Social anxiety disorder ruined my life?
Ok so long story short I always had a VERY severe case of social anxiety disorder ever since I was born as well as ADHD. The combination of these two disorders has caused so much stress throughout my high school years it is ridiculous. Because of my ADHD, I was really energetic and wanting to talk all the time. However, because of my social anxiety, I was away too nervous to talk to anyone I didn't know even though I wanted to really bad. Each class it was the same **** every single day, I would sit there fidgeting like crazy moving both my legs really fast while staring off into space thinking about past memories of times where I thought I did something wrong in a social situation. I lost all confidence and almost gave up hope at life until I got treatment and I was prescribed Zoloft 75mg and Concerta 54mg. This has changed my life in a very positive way. My social anxiety is almost completely cured and the concerta is helping to motivate me to want to be successful in life. Life would be great now if it werent for one problem. My reputation in high school is horrible and everybody still thinks I am the same nervous wreck I once was which really ruins my day every day. Whenever I talk to someone at my school I don't know very well, they get really nervous and try to avoid me. However, when I meet people I have never seen before, I usually become good friends with them in a day and I always get along with them. It really sucks going to school everyday and being constantly reminded of my horrible past. I have actually been a really outgoing and social person the whole time I just had a chemical imbalance according to my psychiatrist. So now at my school almost everybody has the wrong opinion about me and I can't stand it. I wish I could just start a new life and forget about everything. I really don't know what to do and everyday at school is horrible when I know it should be fun. Any help would be appreciated.
How do I stop social anxiety from ruining my life?
Make an appointment with a specialist or general practitioner. This is coming from one, who is walking the path.At least 50% of clinical depression is genetic. It has nothing to do with lack of willpower. Also, as in my case depression can be caused from an insult to the brain (TBI). All efforts to control your anxiety/depression should be initiated by medical personnel. Too, a great majority of the time if you have anxiety, you also have depression. The number one health problem in the world today is stress; consequently, all steps should be taken to control it.Social anxiety is nothing to take lightly. Mine was measured at 99%. I was told if I don’t make changes in my life, I could look forward to a heart attack.You can also use countless non-chemical means to cope with stress. Some, and this is a short list, are: avoid negative people; don’t rely on your memory - write it down; make duplicate keys; say no more often; simplify meal time; always make copes of important papers; ask for help with jobs you don’t like; break large tasks into bite size portions; smile; pet your dog/cat; don’t know all the answers; say something nice to someone; say hello to a stranger; ask a friend for a hug; practice breathing slowly; stand up and stretch; strive for excellence NOT perfection; don’t worry what other people are thinking about you, because they are NOT thinking about you (you are not the center of the universe); ask someone to be your vent-partner; talk less and listen more; watch a sunset; know your limitations and let others know them too; Always have a plan B; memorize a joke; clean out one closet; write a note to a friend far away; remember that stress is an attitude; remember you always have options; have a support network of people; quit trying to fix other people; get enough sleep; freely praise other people; relax - take one day at a time…you have the rest of your life.Please know if you have clinical depression, these “de-stressors” and many more should be used along with prescribed medication….NOT in lieu of prescribed medication.Should you care to read about my battle with anxiety/depression, take a look at the ebook on Amazon Kindle, Rise Above: Conquering Adversities. It’s had very good reviews. Too, it’s only 99 cents…
High social anxiety is ruining my life. Please help...?
This is long, but please read it. I have high social anxiety, depression, low self esteem, etc. I've learned how to adjust my mindset to help with depression, but I have extreme social anxiety/nervousness that I cannot seem to calm. I have only one friend whom I talk to occasionally on MSN and hang out with once every couple months at night (we go for walks at night in the dark; that's the only way I can handle hanging out with/talking to someone). Other than that, I have NO friends and I don't hang out with anyone or go to restaurants or anything like that (I wouldn't have anyone to go with in the first place). If I have to go to an appointment, I get really nervous when I have to talk and I shake, blush, feel nauseous, my mind goes blank so I have nothing to say, etc. It's awful when people ask me questions and try to have a conversation with me. I feel like I'm put on the spot; I get really embarrassed, feel frustrated, I even cry sometimes and feel faint and nauseous. I spend all my time at home, mostly in my room by myself, which adds to my depression and isolation. (I used to go to regular school, but had to drop out because my anxiety rendered me suicidal. I home schooled myself and finished high school a few years early.) I've always been painfully shy and unable to adjust socially because I feel like I'm being criticized/misunderstood and I've always had different interests from the other kids. I hate feeling like I'm wasting my life away. I feel like I'd have a lot to offer the world if I could just get rid of the social anxiety/nervousness. I'm an introvert so I probably won't ever be the life of the party, but I just want the anxiety gone. I want to enjoy my life, I want friends. I'm 16, I should be out having fun. I've considered getting a job, but there's no way I'd make it through an interview, let alone the job itself. Please, please help... does anyone have any steps to overcoming this? I've seen a lot of therapists in the past for issues like depression and I don't want to ask my parents to see another one because they don't understand, and they already spend a lot of money on me for other things. They think I like to "play the victim" and I want someone to pity me. Besides, therapists never helped much in the past. I find I do much better with issues when I coach myself through them. Thank you.
I've always felt stuck in life because of my social anxiety. How can I free myself?
An Extract !! For people who feel Stuck in life !!How to recognize such feel ?You are convinced that something must change, whether is your work or personal life. But you are struggling to figure it out. It happens to all of us. The important thing is to act & refuse to stay stuck.After a decade of dealing with social anxiety and trying everything from medication, reading every book under the sun and even solo travelling around the world to try and break out of my shell I’ve finally figured out what it takes. And honestly it could have been done in a few weeks.Everyone is, of course, different. And we all experience different levels of shyness or social anxiety. But when you come right down to everyone is dealing with the same learned behavioural problem with the same root cause and same root cure.Learned experience has caused it. Whether you were 5 or 35 the lower levels of your brain has learned to fear social situations. And the answer is re-training this lower level of your brain in a controlled way (because just throwing yourself into the deep end reinforces the problem in the long run). In theory, I learned that a long time ago. Putting it into practice was another story. I know how easy it is to get the feeling nobody else is going through the same thing as you are but I promise you at the root it’s all the same thing. I spent years hiding away in my room watching TV and playing games because I was easier than going out and facing people as much as I really wanted to. Watching others lead lives I wish I had but never understanding how they managed to talk to people so easily.I’m not normally one to suggest self-help books. Partly because I’m a guy and partly because I’ve read a load of them and most don’t actually have anything you can use in the real world. I did find the thing which finally turned my life around (and a way you can download the full audiobook for free): Shy to Social Free Audio Book and Community
I have social anxiety and I just want to die?
I had this date with a very cute girl and I messed it up. Awkward pauses everywhere and nonsense questions. I can't easily get dates due to my social anxiety. Whenever I ask a girl out either she rejects me or she thinks I'm a rapist or something. I can't control myself. When I'm trying to flirt with a girl I can't hold back my awkwardness. The girls dont care about my money or my car (a BMW) When they see me, they see my social awkwardness. I try to buy girls free cofee or free drinks and they refuse it. I try to be nice and they reject me. I don't want to live anymore, how can I kill myself and end it all
Can a person with social anxiety succeed in life?
I have struggled with depression and anxiety for over 20 years and I would say that I am moderately successful. Things could have turned out better, but they surely could have turned out much much worse. The trick to beating anxiety is to not let it control your life, it is much easier to crawl under a rock and hide, but you won't find much success hiding under rocks. Get some help. Get some exercise. Don't overly self medicate, this is one of the most important things of all. It is way too easy to find relief in drugs and alcohol, don't even try it. I have plenty of friends, but I consider myself highly introverted so I don't really seek out the company of others. I could be a lot more social, but I have two kids that I'd rather spend time with, this is just a personal choice. Don't let your anxiety define you, just remember that if there is nothing ventured then there is nothing gained. Don't be afraid to get out there and try your best. Good luck.
Should I commit suicide over my social anxiety?
Social anxiety can be treated, suicide cannot. Your social anxiety also probably isn’t destroying lives and throwing the most unexpected of people into guilt ridden shells of the ones they once were. I’d be a hypocrite if I said that life was worth living for it’s own sake, but it is always worth living for someone else’s. Life is terrible but you are beautiful and wonderful, simply for being human. No matter what, your suicide would hurt someone. Seek help for their sake, if not your own.