Newbie - With Social Anxiety/Phobia

Wolf-Will

Member
Hello everyone !! I'm new to this fantastic forum anad cannot believe how many sufferers like myself are out there.

Here goes, i'll try and keep it short and sweet. I'm 27 years old and i suffer with Social Anxiety/Phobia and have had it for at least 12 years now and has more or less crippled me for most of that time.

My problem bothers me the most when my pyhsical symptoms start like Sweating, Blushing or Flushing when i'm out in public or even when i'm in the house with my family. It just drives me mad that i rarely have a normal day .. because i'm Sweating or that i look red (Flushed). It's a self image thing with the symptoms i have as when i sweat or if i blush i feel god damn ugly and different to other people as there all calm and relaxed.

I have a partner who i've been with now for nearly ten years and she has been a rock, as she has to put up with a lot of crap with me, with my mood swings etc etc ...

I fear when i go to partys, going shopping, even going to the shop because i might sweat or go red. I have a crappy job where i work on my own but have to communicate with the public a lot as i'm a Meter Reader which i thought i'd enjoy but i think my problem has got worse as i'm walking down busy streets and taking readings from businesses in towns and citys and it seems to bring my anxiety out, especially when i'm walking round when it's hot as i sweat like mad. At present i'm looking for another job.

My Sweating (Hyperhidrosis) really gets me down as i don't have to do much physical and i sweat loads especially on my face and my head and before i know it, the sweat just starts dripping from my hair and my hair is then soaking wet which then brings more anxiety. My blushing isnt as bad as it used to be but my facial flushing (it looks like i might have Rosacea) can be awful and gets me so depressed when having a bad flush as my face feels like it's on fire and is hard to smile. It triggers when i'm in a hot dry room and if the sun is on my face for too long then my cheeks are flushed and i seem to get soooooo self concious about it, when i'm sweat and flushed free which isnt too often i always feel quite confident and attractive but when i swaet or i'm red i almost feel hideous and feel like the most unatractive human being on this planet.

I've just started taking the SSRI Escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex) two days ago and feel slightly better as my Anxiety isnt as bad. But one thing i'm worried about is the sude effect it brings which is Sweating, which confuses me as the drug is supposed to help anxeity with sweating etc.

Thankyou for reading !!
 

blue

Well-known member
Hello, You seem kind of in the same situ as me im 28 and in a long term reltionship except in reverse im the female side and my man has to put up with my weirdness all the time,
you do very well to work that is a real achievement, i am currently looking for work but finding it dam near impossible i havnt worked for 7 years we have 2 kids though.
I also get nervy around my family blushing etc not my kids or my partner but i do around my brother and parents it is getting better though.
I hope you find the forums helpful.
 

Psilopa

Active member
Wolf-Will said:
I've just started taking the SSRI Escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex) two days ago and feel slightly better as my Anxiety isnt as bad. But one thing i'm worried about is the sude effect it brings which is Sweating, which confuses me as the drug is supposed to help anxeity with sweating etc.

Hi Wolfie! Welcome to the forum. We don't bite, I hope you will return the favour :D

As for the pills, I cannot speak from experience as I took my first SSRI pill today, 5mg (half a 10mg piece) of Cipralex. Funny things these chemicals, my problem is social phobia and one of the side effects is increased anxiety... We'll see what happens, just a hint of nausea today.

IIRC you can expect to feel only the side effects (if you get any) at first, but after some weeks (or months) the anxiety should diminish together with most of the negative stuff.
 

Ricki

New member
Hi,

i can definately relate! i found this website just today and now i feel like i am some what normal!!!

Welcome to the site.. there are alot of posts on here that sound so farmilliar i don't even need to write any myself..as everyone else has the same issues..

Anyway- im Ricki welcome!
 
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