Anybody else here with social anxiety?

Social situations are just overwhelming and gross but at the same time turning into a recluse is pretty miserable too.
The bathroom is a haven for me. Whenever I feel myself start to get overwhelmed I try to find one that isn't busy and hide in there for a few minutes.

If you're going to school I'd try to talk to the councilors, presuming your school has them, and see if they don't have any suggestions or ways to accommodate you, especially in testing situations. It can be nerve-wracking and embarrassing but I found it to be worth it.

I'm sorry, that's all I got for now. Good luck!

Have you sought professional help with a counselor/therapist?

It sounds like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder would be the types of techniques you're looking for. You can google it and/or get some books to help you try it, but seeing a qualified therapist is going to be your best bet.

Try this: http://www.liberationinmind.com/

You'll have to sign up, but it's harmless. Then, you'll have access to listen. I started due to my bad sleep. But, that got fixed after doing this for a couple weeks. Then did the social anxiety one, and cured in bout a week. I'm not kidding. It's amazing.

You just start listening, relax and fall asleep. It's easy. It seems weird. But, I'm a believer. Try it.

I feel your pain. :flowerforyou:

I know exaclty how you feel, its not fun at all. I get anxiety sometimes to. i dont really have any helpful advice but wanted to wish u all the best

Me!!! I have a really hard time coping with mine.. Bump for later

I've had bad anxiety most of my life. I wish I knew of some remedies =[

Clonazapam.

I really struggled with this in school, and my marks suffered because of it... if you can make it to uni or college it gets a whole lot better as less face to face time is required for courses... I'd also recommend a high DHA fish oil (I take a 250mg) it did wonders for me in reducing (not getting rid of) anxiety and helping to manage social settings as well as inner stuff good luck... feel free to add me or message if youd like support or someone to talk to

Believe it or not, generalized anxiety disorder is a lot more common than you think. I don't have the studies at hand, but if you send me a message I will get them to you. I myself have a pretty severe panic disorder relating to social situations. In class I literally shut down. My throat gets so tight that even if I know an answer I can't speak, my hands too frozen to even raise. I spend the entire drive to school worried about if what I'm wearing is okay if i'm going to be made fun of or talked about, if I'm going to fail, etc, etc. These worries keep me from sleeping and keep me from doing anything productive because even when I'm doing homework or socializing there are other worries going through my mind (am I good enough, do I look fat in this, am I talking too much). So, just so you know you are most certainly not alone. I am lucky that I have great doctors that are helping me to deal with this through medication and therapy. Social anxiety is extremely common and usually something that we learn from being bullied at a young age, or from not living up to the medias general portrayal of what we should be. If you ever need help feel free to reach out and NEVER feel like you are alone. Odds are someone else wherever you are is experiencing something similar.

A few years ago, I went through a trauma and began to experience anxiety attacks. Seriously scary and then really annoying as they can come out of nowhere at just the wrong time...
I found through the practice of sitting meditation, nearly all of the symptoms are relieved. Try it! It's free, and you can do it anywhere! Good luck on your journey! It will get better!!

I had it for a little while but depression is my demon!

bump

This is definitely me through and through!

I feel for every one of you. I have flare ups of my depression every now and then and am quite accepting of it now, although it has taken me years to work through. I recognise now that I've had mild anxiety on occasions as well.

I'm not writing to tell you about me but more about my son who is now 27. His counselor told me last year that my son has severe anxiety. He was bullied a lot at school: at Intermediate school his class mates sat on his head while the others held him down (he's 6' 5" now); he retaliated against the bullies and the teacher put him out of the class; he was constantly called names. He was regularly unwell in Year 10 to the point that he was home most of the time. At one point he wouldn't go past the end of our driveway or get on a public bus. He then became angry most of the time. He left home and lived with other young people who had mental health issues in a supervised home. His grandmother died and he decided to go flatting. He got a job at a Cinema but eventually his doctor advised him not to go back because of his stress and anxiety. His anger got worse.

Eventually he came across a wonderful doctor who listened to him and referred him to the Anxiety Clinic. His doctor at the Clinic explained to him that our thinking process has about three levels before you get to where you either take flight or fight (primitive man's response), however in his case he would go straight to the last one. He was put on a combination of drugs known as Californian rocket fuel - mirtazapine and venlafaxin - and they give him a 5 minute window where he has the opportunity to think about the incident and evaluate it and then decide whether to get angry or not. He does get frustrated and pissed off but he doesn't fly off the handle or have the massive anxiety attacks he used to have. He still sees his counselor but seems to be trying to wean himself off.

I can see him being in control and well grounded within 5 years easily, maybe even a couple of years. He is presently giving up smoking which is just one step on the way to taking control of his life. I am very proud of him and think he is quite amazing.

So there is definitely hope. The trick is to find the right path towards help. Ask your doctor about an Anxiety Clinic. The one my son went to was a government funded one. Ask your psychiatrist about Californian rocket fuel - we found a forum with comments from people who had been put on it, so have a look at their comments and remember this example. My son had an upset stomach from the word go and was tempted to give up, but one person on the forum said to stick with it no matter what for at least 4 weeks. At the end of the 4th week, the side effects stopped and he hasn't look back since.

GOOD LUCK!!