the real world with severe cases. Even therapist dont seem to get that its an illness and not in the realm of voluntary behavior. I was too shy to ask for help for a very long time. Finally it got so bad i had no choice, so i confessed the whole thing and went to get help. I was shocked to realize there was no help. It was all a hoax, seemed like. Breathing exercises and common sense advice. Im not negative, I just dont think there is a cure.
 
Noca

Noca

Banned
im told by my doctors that I will have some anxiety disorder for life. However, CBT has taken away a lot of my SA that it is no longer my main problem in life, depression is. Now the better question would be is depression ever curable? And I don't think that it is.
 
Redzer

Redzer

1
Ys it can, i'm living proof of it :D
an i'll tell you something else i did it with out help from a professional or meds :)
 
Noca

Noca

Banned
sabbath9 said:
CBT made me worse, ACT on the other hand has reversed my downward spiral. ACT is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, kinda like CBT but 100% better.
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If it were sooo much better than it would be in use more than CBT, since its most likely better for just you, its not in wide use.
 
Reiji Moritsugu

Reiji Moritsugu

Well-known member
It´s easy to ask ourselves whether there is a cure or not...especially if we have been trying for a long time without results at all, since that´s a real good motivation crusher but hope´s the last thing we may lose and when that goes away, well...things just aren´t going to get better, to say the least.

So I´d say the best choice is to keep trying, for it is the only thing to do.

See you around :)
 
Scrabbl

Scrabbl

1
ApRiLGeTsAngry77 said:
Paxil has relieved about 80% of my SA.
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I've never tried it. but I'm curious, does medication help in the long run? I mean, you get used to living with very little SA while your on medication. But when you stop taking it, do you keep that good pattern of behavior or do you relapse?
 
Satine

Satine

Well-known member
I think there is a way through for pretty much anybody with SA, but we can't always find it by looking at the obvious channels. Sometimes it just takes looking at it the right way.

I've put lots of work into beating my own SA, but after all that effort, it turns out I just don't like other people very much. It's not that I feel awkward around them, it's just that they don't interest me, I'm a natural loner. That tends to lead to feelings of SA depending on the person, my mood that day, and context, but it took a long time to work that out.
 
sabbath9

sabbath9

Banned
Noca said:
If it were sooo much better than it would be in use more than CBT, since its most likely better for just you, its not in wide use.
Click to expand...

Hi Noca, at least you didn't call me useless or ignorant this time, thanks for not insulting me again
 
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B

becc

Member
I believe a really effective way overcome SA is to face your WORST possible fear head on. They made me do this in group CBT - in a "safe" environment after showing me anxiety management skills so I could put it into practice. Afterwards I realised it wasn't so bad after all. But that was a major turning point for me, because now whenever I am nervous I know it isn't going to be as bad as I think it will. And I can consciously relax my body and mind.

I am at peace with my level of SA - it is not debilitating anymore, I can talk to whoever I want to, if I want to. I can make small talk. I can have a job, friends and have fun. I am just shy and have occasional relapses. Sometimes I get too paranoid about what friends think of me and avoid them for a while.

All things I can live with.. 7 years ago I was an extreme case of SA - to the point of almost being mute.
Now I am just shy, with occasional relapses/set backs
SA will always be with you and you kindof have to be your own therapist and monitor what you are telling yourself.
SA makes you believe lots of little falsehoods. You have to identify them and recognise them for being bullsh*t basically.

Good luck with your journey.. if you need any help or advice then PM me
 
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