What are you actually doing to overcome Social Anxiety?

LonelyLeaf

LonelyLeaf

Well-known member
On a day to day basis, what are you doing to overcome this disease?
Is it all talk and no action?
Are you reading self-help books?
Are you 'out there' confronting your fears on a regular basis?
What have you tried until now?

And more importantly, do you really WANT to overcome SA?
Do you trully want to socialize?
I hope you are at least doing something to overcome it, because as far as I'm concerned if you are not totally paralyzed from head to toe, or likewise (no offense to people who are), then you have a choice..my point is that SA is not something we're supposed to live with, it CAN be overcome, with effort and determination. Do anything but don't do nothing..there's always a choice!
 
Sad-Kitten

Sad-Kitten

Well-known member
Well for one i walk down to the mail box every night. I also exercise at home 30 minutes a day. I'm studying for my license and just ordered a study book so i can get my GED. Put up a Christmas tree,haven't done that in years.
 
no1

no1

Banned
I've read many self help books. I either didn't practice what they taught or they didn't work for me,or I just lost hope...

nothing really life changing. I really don't know if they would help me but it's really felt like it wouldn't. Since most of my problems the answer to them would really just be "F*cking do it then!" but I feel like I don't have the resources or the ability. Many supposed "treatments". Nothing has really worked.. mabye I didn't stick with it. Maybe they really don't work. I don't know and it's made me frustrated.
 
Agitprop

Agitprop

Active member
All talk no action for me. I've been planning to see a therapist for along time but alas, I still haven't.
 
tiffstar

tiffstar

Member
I listen to this CD to relax and I also repeat positive statements so I can get it in my subconscious.

At the moment I have a summer uni break and I have devised my personal plan to increase my confidence like mentally exercising my mind with math questions.

You definately do become calmer if you want to but it takes time. I'm trying to change how subconscious thinks.
 
freestylemonster

freestylemonster

Banned
Agitprop said:
All talk no action for me. I've been planning to see a therapist for along time but alas, I still haven't.
Click to expand...

Stop putting it off and do it right now!!!

As for me I'm doing a lot. I'm really working hard to change the way I think. I try to think positive as much as I can, and if I find myself thinking negative like "I can't do this" or whatever I try to lose that thought and replace it. It's definitly getting easier, and every day I have less and less anxiety. Also when I talk to someone I try to slow down my speech to keep myself calmer (It really works).

So yeah just nobody give up! It's really hard but it will be sooooo worth it in the end!!!
 
Hoth

Hoth

1
LonelyLeaf said:
And more importantly, do you really WANT to overcome SA?
Do you trully want to socialize?
Click to expand...

Short answer: No and no.
Long answer: I'd like to feel less anxious, but not at the cost of becoming normal (I value being different), and not at the risk of having to waste lots of time talking to people I don't want to talk to. All I really want is a loophole, some sort of trick to find the one interesting person in a room without having to socialize with everyone.
 
lettypagb

lettypagb

Well-known member
i've tried many things,
weed
alcohol
psychologist
astrology
even youtube videos :roll:
socialize with kids at school :cry:
and lots and lots of things
but what really helped me was this book - the mediator
 
Psychedelicious

Psychedelicious

1
Right now, nothing. I don't know if it's because I don't want to or what. Right now I'm so used to this it's hard for me to care. Not sure if that's good or bad.
 
carsickcars

carsickcars

Member
i have an appointment with a shrink on monday :) . i've been putting it off for so long but enough is enough, it's time to slay this awful dragon.
 
yohannes

yohannes

Well-known member
well, I have been in CBT group for 12 weeks we just finished. It was a very interesting experience. It has really help me to be more rational and much more comer. I can now easily talk to people, so there was some positive things. Cbt also has help me to combat those negative thoughts. I am now fully aware when ANTS show up. I try and normally success combating my negative thoughts.


I have also been going to the Gym for a while now. The Gym is great it helps me to leave all the stress right their. After I finish I usually spend some time in the Stem room its very refreshing.

I have been also listening to Dr. Thomas Steps to overcoming Social anxiety. Its very helpful. Oh, yeah I just had a meeting with a psychologist he suggested that since I had social phobia for a long time that I might need to take medication. So, now I am just deciding if I should be on medication. I think I would take the medication for a while and wait for any result.

I had made some progress, but I know to overcome SA I still need to do more things. Which hopefully that I will do and I think I will do them.

God willing at age of 25 I will bit my SA.
 
cicada1000

cicada1000

Member
I agree with CBT being helpful. I am broke so I am just trying it on my own, but it still helps to realize that I don't have to beleive all of my thoughts (some of them are pretty fucked up as it turns out)

I'm also trying every week to do something that I have been avoiding, and if I catch myself avoiding anything out of fear, I do it. 99% of the time nothing is as bad as I think it will be.
 
roseycheeks

roseycheeks

Well-known member
freestylemonster said:
I try to slow down my speech to keep myself calmer (It really works).
Click to expand...

yeah, i must try that one. people that speak slower seem to give off a calmer vibe too, ive noticed.
 
dzerklis

dzerklis

Well-known member
3 years ago when i found out about SA when reading news on the internet i became very motivated, at last i knew what was wrong with me and that it could be fixed. i read books, went to psychiatrists, tried meds.. and quite soon realized there was little or no point to that, because i lack the most important thing - the will to get better. i dont like people, in fact i think 9 of 10 people are idiots, and therefore dont want to socialize. maybe a group therapy would change my mind, but there is no available in my area. very soon i will hit 26 and i dont expect to ever get better unless something very big happens. fcuked for laif.
 
GotMeWrong

GotMeWrong

Member
I read books pretty consistently, (self help/spiritual/self improvement/career developement). I also work with my thoughts and replace any negative with positives. It the mind that needs to be worked with first and foremost. So slowing down speech like that was said before helps, actually slowing down my thoughts when they begin to race is also very helpful. Being present you could say. Also taking deep breaths throughout the day and using meditation helps.

I'm working out and also beginning to train for a marathon. I also work with my diet which is mostly raw vegan, and low sugar. I drink a good amount of wheat grass, and take chlorella and spirulina. I drink kombucha which has b vitamins in it and theanine to help me relax. I interact with the public daily at work so that is my exposure therapy. I have been granted an oppurtunity at work for a new position and I took it on as to develop myself and learn more skills in the job place and within myself.

The really big one is dating..DUN DUN DUN. Maybe next year, which is right around the corner.
 
Marci074

Marci074

New member
I read a lot of self-help books and articles.

I started initiating conversations that I would normally avoid. I'm starting to initiate conversations a little bit more. Most importantly, I've just began a series to talking to myselft this week, telling myself that I am unique and I am fun to be around and that I don't have to be liked by everybody and that it's ok to disagree.
 
kayelle

kayelle

1
Yes, I finally DO want to recover from SA. I'm seeing a psychologist, doing CBT, reading loads of self-help books, and doing lots of exposure using my new coping techniques.
Also saying affirmations and facing the issues in my past that caused me to have anxiety.
I'll be going back to college in three weeks (eek!), and I'm hoping that will help me seeing as I'll be out of the house lots more and around people.
I'm doing fuckin loads basically! Everything except taking medication. I've stopped being tired of fighting, now I have energy to fight this fear for all it's worth. Though I'm more accepting than fighting. Trying to learn that I might me anxious and that that's ok, rather than trying to eliminate it.
 
LonelyLeaf

LonelyLeaf

Well-known member
Wow, it makes me happy to see that so many of you are really trying your best to overcome this..that's great, I hope all of us and all people with social anxiety get over it, and I really hope in the future there'll be a much greater understanding from society at large as to what it's really like living with this disease..that's what we need, more compassion and greater understanding, ignorance may be bliss, but ignorance breads fear and conflict too.
 
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