Understanding SA...

[nunvangus]

Ive realised that ever since i discovered that i had social phobia, like when i actually put a name to it it has become alot worse. I get what i used to call burst of anxiety but ive learned that they are panic attacks and now they are even worse.

It just makes me think that SA is only a pattern of thoughts. I think its the fear of the anxiety that we all fear the most not fear of any given situation in general. For example when an i.e normal person gets a little anxious they wont label it like people with SA and they dont go into panic mode.

We on the other hand start thinking.... "Oh my god... im starting to feel that way again.. oh no.. oh no... What am i going to do.... Oh god... How do i stop this" etc etc. Anyone who thinks in this way would more than likely react with panic as our mind is telling us that this is a bad situation hence the sweating/shaking/blushing/panic attacks etc!!!

I Think once that label is there, thats when things become a whole lot worse. Well it sure has for me anyway. And ive noticed the more i try and help myself get over it, im focusing on it more and thus making it even worse! When i dont think about it its not as strong.

This is why i believe that social phobia can be cured completely as its only a pattern of thinking that we have learned so if we can learn something the brain can un learn it right...???

I will get over my SA!!! I refuse to let my own thoughts control my life ....!

 

[coyote]

awesome thinking!

the sooner and more often you can identify the thoughts that are keeping you down, and realize how irrational they are, the sooner you can overcome them and get on with your life

keep moving forward - don't agonize over past failures

your life is what YOU make of it

 

[Gerdje]

I think your post is right spot on. Perhaps that's the reason by doc only admitted after all those years when I asked him in the face "Do I have Social Anxiety". I think there's a reason doctors will not mention the name, it's a pattern, and hearing the name alone makes us go into thinking.

I've been told thousands of times that I need to start thinking differently toward certain events, but it's so much a second nature that I don't have a clue about how someone "healty" thinks about and in certain event.

I wish I could, for 1 day being in someone non-anxiously's mind when he walks into all these "frightening" situations.

 

[tweetebird]

Hmm interesting reaction to the label! I have had exactly the opposite. Having a label to the pattern of thoughts has actually made it better for me, in some terms. I can now pinpoint the thoughts that are 'social phobia'. This was very helpful for me when battling depression as well. The suicidal thoughts and thoughts of worthlessness, were just my 'depression' and therefore had much less weight on me. By separating them with the label of something I was fighting against, I was able to work on dismissing them. After a while, these thoughts became much more like a distant whisper instead of constant shouting. Label or no label, awareness of faulty thought processes is essential to being able to correct them. Good post

 

[panicsurvivor]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Finally someone else feels this way!!!!!!
Every one that I have met who says that they have had panic attacks says that once they figured out they were having panic attacks it got better.
It couldn't be farther from the truth with me. That fear of fear cycle was way worse than the panic attacks themselves. Living my life based around avoiding every thing that triggered my panic was a full time job, and not one that I would recommend.
Your attitude is awesome by the way and a huge first step to leading a better life.