Social phobia/OCD/agoraphobia - or ALL 3 (is it possible?)

[bella_b]

It has been acknowledged by my pdoc that I have OCD, social anxiety and agoraphobic tendencies.

What I am wondering is this: there are certain days where my social phobia is very bad. On those days, I don't want to go anywhere. If it's possible, I don't go anywhere. Instead, I stay home and feel compelled to do certain behaviors (the OCD)... This has been a pattern with me for a year or so now and it is slowly increasing.

Is it possible for the social phobia to create or exacerbate agoraphobia and OCD?

 

[allergic2kryptonit]

hey bella_b,
welcome. i've had social anxiety since childhood, and think i had some hypochondria and body dysmorphic tendencies also. now my social anxiety is less of a problem, but i'm depressed and have stupid hangups about sex (which i think may be ocd type thinking). so, i've been reading a lot, and i'm not a doctor (even though i play one sometimes), but i think all of our problems are interlinked and probably have a lot to do with brain chemistry. i notice i do pretty well on an ssri, though it doesn't take away any of the bad memories of growing up anxious, it does improve my mood and make things look less bleak.

have you tried any meds?

 

[EJ21]

Hi bella_b,

I think that those three conditions are definitely interlinked. I have been diagnosed with severe social anxiety, and my psychologist recognised that this was leading to agorophobia. I was getting so anxious I would hardly ever leave the house, but this is slowly improving with CBT.

As for the OCD, my psychologist has stated that I do not have OCD, but I need to be careful I do not develop it. This is because I suffer from emetophobia, meaning I am afraid of vomiting, especially in public. Due to this phobia, I wash my hands more than is required to avoid germs. As most of my anxiety stems from worrying about being sick in public, there would seem to be some links between SA and OCD there.

I think (unfortunately!) that SA can create and exacerbate agoraphobia and OCD. I also think allergic2kryptonite is right about our brain chemistry. I am taking SSRIs and while I still feel very anxious I have experienced far fewer panic attacks and sometimes notice that I am not as concerned about handwashing as I used to be.

 

[bella_b]

hi guys - thanks for your responses

i have *bad* body dysmorphic disorder... which is not a nice combo w/ social anxiety.

and hypochondria is such a built in part of me that i honestly *fear* "fixing" it. i think it protects me.

actually - i think the bdd protects others from seeing my true ugliness.

is that strange? to be addicted to something like that?

i have tried almost all of the ssri's and i get pretty nasty side effects with all of them. sad.

i am going to a therapist tomorrow who does cbt so i'm glad to hear it's worked at least somewhat for you, ej21.

have you found yours comes in waves? or for no apparent reason?

i feel like it's so random, which drives me nuts. no way to prevent/prepare!

 

[EJ21]

Hi Bella_b,

I know what you mean about the hypochondria being a part of you - I can't seem to let that worrying about getting sick go. I agree with you that it is protective. I worry that if I stop worrying about getting sick then it will actually happen, even though I know that I feel so anxious when I'm worried! I think it's like, the worrying protects me because it keeps me aware of how I feel so that I can be prepared if I do get sick. I don't know if I would call it an addicition, but I definitely don't think it's strange!

I can't really relate to the 'waves of anxiety' because mine is present pretty much all the time. I don't have a way to prevent the anxiety, but I do know that the techniques you learn in CBT can prepare you to deal with the anxiety when it appears. If you can use the techniqes properly then you can calm down faster and maintain a lower level of anxiety. Good luck with the treatment, I hope it helps

 

[sickofbeinglonely]

I know that I definitely suffer from all three.