What's the likelihood...

[ljwwriter]

Of there being a place where severe social phobics/agoraphobics can be sent for 3-6 months or however long to be "rehabilitated"? Personally I don't think the likelihood's very good at all, but my Dad seems to think otherwise. He keeps telling me I need to go get help at one of these mysterious places which I'm quite certain does not exist so that I can get a handle on my social phobia. It's as if he thinks I could be (or should be) committed somewhere for my anxieties.

Just the other night I tried to tell him that I found it highly doubtful that there is any place that takes in people with social anxiety for weeks or months at a time the way they would with an addict or someone with dangerously severe mental illness.
But he wouldn't listen to me. He's convinced that there is somewhere I can go to just "get help". Those vague, cold, and generally meaningless words: "Get Help". It should be so simple.

I tried explaining to him about how I log onto Social Phobia World quite often and actually get to communicate with other people who experience the same things I do. I told him that out of everyone I'd spoken to or heard from on this site none of them had ever mentioned anything about entering some sort of overnight social anxiety rehabilitation program. But he and my mother trivialized everything I said, making it seem as if my relationships online were all completely meaningless.

My parents don't have a clue about how lonely I get and that SPW has been very helpful to me in many ways. It's not like I know anyone else with social anxiety in my real life, and people who don't have it just don't even come close to understanding. I've been in therapy over the years, but it's never quite like talking to someone who knows firsthand the crushing fear and panic of severe social anxiety. I can only get that here.

I'm sure if my Dad goes looking for some rehabilitation clinic for people with social anxiety he'll find it right next to Harry Potter's school, Hogwarts. It's just not out there.

 

[ripewithdecay]

It sounds like your parents do care though (even if they don't recognize the importance of SPW to you so far). Maybe you should give them more information though on the actual illness, and explain that it wasn't even a decade or so ago that it was 'officially' recognized as a mental illness. So that they understand that even finding any kind of local support is extremely rare and difficult.

 

[Ursula]

Considering there isn't much in the way of rehabilitation for people with serious drug habits or schizophrenia in the UK, it's hardly likely there'd be anything like that for us social-phobics. If your Dad's so sure this mythical place exists surely he could phone them and book you in?

It's a shame your parents don't try to understand your social phobia a bit more but I suppose most people see it as being just the 'shyness' they sometimes feel when meeting new people- I'm sure everyone is a little bit shy sometimes- when in reality it's so much more than that for us extreme s.p.s. I'm glad you feel that coming on this site helps a bit- it's good to know we're not totally alone in feeling like this. I've never felt comfortable talking about it to people in the 'real world' as they do tend to just see it as 'something you should have grown out of by now' and not something to take all that seriously. Unfortunately it's hard for most people to empathise with any form of mental illness unless they suffer from it themselves or from something similar. My Dad was very understanding of my s.p., as he had an anxiety disorder plus he was a real introvert and always wanting to get away from people. He wasn't at all social phobic though, he was a bit over-confident if anything.

It's extra hard to explain s.p. when it's only been recognized as a disorder since the 1980s. Interestingly, my primary school teacher recommended I should see a psychologist in the 1970s because I was so withdrawn but it never actually happened maybe because it hadn't been recognized as yet?

 

[steve1]

dont think theres any such place my friend if there was i sure would already be in there.IM looking in to C.B.T. treatment but seems very expensive and because of S.P i dont work so therefore have no money its just a vicous circle....Moving over to parent side of things they really dont understand what a powerfull and crippling illness this is it basically controls our lives....cant remember the last time i was truly happy dont think my mother wants to understand ive told her to look up this site and read some threads but she wont.....maybe shes imbarressed her son has a mental illness. anyway sorry to go on my friend and good luck and keep looking for that place that will help you start enjoying life.

 

[Carstuar]

Let me know when they find this place.

EDIT: Here in Norway there are actually groups for social anxiety. I'm signed up for one, but it doesn't start until September, I think

 

[villacjs]

A doubt such as a place exists solely for SA/SP. I've been in a mental institution for 2 weeks for severe depression when my meds were not working properly and they did have a social anxiety workshop there. However this workshop was only for 1 hour a week and was just one of a number of workshops run by inhouse psychologists rather than a lengthy specialized program specifically for social phobics. Therefore I believe there is no point in admitting yourself to an institution in the hope of getting help for your SA/SP. You said you have tried therapy and didn't get much from it, maybe you should find a SA/SP group in your town/city?

 

[noblame4]

A half-way house for social phobes? haha! I think your dad is on to something.

Im pretty sure this doesnt exist either, though. I think there are treatment facilities for people with OCD, but I dont think SAD is seen as all that serious in general, so noone would bother to set up a half-way house for us. Even if they did, I dont think they'd be able to get many people to attend. You have to share a room with someone you dont know, eat with people you dont know, group therepy would probably be involved, very daunting.

 

[dan_e]

I've never heard of a rehab place like that. Maybe there is one somewhere. I never thought to look. Anxiety may prevent many of us from going anyway .