Your SA Gotten Better? Add Treatment.
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EscapeArtist
Well-known member
It's gotten way better. Nothing helped except for diet changes for me. After seeing the full potential of this in 2 more weeks I'm moving on to the next step which is exercising, we'll see how far it gets me :3
Oh, I want to add that looking into the past and releasing out any stifled emotions, even the little ones, all the shame and sadness even from childhood, is very important too. And then the ultimate is loving every little bit of who you are and who everybody else is. Actually if you love yourself you will love all else. I'm still working on these
Oh, I want to add that looking into the past and releasing out any stifled emotions, even the little ones, all the shame and sadness even from childhood, is very important too. And then the ultimate is loving every little bit of who you are and who everybody else is. Actually if you love yourself you will love all else. I'm still working on these
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Quiet Angel
Well-known member
It's in the process of getting better. I saw a healer therapist the other day and I've noticed a change. The feeling of anxiety is gone but the anxious thoughts remain. I still avoid situations and people. I still overly-criticize and attack myself. Basically, I'm comfortable physically but mentally I am not.
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WeirdyMcGee
Well-known member
No change in the past 2 years.
Have been in therapy and tried hypnoses, psychotherapy, self-exposure, medications, vitamins, diet changes, exercise and relaxation therapy as well as CBT- which is an ongoing process.
Treatment is mainly for Agoraphobia, BDD, OCD, Depression, Panic Disorder and General Anxiety.
Have been in therapy and tried hypnoses, psychotherapy, self-exposure, medications, vitamins, diet changes, exercise and relaxation therapy as well as CBT- which is an ongoing process.
Treatment is mainly for Agoraphobia, BDD, OCD, Depression, Panic Disorder and General Anxiety.
AsTimeBurns
Well-known member
Bit better I suppose. A few years ago I hardly went out at all, just stayed in my room all the time.
And whilst I still stay in most of the time now, having had a job for a year and a bit and university classes and whatnot, it forced me to go out more and speak to people a bit.
And whilst I still stay in most of the time now, having had a job for a year and a bit and university classes and whatnot, it forced me to go out more and speak to people a bit.
nothingtofear
Well-known member
Since a little over 7 years ago when I realized the degree to which the bulk of my problems aren't from anything external but rather a product of my own mind and psychological condition, things have been getting a little better for the most part. I'm pretty sure every year has been better than the previous one but not by a whole lot. Since over 3 years ago, when I found out it was social anxiety, progress has been easier to make. Now I'm at a point where I feel like I know myself pretty well and all that's holding me back is the fact I'm not very consistent when it comes to taking action and so reach these plateaus I can't get past and end up hanging around on for long periods of time.
I tried some CBT program and didn't follow through with it because there were a few things that really bugged me about it. It started with an analysis in which there was a handful of questions that all specifically inquired about experience over the past week. The conclusion that I had moderate depression and no anxiety. Social anxiety & social phobia tests tend to rate me pretty high on the anxiety scale but here I was told I had no anxiety at all and it was clear why. The week before I took the test, I hadn't left the house and I'd hardly spoken to anyone and I really hadn't been anxious, not because I don't have an anxiety problem but because I often cope with it through avoidance. I don't even get anticipatory anxiety if there's nothing to anticipate. The next thing that bugged me about it is it identified two negative thoughts I should try to correct but as far as I'm concerned, while those thoughts may have been unpleasant, they were both perfectly valid and even indisputable but here rather than tackling the cause of those thoughts (the state of reality I've created for myself) the program continued in a way that seemed to have the simple objective of changing my mind about those two things, of eliminating these negative thoughts by teaching me that I was wrong for thinking them. I didn't get very far because I was too frustrated by the overly simplistic and irrational approach to continue wasting my time with it. I was told when I started that I should commit myself to finishing it and not give up part way but I lost hope in it early after seeing these gaping holes in the logic of it's design right after starting. Maybe it was just the specific program I enrolled in and if I were to try CBT somewhere else it would go differently. I have heard really good things about it. Has anyone else here had an experience with it like mine?
I've made the same kind of progress. There used to be situations which were traumatizing, where minutes felt like hours and it seemed like all eyes were on me at all times and everyone must have been judging me and everything I said and did (or didn't say or didn't do) was being paid careful attention to and perceived negatively by everyone around, it was terrifying. I can't remember the last time I actually felt like this. I still feel self conscious and I still feel fear but not to that agree, not that full blown fight or flight response. Now most of my problems are more or less just in thought and not in feelings like they used to be.
I tried some CBT program and didn't follow through with it because there were a few things that really bugged me about it. It started with an analysis in which there was a handful of questions that all specifically inquired about experience over the past week. The conclusion that I had moderate depression and no anxiety. Social anxiety & social phobia tests tend to rate me pretty high on the anxiety scale but here I was told I had no anxiety at all and it was clear why. The week before I took the test, I hadn't left the house and I'd hardly spoken to anyone and I really hadn't been anxious, not because I don't have an anxiety problem but because I often cope with it through avoidance. I don't even get anticipatory anxiety if there's nothing to anticipate. The next thing that bugged me about it is it identified two negative thoughts I should try to correct but as far as I'm concerned, while those thoughts may have been unpleasant, they were both perfectly valid and even indisputable but here rather than tackling the cause of those thoughts (the state of reality I've created for myself) the program continued in a way that seemed to have the simple objective of changing my mind about those two things, of eliminating these negative thoughts by teaching me that I was wrong for thinking them. I didn't get very far because I was too frustrated by the overly simplistic and irrational approach to continue wasting my time with it. I was told when I started that I should commit myself to finishing it and not give up part way but I lost hope in it early after seeing these gaping holes in the logic of it's design right after starting. Maybe it was just the specific program I enrolled in and if I were to try CBT somewhere else it would go differently. I have heard really good things about it. Has anyone else here had an experience with it like mine?
I've made the same kind of progress. There used to be situations which were traumatizing, where minutes felt like hours and it seemed like all eyes were on me at all times and everyone must have been judging me and everything I said and did (or didn't say or didn't do) was being paid careful attention to and perceived negatively by everyone around, it was terrifying. I can't remember the last time I actually felt like this. I still feel self conscious and I still feel fear but not to that agree, not that full blown fight or flight response. Now most of my problems are more or less just in thought and not in feelings like they used to be.
MagicPotion
Well-known member
Well it's a little unconventional (I call this 'last ditch hail mary desperation therapy' and it might not work unless you really are desperate to get over SA or otherwise you'll go nuts)
Step 1.) Reach 29 and realise how much I suck and how depressed I am that I'm a shut-in unemployed virgin with virtually no social life
Step 2.) Join SA forum out of desperation having decided to top myself on my 30th birthday.
Step 3.) Realise how many people on SA forums have jobs and partners and think - screw this. If they can so can I! GET MAD! Grrrr raaaah
Step 4.) Join a dating site for the first time ever. So what if I fail, at least I'll be doing something.
Step 5.) Go on first ever date. Never see her again. But at least I managed to go through with it. Give myself credit for doing it. See it as a big step forward and not a failure
Step 6.) Have nervous breakdown (um, you might want to skip step 6 if possible)
Step 7.) Get CBT therapy off NHS which doesn't work because my therapist hates me. However I do get prescribed quetiapine, which DOES work and has been a massive help. PRO-TIP: get the right meds
Step 8.) Go on another date. Keep posting online and keep trying to give myself credit for trying my best, even though I'm not in the best place. See it as another epic win.
Step 9.) Go on another date. Have to travel across the country to meet her. Do this, despite public panic attack on London Underground and also on our second date. Form first ever relationship. Move up to be with her.
Step 10.) Get dumped after brief 5-month relationship. Get job and manage to work it for 3 months, then get sacked. Um...
End result:
I did a bunch of stuff and failed at it BUT I'm a load better and I'm back on the dating sites and I know I can do what I need to live with my social phobia. Stuff that was hard is now easy. All by forcing myself to do stuff AND being proud of myself that I did it, rather than beating myself up that it wasn't perfect everytime it didn't work out.
Step 1.) Reach 29 and realise how much I suck and how depressed I am that I'm a shut-in unemployed virgin with virtually no social life
Step 2.) Join SA forum out of desperation having decided to top myself on my 30th birthday.
Step 3.) Realise how many people on SA forums have jobs and partners and think - screw this. If they can so can I! GET MAD! Grrrr raaaah
Step 4.) Join a dating site for the first time ever. So what if I fail, at least I'll be doing something.
Step 5.) Go on first ever date. Never see her again. But at least I managed to go through with it. Give myself credit for doing it. See it as a big step forward and not a failure
Step 6.) Have nervous breakdown (um, you might want to skip step 6 if possible)
Step 7.) Get CBT therapy off NHS which doesn't work because my therapist hates me. However I do get prescribed quetiapine, which DOES work and has been a massive help. PRO-TIP: get the right meds
Step 8.) Go on another date. Keep posting online and keep trying to give myself credit for trying my best, even though I'm not in the best place. See it as another epic win.
Step 9.) Go on another date. Have to travel across the country to meet her. Do this, despite public panic attack on London Underground and also on our second date. Form first ever relationship. Move up to be with her.
Step 10.) Get dumped after brief 5-month relationship. Get job and manage to work it for 3 months, then get sacked. Um...
End result:
I did a bunch of stuff and failed at it BUT I'm a load better and I'm back on the dating sites and I know I can do what I need to live with my social phobia. Stuff that was hard is now easy. All by forcing myself to do stuff AND being proud of myself that I did it, rather than beating myself up that it wasn't perfect everytime it didn't work out.
King of Wishful Thinking
Member
I awoke one morning to find that I didn't have the need to continually analyze my memories. I haven't overcome my social anxiety, but I feel so much stronger. I feel bad for saying it, but it's the truth.
lilymartens
Well-known member
I can't really tell. For a while now I thought, that I was somehow managing things. That maybe I could get over this whole selfhurting misery. I've been on meds for nearly a year now, and there are times when I feel good. But at times....well....I just want to curl up on my bed, and escape into some dream, even if it's a nightmare.
nothingtofear
Well-known member
Determination to succeed is definitely big. Looking at my last post, I realize I just started rambling about the past without really giving an answer as to what my treatment was. Like NP88, I've got determination to succeed. Aside from that the most helpful thing for me (with my social anxiety and everything else in life) has been continuously developing a better understanding of myself. I know it may sound weird because you probably feel like you know yourself as well as you can... but in generations past, I'm sure there were explorers who thought there was little more if anything to be discovered here on earth and that we'd have to go elsewhere to continue exploring and they couldn't have been more wrong. We know less about much of the ocean than we do about the surface of the moon - and physicists are still trying to wrap their heads around what goes on in the atoms of even the most seemingly simple elements we know. The more mysteries we solve, the more mysteries we see and have the opportunity to solve. The human brain is extremely complicated and not very well understood, and our models of psychology (albeit far less complex) are fairly intricate too. There's always something to be learned and some are incredibly difficult or perhaps even impossible to learn but there also are many things we don't know that we could find out rather easily if we try. The better you understand yourself, the better you'll be... for me, continuously solving the mysteries within and gaining a better understanding of myself has been the best therapy.
"Knowing your self is the beginning of all wisdom"
- Aristotle
"Knowing your self is the beginning of all wisdom"
- Aristotle
NP88
Well-known member
I agree with you very much so. I should explain myself a little better. I know myself as well as I can, with the knowledge I have. There is still an infinate amount to learn. However, I know that my insecurities are caused by my experiences in life. I have to learn how to deal with those experiences and embrace them. I have to shed positivity on all of my negativity. I attempt to control my thoughts through diet and exercise which have helped me tremendously and also through changing the conditioning of the powers that be. Namely T.V. or more specifically corporations. Television ruins people, sets false expectations and essentially plugs you into the matrix. (Not that all T.V. is bad, just understand what is true and what is false and the motivation behind it all.) I feel like Ive taken the red pill and am on a journey of understanding experiencing gambit of emotions and thoughts that accompany it. I have a direction in my life in that sense.
Take care of yourself, respect yourself, respect others, learn to forgive find the good in you and the good in the world and eventually, with practice you will likely find what your looking for. I am on my way there.
Each of those things you've mentioned really interest me. I often wonder what lies at the bottom of the ocean or in the vastness of the cosmos, the transition between life and death and vice versa. Mind boggling.
thomas90
Well-known member
As someone said before me, positive thinking is a good start.
Also to make Baby Steps into achieving your ideal self.
Try saying hi to people as you pass them, maybe say hi how are you? that helps me
Exposing yourself by going places, this does wonders to socially anxious people like myself
Also to make Baby Steps into achieving your ideal self.
Try saying hi to people as you pass them, maybe say hi how are you? that helps me
Exposing yourself by going places, this does wonders to socially anxious people like myself
