What are you doing to imrpove your situation in term of social phobia?
- Thread starter DeMarco
- Start date
I don't suffer with SA. I suffer with a phobia though, generalised anxiety and problems linked with panic disorder. I continue to work a job (it isn't full time) that gives me a lot of problems in those areas. It's a job that's hugely interactive with the public, mainly students, so my own age group and a little older - and offers different kinds of responsibilities, which can challenge my anxiety. Even though phobia intensity is very much increasing, I still go to work, even though there's a part of me that hates going.
staticreflex
Well-known member
I juts want to know what people do on a daily bases to get better. Personally i started to go to Toastmaster's meeting and go to "group meetings". What about you?
I just went to my first toastmasters last week! I am psyched to do it again, it was a small group so it wasn't too imtimidating but I was too scared to do the table topics. Other than that I try to make a plan for what I'm going to do everyday to branch, but I always seem to distract myself, a defense mechanism I guess.
theslowesthand
Banned
Same as i did during my entire life to date - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I "wrote myself off" during childhood, when i possibly could have taken some partial measures. But nowadays i'm just too scared to try anything different. I'm quite sure i have some form of Aspergers, so that part is not social phobia (although i probably do have a fair bit of social phobia). Basically i feel that trying to work on my social problems is WAY more trouble than its worth (like therapy, would be just a whole lot of pain & zero gain). But thats just me!
krs2snow
Well-known member
Its possib. for us suffering from social phobia/anxiety/depression etc, to do something about it. I think where most of us fail is that we get caught up in the feelings of helplessness and worthlessness and dont do anything to change things for ourselves. I know I'm guilty. I think everyone here, as special as each one is individually, is not very special at all in the scheme of things. We're all just here. Experiencing Life. What we decide to make of it and do with it is up to us. There's no quick fix. I also think this thread will suffer a quick and uneventfull death. Noone wants to talk about what they're doing to change things... where's the fun in that? Personally, I exercise, talk to friends and family, pray, take a vitamin suppliment and work - all on a daily basis.
staticreflex
Well-known member
I don't completely agree, I get inspired when other people talk about what they're doing to change things. I have felt helpless all my life and doing things to change makes me feel more in control and small victories give me courage that I won't have to be like this the rest of my life if I don't want to be.
I also went to a all mens group therapy for 6 months, and it helped me immensely.
staticreflex
Well-known member
No harm intended, I'm not sure that people gravitate towards uplifing happy tails in general either.
I might as well say something. Nothing that I have done to date has helped my situation. But as I've gotten older I have found I'm more accepting of my situation. Whether it's because I've resigned myself to a life of utter loneliness or the hormonal pump of my youth is subsiding I don't know. I do know though, all the pain and fear is still there, just under the surface waiting for some life crisis to burst it wide open and crush me like a bug.
I am surrounded by family that love me, but I otherwise avoid people and keep to myself. It seems to be working so far, apart from a few periods of momentary anxiety, I'm generally feeling ok. Boring and humorless, but better than crying myself to sleep every night fearing tomorrow.
I am surrounded by family that love me, but I otherwise avoid people and keep to myself. It seems to be working so far, apart from a few periods of momentary anxiety, I'm generally feeling ok. Boring and humorless, but better than crying myself to sleep every night fearing tomorrow.
sevenroses
Well-known member
I always refer back to social anxiety books and constantly keep an anxiety management journal or log. I always try to counteract my irrational unrealistic thoughts with positive realistic thoughts. Also I try to stay as active ask I can because it helps clear my mind.
Waybuloo
Well-known member
I juts want to know what people do on a daily bases to get better. Personally i started to go to Toastmaster's meeting and go to "group meetings". What about you?
Hi, you sound very proactive!
How is the Toastmasters working out for you? I remember hearing about it years back but I could never imagine partaking in it, maybe if I was paid for it.
Have you got to host the meetings yet? What are the other people there like? I think it can be intimidating but the other people must be there to improve as well so they can't be all that confident and socially successful.
Tiercel
Well-known member
Baby steps. Instead of shoveling in every bit of food I order at a restaurant or leaving some behind, I'll intentionally leave some then ask for a box.
Instead of speaking as little as possible with new people then running away, I'll ask an extra question or comment on something. I'll stick around longer than I would like to, then run away.
I'm a smart ass. So I usually have a slightly humorous comment about almost everything. Lately I've been trying to make those comments instead of just playing things safe, straight and boring.
And talking to people in real time (i.e. instant messaging) really freaks me out. So I've been trying to push myself to contact people on this site for the past month or two. Those efforts so far have been rather few and far between, but it has slightly easier for me to do.
The rest of my life still pretty much sucks, but at least I'm beginning to try again after years of giving up and expecting nothing of myself.
Instead of speaking as little as possible with new people then running away, I'll ask an extra question or comment on something. I'll stick around longer than I would like to, then run away.
I'm a smart ass. So I usually have a slightly humorous comment about almost everything. Lately I've been trying to make those comments instead of just playing things safe, straight and boring.
And talking to people in real time (i.e. instant messaging) really freaks me out. So I've been trying to push myself to contact people on this site for the past month or two. Those efforts so far have been rather few and far between, but it has slightly easier for me to do.
The rest of my life still pretty much sucks, but at least I'm beginning to try again after years of giving up and expecting nothing of myself.