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Post by Nick with OCD on Dec 18, 2013 12:02:10 GMT
Hi guys and girls.
Recently (this last few months) my social anxiety has gone through the roof. I constantly feel like people don't like me, that they are only talking to me cos they feel sorry for me, that they don't want me around and that I'm too annoying. I also feel like some are plotting against me when I talk to them and that people only use me when they want something or there is no one better to talk to.
How do I stop feeling like this? How do I deal with it? Are there any specific techniques that I could use to help calm the anxiety?
Please help because I'm at my wits end with this
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2013 13:19:58 GMT
This wont help but I have social anxiety too. I literally have to throw myself into things, no matter how scared I am.
I have to meet with a befriender once a week and I hate it. I get sick with worry and never want to go but I just force myself. Take little steps. Get up, have breakfast, get dressed, walk to town ... before I know it im in town and meeting her.
I obviously cant ignore my anxiety but u can face upto it and show it that it wont beat me. Once I get home, im always glad I went :-)
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Post by MissBlack on Dec 18, 2013 19:27:06 GMT
Like Kim said you really have to put yourself out there and face scary situations. However, I would say to know your limits as well. So, I suppose what I am trying to say is find a balance? Make a compromise with yourself? That kind of thinking does help.
Just so you can get a clearer idea of what the hell I am on about I will give you an example of this from my own experiences. I was absolutely beyond words experiencing social anxiety about going to the MiLO meetup in London. (Can you tell I can't articulate emotions etc.... Ha) Anyway, I did push myself to go in the end. However, looking back I wish I had known my limits, due to how severe the social anxiety was. I didn't eat, smoked a whole packet of cigarettes, totally crashed afterwards for about a week and had two panic attacks on the day at least and most of that was before I dissociated. If I had taken my limits into consideration I probably wouldn't have gone and would have come up with an alternative solution due to how messed up and emotionally unavailable I am. Plus I was so withdrawn that it wouldn't have mattered if had decided to not go for the lovely people that did attend. Apologies in advance, if none of this makes sense.
Conclusion: find a compromise for situations that trigger your social anxiety and slowly build up to bigger things.
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JC
Newbie
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Post by JC on Dec 24, 2013 17:40:54 GMT
This is only my opinion and isn't necessarily indicative of what other people have/can/will go through.
I've got Social Anxiety Disorder and I didn't cope with it for many years, actually making myself housebound so I didn't have to face life. As such, I've lost my teenage years and early 20s to my illness. I've never been able to have a job or a girlfriend and any friends are online.
These days, I'm still very limited in what I can do, staying in my home 6 days out of 7, but one day a week is an improvement when compared to zero.
My ability to get out a little has been gained through a combination of medication and essentially doing a deal with my illness. I know it's in charge of me, so I say to myself that if it has a problem with what I'm doing, I'll understand and head home.
Since my one day a week is spent with a Mental Health Organisation, they understand more than anyone else would if I need to leave earlier.
So yeah, when I'm at home, I just try and keep myself busy online or playing games or watching TV to drown out the negative thoughts and anxiety.
When I do go out that one day a week, I ease my fears by assuring myself I'm in complete control and that at any point, I can turn round and go home.
That still limits my life in comparison to "Normal" people, but measured against me, that is some small progress.
I'm not sure if this has helped at all.
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Post by Kimberley on Dec 28, 2013 21:35:47 GMT
Hi Nick - not sure if this is of any use, but Joe, a MiLO member, kindly wrote a piece for my blog recently, and he suffers from Social Anxiety as well. Here's a link www.thehopefulhummingbird.com/2013/12/12-days-of-mental-health-day-1-social.htmlI posted some links at the bottom of the post, one I can really recommend is contacting Anxiety UK. They might be able to point you in the direction of a therapist who can do sessions with you via live chat as well. Hope it's of some use. :-)
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