How do you know if you have social anxiety?
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If you are having difficulty going outside of your home to grocery stores, driving on highways, or general everyday social activities than you might be suffering from a disease called anxiety.\n\nI call it a disease due to the fact I to have this disease and the more I tried to wish it away it wouldn't go away.  I had to seek professional help.  When I admitted to myself that I had a problem and got help my life got so much better.  \n\nSo many individuals, men and women suffer from anxiety disorders that you would be surprised.  After I got help for my problem and came out of the closet per say, friends of mine spoke openly of there personal problems they to suffered from.\n\nIt's not a moral issue.  Not everyone with social anxiety has to take medication, but there is something inside of you that has surfaced that you alone need help with.  Surrender and ask for help.\n\nYou'll feel better in the long run for it- I do and I'm free to go anywhere and be with anyone today.
128203
I have social anxiety and have had it all my life.  It's really hard for me to do anything that involves a lot of people, or being the center of attention, or dealing with people of power, going on interviews or being judged by anyone. I never found a way to deal with it without medication. And most medicine didnt help me either. But the only thing that has helped at all is Effexor.  I used to be scared to go through a drive through or say hello to anyone or go through a checkout, but the Effexor has really helped that.  I highly recommend it.  I still have a lot of problems to overcome, but I am well on my way.  So maybe I'm not the best person to help you since I'm not completely cured.  But I also suggest therapy.  I haven't been courageous enough to do that yet, but I know I have to, because it's the only step thats left lol.  \nIt really helps to talk to someone, but not someone in your every day life because they cant really be objective.  I have always wanted to talk to someone that has social anxiety, so you might consider that as well. \nThere is also a book I read that may be of some help to you.  It's called Beyond Shyness: How to Conquer Social Anxieties by Jonathan Berent, ACSW.  It's a very informative book and very easy to read and understand.  It gives you little quizzes that helps you set your goals to overcoming social anxiey.  It's great at helping you determine your specific problems. And it gives you advice on how to overcome your fears.  \nI hope some of this has helped you! If you need anyone to talk to feel free to email me :)  Good luck!
803818
Im the same way. I have a social anxiety disorder.  When Im drinking Im a social butterfly.
993744
IT COULD BE STRESS OR ANXIETY
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If you're in the Chicago area, try NAMI of Greater Chicago (www.namigc.org), or go to www.nami.org to find a NAMI affiliate in your area. There, they can direct you to support services, etc. \n\nAlso, have you tried support groups on WebMD? They include people from all over the country. It's a great way to hear what others have gone through and what's worked for them. Plus, it's online, so you don't have to go out in public :) \n\nPsychologists can also help, and may even direct you to a psychiatrist if he or she thinks you'd benefit from medication to reduce your social anxiety symptoms. \n\nHope this helps!
63088
Sorry to hear that you are having a hard time socializing.  I think you need to give some more information before anyone can fully answer your question.\n\nFirst, is your problem associated with your inability to "connect" (or understand) others?  Do you wonder if you're normal or what normal behavior is?  Or, are you highly intelligent and find others not smart enough to have a meaningful conversation?\n\nOr, is this an anxiety issue?  Do you worry about what others think of you?  Are you concerned that people will laugh at you or talk about you?\n\nIf this is a matter of having a tough time understanding other people, I wonder if you might have come from an alcoholic family?  I ask because sometimes children of alcoholics complain of these kinds of issues--they can't integrate, don't know how to behave normally, feel out of sorts.  If you did come from an alcoholic family, seek out a local ACOA or AA meeting for support.\n\nIf you feel anxiety seek out medical help.  Drugs like Paxil can reduce social anxiety.\n\nFinally, if you feel as if you're simply a misfit--seek out other misfits.  Do you have an odd hobby?  Find others with that hobby.  Chances are you'll see eye to eye.\n\nGood luck.
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Info and links that may help :-)\n\nAccording to a 1998 study called the National Comorbidity Survey, conducted by Ronald Kessler, PhD, at Harvard Medical School, more than 13% of Americans experience the symptoms of social anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. The same survey found that at any given time, a startling 4.5% of the population meets the diagnostic criteria, making social anxiety disorder the third most common mental disorder in the nation, after depression and alcoholism. Experts like R. Bruce Lydiard, MD, professor of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina, applaud the new attention being given to social phobia. "The biggest problem we face is reaching these patients," he says. "Many are too afraid to see a doctor."\nhttp://www.webmd.com/content/article/13/1674_50379.htm\n\nLinks:\nhttps://www.shynesscurve.com/curve/index.asp\nhttp://www.socialanxiety.com/index.html
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Could you maybe have Asperger's syndrome? Social apathy is one symptom...\n\nAsperger's Syndrome is a newly recognized neurological disorder. It shares many of the same characteristics of autism, although people with Asperger's Syndrome do not have the accompanying disabilities. Those afflicted with this syndrome have difficulty understanding what those around them think and feel. As a result of this, they often behave inappropriately in social situations, or do things that may appear to be unkind or callous. Many Asperger sufferers have a difficult time in planning and coping with change despite average or above-average intelligence. This manifests itself as a notable lack of "common sense".\n\nTwo things with this answer:\n    (a) It's only a suggestion, I don't know you and could therefore never presume to diagnose you based on the tiny bit of info you have shared... \n    (b) If you think you may have Asperger's, it does not mean you are abnormal! Social abilities/interest are on a continuous scale/spectrum, with the low end being people who are very social and high end being autism/Asperger's. Most people with Asperger's do not feel they have a diability...\n\nIf you think there is a remote possibility you may 'have' this, I would suggest searching 'dsm-iv asperger's' in yahoo to see the criteria for a diagnosis...\n\n\nAll the best!
275925
If you haven't consulted a psychologist already that might help to see if all the symptoms are there. Some of the symptoms are: Irritability, Excessive talk, Racing thoughts, inflated self-esteem, Unusual energy, Impulsiveness, and possibly Hllucinations.
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Anxiety produces physical symptoms such as: \n\nrapid or irregular heartbeat (palpitations) \nstomach problems (gnawing feeling, nausea, "butterflies," diarrhea, irritated bowel syndrome) \nsweating, or feeling cold and clammy \nheadaches, lightheadedness or dizziness \nbody tension or aches \nfatigue or shortness of breath \nshaking, trembling or twitching \ndifficulty falling asleep or staying asleep \nhot flashes or chills \nchest pain \nrubbery legs, tingling in fingers or toes \nEmotional symptoms of anxiety include: \n\na general sense of apprehension and dread \nnervousness \njumpiness \nirritation \nfearfulness or terror \nisolation from others \nfeeling incredibly self-conscious and insecure \nfear that you are dying or going crazy \nstrong desire to escape \nGeneral anxiety may produce symptoms that are chronic and long-lasting, whereas the symptoms of an anxiety attack will usually come on suddenly and without warning (unless you know what triggers your attacks). Symptoms may last only which an attack is taking place or be present all the time.
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Embarrassed? No. But nervous, Yes. Everybody gets nervous, just that some people aren't that obvious. Even an introvert may get nervous getting onto a stage in front of many people. What you need is to get used to speaking in front of large groups and learn to deal with it. There are lessons and classes on public speaking, they are even offered in high schools and colleges.
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There are some prescription medications (Paxil, for one) on the market for social anxiety disorder, if it's really serious. You should consult your doctor or a psychiatrist if you think you have a serious, chronic problem with anxiety. If you have situational anxiety - stage fright, for instance - there's a medication called Inderal (sp?) that works extremely well without affecting performance. \n\nI'm not a doctor, don't know anything about your medical history, and wouldn't presume for a minute to give you advice about how to treat anxiety. I just wanted to pass along some of the medical treatments I've heard about.\n\nFor less serious bouts of anxiety, there are many possibilities, including exercise, psychotherapy, and peer-to-peer counseling.
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What are the symptoms?
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You may have social anxiety. If you are comfortable around friends and family, but have trouble talking when meeting new people and find yourself worried about being evaluated by others, you may want to look into it. Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety and see how many symptoms match your personality.\n\nIf you think this may be the problem, see your doctor. A psychologist or psychiatrist may not be necessary, as there are many Rx medications effective for treatment.
611721
There are alot of shy people, but yours seems to be extreme! Anyways, what you need to do is to face your fear - shy people are usually afraid of one thing or the other.  Maybe you are scared of saying the wrong thing in front of people, or tripping over your shoes while passing under the stares of people.  Either way, its a fear, and you need to face it.  When you are in public, take deep breaths, count 5 seconds between each breath.  You  need to look at yourself in the mirror each day and say: "I am not scared, I am confident! I will not fall, I will not say the wrong thing" and so on and so forth. You need to speak to yourself all the time when you feel nervous. Say things to encourage yourself as you would to a friend who was shy too.  It will take a while before you overcome it but you will eventually.  If you love yourself, you will be more confident. So love yourself (e.g.take care of your appearance) and your confidence will come naturally.  You should also pick up books or read the internet on issues regarding anxiety, nervousness and shyness.  They will give you practical and maybe medical ways to help you.  And dont worry too much - you are not alone!
437936
Hi Pablo, I too suffer from social anxiety.Believe me I understand your frustration and sadness about it. Ok well, firstly I have to tell you that as a result in doing drugs -you have created an imbalance in your brain. I know this cos i did drugs for years to hide from my problems. This rapidly reduced the seratonin in my brain. You need seratonin to feel happiness. Anyway, the point of telling you that, is that you may need to take a short dose of seratonin tablets. Lexapro is especially used for panic disorders and anxiety.(ive started it myself recently and it is working) I didnt agree with tablets either for the same reason as yourself, but the point is, the reason youre feeling like this is because of a chemical imbalance.\nSome things that will help you in the mean time are: You have to cut out coffee and sugary foods from your diet. Cut down on alcohol also. This is just for a little while. These things actually make you feel more anxious.\nIf you are feeling particularly anxious, the best thing to do is go for a power walk. Exercise really helps get rid of that anxious feeling.\nYou need to go to a cognitive therapist then, to help you find out why you feel like this in social situations.You know,get to the root of the problem.The cognitive therapist will tell you how to control your anxiety and what triggers this etc.\nThen you need to join a group of people that are going through the same thing as yourself. It will make it easier to go to group therapy ( your cog.therapist will probably refer you later on)until you feel comfortable in social situations.\nI know its daunting..but youve made the first positive step by asking for help. It is a long road, but you will make it through. You are not alone in feeling like this.\nPlease get help as soon as you can because, it can get worse over time. I made the mistake of thinking that i could get over it myself, but over 5 yrs it got progressively worse. \nI wish you all the luck in the world. Feel free to pm me as i am going through the daily battle of social anxiety myself.\nCheck out the website below to give you an idea that others feel as you do
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I have that problem when I'm anxious. It seems my mouth is ahead of my brain. Just relax, and you should be fine.