Social Anxiety is NOT Mental Illness!!

[chicagoanxiety]

Hi again Sahara, that is exactly the point I was attempting to make. For years I lived by labels, categories, and various "opinions" by professionals, without significant success.

You can sit and talk for hours to a psychologist about labels and diagnosis's, take every medication in the book, and join thousands of support groups. Unless the fear is confronted, thinking patterns fine tuned, and behavior adjusted, there will not be significant changes and the cycle will continue year after year after year.

It wasn't until I dropped the labels, and realized my thinking and behavior was the cause, and put forth active effort, that I began to see improvement. I also had to change therapists and seek out one who was proactive and didn't live by the the DSM. My beliefs will not apply to EVERYONE, but I'm others have had similar experiences.

 

[magda74]

I agree, the first step is admitting there is a problem. I agree there is a problem with behavior, pattern of thinking, and other aspects. I just don't agree that makes it a mental illnesss. My disagreement with the latter, does not mean I am in denial.

There are many holistic counselors, and therapists who REFUSE to use labels at all, and prefer to coach and guide their clients without utilizing diagnostic labels as written in stone. The mind is complicated and extremely diverse.

Ooops was this in response to my post? I didn't mean that you're in denial. :?

 

[chicagoanxiety]

That message was a reply to Scyth, who stated the "first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

 

[triceratops]

[quote="
Unless the fear is confronted, thinking patterns fine tuned, and behavior adjusted, there will not be significant changes and the cycle will continue year after year after year.

It wasn't until I dropped the labels, and realized my thinking and behavior was the cause, and put forth active effort, that I began to see improvement. I also had to change therapists and seek out one who was proactive and didn't live by the the DSM. My beliefs will not apply to EVERYONE, but I'm others have had similar experiences.[/quote]

How exactly does this work and how is it achieved?

 

[chicagoanxiety]

McShy the point of my thread, was the same as yours. To voice my beliefs and/or opinions and exchange ideas on the above. Surely if you can post a thread stating "social anxiety is a mental illness" I am allowed to do the opposite wouldn't you agree?

Again, you and others who disagree with my belief are welcome to explain that your social anxiety is a mental illness. I am not hear to convince you any differently, or persaude you to change that belief. However, I have a different belief, and that's ok..

I believe social anxiety is mostly a phobic reaction to social situations and should be treated as such by using behavioral experiences and new ways of thinking to begin change. The socially anxious should also implement management techniques to calm their sensitive temperments utilizing exercise, avoiding foods which increase anxiety, meditating, ect. Not everyone wants, or needs to take medication for the rest of their lives for something they've labled as an illness.

NOTE: Social anxiety can accompany different types of mental illness. I am speaking in terms of someone who has a prime issue with social anxiety.

 

[triceratops]

I wonder if chicagoanxiety is getting frustrated trying to get his point across :?

 

[chicagoanxiety]

Hi Scyth, I'm not frustrated at all. I'm watching television, surfing the internet for art photos, and posting here in the group.

I have no reason to be upset because others have a different point of view. We're individuals and will sometimes have to agree to disagree.

Learning to be flexible and adapatable is a must when dealing with anxiety...so I let very little upset me these days. When we're easily upset, it's says more about how we're feeling on the inside, than what someone else has said or done. I couldn't have said that a year ago. lol

 

[chicagoanxiety]

McShy, I'm not here to argue or fight. I'm really not sure how to respond without upsetting you at this point. So I'll graciously just let you express yourself without rebuttal.

 

[stardog]

Can I just say I think Chicago has hit the nail on the head here. It is definitely easy to blame your problems on having a mental ilness, it's convenient to think that way because you believe it's beyond your control. But from personal experience I know that SA is about engrained attitudes and beliefs, which CAN BE CHANGED, not a 'mental ilness', I actually find it insulting when people call it this. I know that my depression and SA (which are now much better) come from things that have happened to me throughout my life, part of it is just who I am. 'Chemical imbalances' don't come into it.

Of course I'm sure SA is different for everybody, but I really wish people would think twice before calling it a 'mental ilness'.

 

[chicagoanxiety]

Hi Star, the categorical term "mental illness", reminds me of the term "nervous breakdown". Both terms are extremely broad, and somewhat misleading to the public. Many complain about the stigma attached to "mental illness", but don't undersand that these broad labels have a lot to do with that.

Sometimes changing a name can make a difference when it comes to stigmas and stereotypes. I remember when there was huge controversy over changing manic depression to bipolar disorder because many felt the term "manic" would cause a greater stigma for the disease. At one time the term retarded was accepted, now intellectually challenged and other terms are utilized.

Hopefully professionals will realize a little more adjusting is needed.

 

[chicagoanxiety]

I also wanted to mention, that of all the anxiety "disorders", social anxiety is one of the most misunderstood by therapists, and the most recently discovered in the field of psychology. When social anxiety has lasted for years, or shown to be a persistent pattern, most psychologists will upgrade the diagnosis to Avoidant Personality Disorder.

If anyone has done research on personality disorders, you know that statistically it's difficult to find therapists who are patient enough to work with people diagnosed as having personality disorders, because it is believed that improvement will be very slow, and this can be frustrating for many professionals. Thus, stigma occurs not only among the layman, but among professionals as well. Try calling few psycholgoists and asking if they have experience with social anxiety. Most will say, no, but explain that they have worked with patients who have anxiety.

There are many counselors who believe talk therapy can make social anxiety worse, because it allows the socially anxious to ruminate and focus more on their fears and past, rather than confronting the behavior and thought patterns which prolong SA. Methods such as CBT, desensitization, exposure therapy, ect are best.

Also, many of the "studies" which claim medication is a great help for SA, are paid for by pharmaceutical companies(check resources when you read them). Thus, there is definitely a vested interest in their studies to promote meds.

ANY PHOBIA LEFT UNCHECKED GETS WORSE OR REMAINS THE SAME!!

 

[magda74]

that's the downside to semantics. ideas get attached to words or terms and perverse the original meaning. alot of times to the point of stalling progress, conversations etc. i think it's sometimes necessary to change terms when it's associated to ideas and pre-conceptions that are counter-productive or downright harmful.

language is powerful and if you're labelled something that you feel is derogatory then you'll resent the label. it's still a problem of definition, the physical reality is still the same regardless.

i've heard of research that states our chemical balance does change if in a depressed state long enough. this is interesting, because it suggests that no matter the cause, these problems still result in a chemical imbalance. if our brain uses chemicals and pulses to communicate, then to me, it doesn't matter if it's a natural state or not. maybe depression like other mental illnesses is more reactionary. an evolution during our lifetime that can sway back and forth and can be corrected or managed.

all i know is, my reactions to things are not healthy and even though i can rationalize it, i still tremble, sweat. there seems to be a misfire from what i'm thinking and what physically happens when i'm anxious.

 

[DazedNConfused]

If being in a depressed state long enough results in chemical imbalances, do you think being out of a depressive state for a sufficient time would make you more chemically balanced?

In other words, if a series of traumatic/humiliating events in ones life causes you to be chemically imbalanced, would more positive experiences and or perception on life cause the chemicals in your brain to balance themselves?

btw- ChicagoAnxiety, it's good to see another person from the area on here, welcome!

 

[chicagoanxiety]

Chemicals & Physiology

Hi Magda, chemical states which effect mood are influenced by many things: the way you hold your body, exercise, love, hate, emotion, memory, food, sex, and the list goes on. There is new research which shows that the personality can change even after the age of 30, and new brain patterns and physiological responses can be created at any age.

A person can live a lifetime and only use 10% of their mind(or is it more than that)?. I'd like to hope the other 90% knows a few things the professionals haven't figured out yet.

I've suffered from panic attacks, social anxiety, and dysthmia caused by the anxiety, since childhood. When I was housebound with paralyzing agoraphobia, professionals estimated it would take at least a year of therapy before I could handle just walking around my neighborhood due to my history and how much anxiety I was experiencing. I began working on my thought patterns, and utlized CBT techniques ALONE, and in three months after being told the above, I went to the gym, mall, and a few other places and have continued to improve. The difference is that i consistently practiced techniques I had avoided for decades.

I expect by this time next year, I'll have great news to share. Many of us have just never learned the foundation of thinking and behavior to deal with social stressors, it's never too late to learn and experience them.

PSYCHOLOGY IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE!!

Improvement for many people with social anxiety, is dependent more on the character and will of the person attempting to improve, than on the stats written in books.

 

[chicagoanxiety]

Hi DazednConfused, I was actually hoping to meet Illinois members here. Thanks for participating in this discussion.

 

[young]

chime!

 

[ColdFury]

A person can live a lifetime and only use 10% of their mind(or is it more than that)?.

This is an absolute urban myth. :roll:

 

[renegade]

Yes, I read that too, that we use only a small percent of our brain. It's all controlled by the amygdala, a small part of the brain that makes us experience fear, anger and negative emotions when clicked backward and joy, happines, creativity, increased intelligence and all positive feelings when cliked forward.

I know this may sound like a fairy tale, I am kind of skeptic too, but there must be some truth hidden in all this. And by learning to control conscionsly this ''steering wheel'' it should be possible to induce ourself any state of mind we wish, and learn to overcome fear, SP that is :lol:

For those of you intrested in the subject , visit http://www.neilslade.com/, but i'm sure you want to find treatment, so you'll find this more usefull http://www.panic-anxiety.com/, I want to try this method before taking drugs witch might have side effects and other complications. If anyone tried it please let me know.

And my opinion is that this phobia isn't about a chemical balance in the brain or mental illnes, it's more about your genes and learned behavior, like in if your actions have no effect you retreat and don't try anymore cause you've learned that it is no use. And the more you try with no succes, the more you belive that there is nothing you can do about it. Untill it comes to the point that you are so afraid to even take a chance in doing something cause failure it's so painfull that you cannot take it.

 

[young]

A person can live a lifetime and only use 10% of their mind(or is it more than that)?.

This is an absolute urban myth. :roll:

I'm not to sure about that. I only used about 2% of my brain.. Umm what was the question again?

 

[Uglyduckling]

I believe that you need to face your fears in order to feel better. whenever I stop trying everything gets worse. I've had a few relapses and experimented with not facing things just pretending nothing was wrong and thinking it would get better on it's own. It did not.

I also wanted to say that some people who have psychosis or schizophrenia hear voices and may think that someone is telling them to do something bad to someone else. I think that these disorders can be helped with the right dose of medication and the right support network (mental health nurse and psychiatrist.) I think the worst thing we can do is give up on people with these mental illnesses. They want to have a sense of belonging in society just like we do.