Getting treatment for Social Anxiety

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by STR8UP
Self esteem issues are often a part of SA, but how do you explain a person who is in my shoes suffering from low self esteem? I am financially set, I still manage to pick up good looking women who are quite a bit younger than me, I live in an awesome place in an awesome part of town, I'm in my mid 30's and I basically don't have to work again for the rest of my life.......it goes a LITTLE bit deeper than low self esteem, I'm afraid.

You can be confident in your work and other things and still have low self esteem. I can tell you that through much of high school I had very similar "symptoms" to what you have described. I was a social disaster, I had a few close friends but I was awful at dealing with most people because I was intimidated by them. Every time I moved a muscle I would silently ask myself what the people around me thought of me. Granted, it is hard to compare two situations like this, especially when you are much older than I am and have been dealing with this for much longer.

I'm sure medication would have helped to cure some of my "symptoms." Instead of considering that, however, I evaluated myself. Then I reevaluated myself. I found that I was not confident at all in my social skills and that I cared way too much about what other people thought of me. I took it one step at a time and over the course of a few years, I grew as a person in the ways I was striving to. Now I am probably more easy going when dealing with people than are most of the people I know. My self esteem has grown exponentially, and I would not be suprised if that is exactly how your medication is making you feel.

This is just speculation, but it sounds to me like you have an idea of what it is that you think is the "ideal life," and when you have it all, but still don't have the self esteem, you question that which is out of your control -- certain chemical levels in your brain.

Don't completely rule out the possibility that maybe your problems are curable in the long run without becoming dependant on medication. Best of luck.

 

[Steele]

Hi folks.

My symptoms were something like Abbots.

I found my cure on Sosuave; for about a year I swigged daily doses of, 'Focus On Yourself'.

 

[ER!C L!VE]

Meh, I'll pop a pill every day for the rest of my life if it makes me feel better. I'm all for better living through modern chemistry.

You guys live your life how you want and stop attacking those who find happiness through the use of medication.

Live and let live - geez.

Eric

 

[Reiki]

I experienced the same thing like STR8UP, I got some meds and it helped, then I came to my senses and told myself to quit the meds and do it naturally, I started working out, forcing myself to get into social situations, and it helped, I developed my personality alot in that time and became the man I am today.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by STR8UP

Fact of the matter is, SSRI's do correct the problem for some people. You speak of SA as if it were a LEARNED behavior, which might be partially true in some cases

...I absolutely DO want to be more social. It kills me to want to open up more to people but be paralyzed to take action because of some ridiculous condition I have. The fact that my relationships suffer because of it is just another reason why I need to get it under control.

I have seen very little evidence that SSRI's are harmful to your body.

STR8UP,

Ok, at first it was a little bit confusing since you sid you were basically more than ok in almost all important aspect of life.
I could not imagine that a gf's demand of being more social and sweating might be a serious problem.
But if you are saying it affects all communication etc, yes, than at least now I can see why you want to get rid of SA.

Lets go over side effects again: do you think pain killers have side effects? They sure do. Are they bad? They can be, but usually very mild for most people.
Now imagine that you eat some food that causes similar side effects. Are you going to eat it anyway, all your life just because you like it? you probably think many times before doing that.
In a way it is very similar to alcohol in terms of side effects: if you get drunk every day for rest of your life, it would cause harm to your body, right? This is pretty obvious.

Let me tell you why it is obvious: because finally society admit the hard of alcohol. So people tend to understand it fast: alcohol is basically killing you, especially if taken in large doses on the everyday basis.
Drugs are not different, they are not useful for our bodies. It is the same sh** as alcohol. But because huge drug manifactures can spend billions on commercials and tell uss it is ok to take drugs, many people tend to belive their bs.

Again, SA drugs works like pain killers, i.e. it make sense to take them only for some short time when you really have to be in a good shape. You would never start talkign Advil for example for the rest of your life, you prolly take it for a couple of days and go to see a doctor. This makes sense for everyone.
Why it doesn't work for SA drugs? They are no different in teh way the work, they do not cure anything, they suppress SA as pain killers suppress pain.
Do you think pain killers can cure anyone? No!!! It is obvious, is not it? They do not cure. They help us temporarily.
Why then you think SA drug can cure somebody?

if you are in SA therapy of any kind and your doc thinks it's good to take SA drugs, or you have a super important meeting - then it make sense. It helps you to overcome a situation you are in.

The same way: if you had a bad headache, you take a pain killer.
For a couple of days (not years or month). If you still have the headache you don't continue to take drugs, you seek somehting that will cure this completely.
FRom what I see here, you tend to think "Fine, this advanced SA killer has very mild side effects. I'll take it until I feel better".
Would you take Advil with the same thoughts? "Yes, my head is exploding if I don't take Advil, but the side effects seem mild so I'll take it for a year and see what happens..."

 

[al77]

Originally posted by ER!C L!VE
Meh, I'll pop a pill every day for the rest of my life if it makes me feel better. I'm all for better living through modern chemistry.

You guys live your life how you want and stop attacking those who find happiness through the use of medication.

Eric

Eric,

If you want to get drunk everyday or get high, that sure a way of life you choose. It is your choice. I am not saying it is wrong or right.
What I am saying is taking SA drugs a) does not CURE anything b) works like a pain killer, i.e. suppresses the symptoms while you are talking drugs but cannot cure.
It is usefull and helpful but only on a temporary basis.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Reiki
I experienced the same thing like STR8UP, I got some meds and it helped, then I came to my senses and told myself to quit the meds and do it naturally

Yes, "come to your senses"!
Just want to note: do you guys think even simle drugs cure anything? Lets say cough syrup? No! It only suppresses teh cough and let your body heal the problem without having a nasty cough.
But if the body is weak and cannot cure itself, once you are off the syrup, the cough is back!
By the way, as h2o discovered some cough syrup are pure drugs.
So does anything think a drug can cure anyone?

Abou what to do.
I believe that a group therapy can help a lot. I have tried that, it helped me very much. It was not ideal by any means, but ot works and I am grateful to people who helped me.

It is interesting to note that a group therapy works when somebody in teh group is bold enough to actually kick other a***.
Only when confronted with teh issue a person can make progress. I cannot imagine, and don believe that a peaceful psychiatrist who talk to you for hours can cure anything. He can calm you down and make you fall asleep.

 

[ER!C L!VE]

Originally posted by al77
It is usefull and helpful but only on a temporary basis.

Cool. I'll use it until it's no longer useful. I'm on year 7 and life is good. For what it's worth, I haven't drank alcohol in 8 years.

 

[Skel]

Yes I want proof here. I didnt realize I would have to research what someone says reading a simple thread. I wont do their work for them. If they have something to say then back it up.

 

[Skel]

Fair enough. Ill let it go. We are getting off topic anyhow.

 

[Emperiorjack]

Zoloft sucks:crackup: I gurantee you only feel better from zoloft because you think you should. Not because the medicine is actually doing anything.

 

[STR8UP]

Originally posted by Emperiorjack
Zoloft sucks:crackup: I gurantee you only feel better from zoloft because you think you should. Not because the medicine is actually doing anything.

I've been on it long enough now that I KNOW the drug is helping.

If I have a couple of drinks one night the medication doesn't do it's thing and I lose the positive effects for a day or so. It's no coincidence.

Interesting thing is, when I do drink alcohol now that I am on Zoloft if I have two or three drinks it knocks me on my ass. Before I could have had 3x that and been fine. The good thing is I don't drink as much now that I am on the medication. The bad thing is that even if I only have a couple of drinks it screws up my sleep and I wake up early with a headache.

So far the Zoloft works pretty well to decrease general anxiety and curb social anxiety by maybe 60%, but if I take a clonozepam the social anxiety is pretty much non-existant. I am no longer avoiding situations like I used to. It's a great feeling to not have that ridiculous burden on my shoulders everyday.

 

[I_Only_Live_Once]

But what kind of side effects do you have?
And don't you feel weird taking all these artificial drugs into your body every day? It's like you'd have to take it forever or else you go back to who you were.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by I_Only_Live_Once
But what kind of side effects do you have?
And don't you feel weird taking all these artificial drugs into your body every day?

It's like you'd have to take it forever or else you go back to who you were.

Not all side effects are going to show up immediately, this is a beauty of drug industry. You take pills, feel fine for a while. But after a couple of years something will come up "out of nowhere".
Of course no one ever would blae the drug industry or the drug he or she was taking..."It must be somthing wrong with me NOW, not two years ago when I was on a pill"...

Lets compare it with something more simple and way less obvious: cakes and ice cream. You eat it, and see no apparent side effects at all. But if you read a little bit about nutrition, and especially healthy nutrition, you will figure out these product slowly, very slowly killing you.
Nevertheless - "It is all cool, if it helps me feel great!" is the modern slogan ini the society. Sad

Why sad? Because it does affect others as well.
If most people **** their body with drugs and crazy foods, eventually they will come to a doctor who insteda of a better diet, will give them .. pain killers, which **** their bodies even more.
The effects? Health care expense are at teh second place in US after military spending. Think about it. Suffering from drugs and bad unhealthy foods is a problem #1 in teh US. But very few people even think about, they tend to simply say "Oh...no, no, it is a problem of obese folk, since I am only taking drugs and love fast food I am fine".

You are 100% right: once you are off the pill, you go back to where you were before. Do you really belive that drug can do magic and CURE you? It can numb your social anxiety for a while, yes. But if you stop taking it - you will go back to where you were.

Don't believe me? Try it. Take the drug. Take it for a while. Then stop. You will come exactly to the state where you have been before. So what is the use of it??

 

[STR8UP]

Originally posted by al77
You are 100% right: once you are off the pill, you go back to where you were before. Do you really belive that drug can do magic and CURE you? It can numb your social anxiety for a while, yes. But if you stop taking it - you will go back to where you were.

Don't believe me? Try it. Take the drug. Take it for a while. Then stop. You will come exactly to the state where you have been before. So what is the use of it??

Please, at least take the time to do a little research before you claim something to be fact.

Taking an anti-depressant isn't necessarily a long term thing. From what I understand, after a year or two of use it is possible for you to discontinue the use of the drug WITHOUT reverting back to having anxiety issues. It basically helps your brain to begin producing proper amounts of seratonin which means that you no longer need the medication.

You anti-drug people crack me up. You would rather have a person suffer from a lifelong condition that causes extreme STRESS which can lead to high blood pressure and all kinds of other crap that will kill you at an early age, than take a drug that can help you live a normal, happy life.

So which is it? Would you rather have someone suffer from the long term effects of stress, or seek a treatment that can potentially cure you of anxiety and thus kill two birds with one stone?

My experience thusfar with the Zoloft has overall been a positive one. I no longer suffer from the social anxiety that kept me from having a normal social life for YEARS. I no longer suffer from the general anxiety that caused me to get stressed out over the most trivial of things.

On the downside, there are a couple of side effects that at times make me reconsider taking the drug. But as long as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, I'm gonna stick with it until the doc says it's best to come off.

 

[undesputable]

ahhh clonozepam....thats good stuff. The bad thing is that the tolerance for that stuff builds up pretty quick. One week of taking it straight and all the really good effects go away, but it still works.

 

[STR8UP]

Originally posted by undesputable
ahhh clonozepam....thats good stuff. The bad thing is that the tolerance for that stuff builds up pretty quick. One week of taking it straight and all the really good effects go away, but it still works.

I only take the clonazepam as needed. I don't think you can build much of a tolerance taking only 4-5 (.5 mg) doses per week. I'll tell you what though....that stuff does the trick if I am stressed, anxious, or can't sleep I pop one of those suckers and it's smooth sailing.

You hear lots of negative press about the bezo's, but from what I understand it isn't likely to be addictive to you if you take them for anxiety. I really hope my doctor keeps me supplied with them because this is definitely one medication that has no side effects (for me) but still does exactly what it's supposed to do.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by STR8UP
Please, at least take the time to do a little research before you claim something to be fact.

Taking an anti-depressant isn't necessarily a long term thing. From what I understand, after a year or two of use it is possible for you to discontinue the use of the drug WITHOUT reverting back to having anxiety issues. It basically helps your brain to begin producing proper amounts of seratonin which means that you no longer need the medication.

I no longer suffer from the general anxiety that caused me to get stressed out over the most trivial of things.

On the downside, there are a couple of side effects that at times make me reconsider taking the drug. But as long as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, I'm gonna stick with it until the doc says it's best to come off.

It is possible if you while taking the drug you learn how to deal with the situations that causes anxiety. If you just taking the drug, in most cases after you are off it, you will have anxiety back.
What you describe is possible but is very very rare. No anxiety drug claims "... discontinue the use of the drug WITHOUT reverting back to having anxiety issues" as what it does.
It is highly desirable, but cannot be achieved in any significant number of cases.

From the other side, if you accept responsibility of taking the drug knowing it is hurting your body, but make the anxiety go away - than it is fine. It is your choice.
You now - you can drink, you can get drunk every day - who is going to tell you anything? No one. If you say it makes you happier person - sure. Drink. Just know what it does to your body.
And know once you stop - it all will go back.
am I saying "do not drink?" No. Just know what you are doing.
Same goes for many thing like fast food etc.

If you clearly understand this - then it is all fine.

 

[treefingers]

Damn you anti drug people are nuts! Is big pharma's number one goal to make as much money as possible? Yes and the same goes for every other company in the world and that's how it should be. The reason people work so hard to make new discoveries is the expectation that they will profit from it. Without that monetary stimulus people simply wont try because it's not worth their time. Everyone wants to make a good living and be rewarded for hard work and good ideas even people who work in the drug industry. Is that so wrong? THAT SAID THE DRUGS MADE BY BIG PHARMA HAVE SAVED MORE LIVES THAN ANY OTHER THING IN MEDICAL HISTORY. Before modern medicine if you had a heart attack you were ****ed. Now we have statins, blood thinners, and heart rythm stabilizing drugs(not to mention implantable difibrillators) and you can lead a good normal life after the most incredible traumas. I am amazed by how anti drug some of you guys are. Are drugs dangerous? **** yeah! But I would like to see you guys go into a lab full of thousands of unique chemicals and come up with a original compound that when taken by a person alters their biochemistry such that it helps a certain illness and at the same time doesn't do too much harm. Do you know how ****ing hard that is?


str8up, I'm happy for you.

 

[Cbaoth]

Amen treefingers