I have social anxiety (self diagnosed). I've never seen a doctor or taken meds for it.?

Question

I was wondering to those who has or had SA, does seeing a shrink or taking medication really get rid of your fear of making speeches or doing presentations?

What I don't get is how someone can take a drug then just forget they have SA or have those feelings go away.
I guess I don't really believe in it which is why I never seeked helped.

Those self help books did not help me, nor does audio tapes. Tried both of those.

any feedback is appreciated.
Thanks

Answer 1

Check this out:
I also self-diagnosed myself with SA. This was after seeing two shrinks who had no idea what the hell they were talking about. One told me: "When you wake up, meditate for a while and then you should feel better." LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

I would get headaches when I was around a lot of people, start perspiring, and lose almost all concentration.

So, after searching the internet, I ran across SA, read a few books, and felt comfortable that this was my problem. I went to a Doctor (MD) and told him my symptoms. I got no meditation or family problem B.S., and he prescribed me Lexipro.

I have to say Lexapro has helped a lot. The physical symptoms are gone, yet the mental symptoms still kinda linger. I think I'll have to train myself some way to be more social. I have made progress, but I think I couldn't have done without the Lexipro. I've also come to accept that maybe it's not in my character to be social and have lots of friends. I have accepted that I am more of loner. And I can live with that...

Hope this helped

Answer 2

First of all, you can never accurately diagnose yourself. Even professional psychiatrists get a second opinion from another doctor before diagnosing themselves. There are a lot of things you do not know about mental health, as is evident by your questions, and you should always go to a doctor to discuss your health, be it physical OR mental. There are environmental factors, chemical factors, medical factors, personal factors... there is a reason it takes 7-10 years to get a degree in this stuff. They are the "professionals" for a reason.

Second of all, you are totally oversimplifying what they do. It is not just a matter of getting a drug and being all better. People who seek help from professionals also receive therapy, good advice, and real-life strategies that help them overcome their fears. Many of them do not even take drugs at all! The ones that do only take them to even out chemical imbalances in their brains that cause their moods to shift, which makes it difficult to make rational decisions. It is simple science; and "science" IS the right word for it. Saying you don't believe in it is not like saying you don't believe in Santa Claus. It is like saying you don't believe in the sun. It's a fact. Ignoring it doesn't help.

Self help books are pretty much a scam. They are written by people who are better at marketing than they are at being doctors. I highly recommend that you talk to your doctor and have them recommend a mental health professional. You can stick to your antiquated superstitions about professional help and have social anxiety for the rest of your life, or you can be smart and get some help to overcome it. It is your choice.

Answer 3

theres nothing wrong with social anxiety and its not a mental illness either. you dont need any pills and if they do work, you cant depend on them all the time. i have SA too. I have those fears of making speeches, doing presentation, or talking in front of a bunch of people. And those self help books never seem to chase away my fear because SA is something that i know i need to deal with as in confronting it face to face. but its very hard because my fear keep stressing me down when doing speeches..

well, im just like you and i understand exactly how you're feeling right now. im just as desperate as youre to get rid of this fear so that it will not keep weighing me down. And i think i've found the right way to do it because ive been getting better at it...

-when you make a speech:

the most important things to do are relax, relax, and relax a little bit more. take deep breaths to keep your heart from beating too fast to that anxiety. control your 'inner' self so that that anxiety will not beat you in and out. talk slowly and clearly and dont rush. when your nervous, you have no idea what your talking about so pace yourself.

dont let the audience control your feelings. they are not scaring you, you are just scaring yourself. you are not afraid of them either, you are just afraid of the anxiety. well then look at them, they are just like you. we all are equal; we are normal human beings. look around the room, all of us are the same...pretend that you are talking to your selves with lots of different faces.control how the audience feel about you..

just relax when making speeches and your confident will go up and your anxiety will go down. you can also boost up your confident by practicing reading outloud. trust me it'll help.

if you have any more questions just email me.

Answer 4

I think this is a real thing. We need to work on ourselves and our self esteem in order to get over it. Concentrate on the good things about yourself and determine if there is something that you don't like, but can change. Then gradually you will feel better about yourself. As you become more confident, you will be less anxious. Good luck.

Answer 5

Hi there, I just laugh about my past 3 years of panic now. I was not able to go anywhere without carrying xanax. Fear of having another attack was the most important subject of my days.When i first found joe barry's web site i started to cry because of my happiness.

Free audio to end anxiety and panic attacks fast?

Answer 6

Sorry for not answering you question but I wish I could go on meds I have severe anxiety due to bullying since kindergarten till now (ninth grade)

Answer 7

You are limiting yourself with self diagnosis. See a doctor and get a check up. It could be that you are a naturally shy person and do not need to attach a label to yourself.

Answer 8

There are many people who would make fun of the possibility of altering their fates. This is due to the fact that it believes that nobody gets more that what is put in his fate.

Answer 9

see i had the same prob. but u have to solve it urself. u have to work on it very carefully n learn frm your mistake. its a gradual process . first love what ever u do then work on other things ok

best of luck

Dude