Social Anxiety Support

jpl262000 · 12-18-2009, 11:52 AM

This is an email that I sent to my sister explaining what is going on with me today:

Hi sis,

doing ok, been better

am being treated for Social Anxiety Disorder...the times I went to the doc about the "heart" trouble was from what we gather acute anxiety attacks, brought on from stress at work revolving around the social anxiety and from that would lead to depression. The doc figures that I am mildy depressed from it all and dealing with it all for all these years. If Dr. Brake had diagnosed me correctly all those years ago I wouldn't be going through all this right now. He put me on anti-depressants because of family history and because the prednisone that I took for my nasal spray addiction made me happy - prednisone in some people has a side effect of "euphoria". So when I told him I felt amazing on the prednisone and asked could I stay on them because I was relaxed and happy he said I was depressed and put me on Paxil without ever digging deeper - all because of family history.

We only discovered what the problem was beacuse my doc wanted me to do some reading about medications for depression because I told him I wasn't depressed and didn't want meds for it but if I was going to put something in my body I wanted to have a choice beacuse of the side effects...so as I was reading I came accross a passage where it described what I was feeling and it had a name Social Anxiety Disorder. I talked to my doc about it, he asked a few questions and now I finally have answers...not wanting to go to a poker game beacuse I don't know someone there is...oddly...not normal...nor is not wanting to walk into a club by myself..and spending every day worrying about if there is a meeting where I might be asked a question and have to speak in front of everyone apparently isn't normal either..who knew!

The only way I can explain how I have always felt is if you were about to get up in front of an audience and had to give a speech and you have an awful knot and nervousness in your stomach...imagine that feeling all the time...now imagine someone is there, a critic waiting to tear you apart because you weren't perfect...that's the only likening I can think of for people to relate to. I was off work for a week before I finally didn't have that feeling...then I had the appointment about meds for depression and came across the S.A Disorder...
Anyway, there it is in a nutshell, his plan is to fix it and work though it with me rather than just hand me meds and send me on my way. I've been off work for almost 5 weeks and try to get out once a day...mostly just to the convenience store is all...it's not much but it is better than nothing..

I am on meds for it, just waiting for them to not make me so tired, it's the end of week 1 on them, and it might take up to 4 weeks to kick in, doc put me off work for 8 to 12 weeks or until he feels I am ready and I feel I am ready. As long as I am in my apartment and not talking to anyone I feel ok.

I can't commit to coming out, had to build up the courage to go to Maria's yesterday...all I could think about was going home while I was there....being 4 hours away from my safe place might not be doable right now.

Other than that, I doing ok

Doc said I need a change, and he's right! I just need to figure out how to do it and make it happen before my time off is up, and I am pretty sure that's why he put me off for so long so that I have the time to look too. He's pretty cool actually.

I'll email you Friday (because it's Thursday night) to let you know if I / we are coming out.

luv u lots too

J

That's how I ended up here on this site...a way to talk to people who understand what I am going through...most people / friends just don't get it.."come out" "come over" "it will do you good" They have no idea and can't grasp the concept of it.
I was burnt out at work and just couldn't put on the "game face" or feel like I was "on" all the time anymore and working with the public and having meetings and talking in front of people...the only way I got through it was to tell myself, this is my job, this is what I get paid for, it's not personal, suck it up and do it. Until now..
Thanks for reading.
SAD
BDD
DEPR
PDA
I'm exhausted...
J

millenniumman75 · 12-18-2009, 02:20 PM

Welcome, JPL262000!

jpl262000 · 12-18-2009, 03:32 PM

Thanks Millenniumman75...I know this won't sound strange here, but almost deleted myself from the goup...figured nobody was going say welcome...had a little anxiety over it..
Again Thank you!
J

Youandwe · 12-18-2009, 03:41 PM

Welcome to the forum

!

fictionz · 12-18-2009, 03:44 PM

to SAS! Don't ever feel unwelcomed. i'm sure everyone new feels the same way as you do when they begin here. Hope this place helps you out

jpl262000 · 12-18-2009, 04:09 PM

thank you all..
J

jpl262000 · 12-18-2009, 04:18 PM

redtogo72 · 12-18-2009, 05:35 PM

Hey, welcome!

That's a good way to describe what SA is like to people who don't have it. I might have to use that one when I describe it now. =p

If you still feel tired later, you might ask your doctor to take your anti-depressant in the evening.

Toad Licker · 12-19-2009, 09:32 AM

Hey John, welcome to

12-18-2009, 11:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
jpl262000 Status: jpl262000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Male Posts: 4	Hi This is an email that I sent to my sister explaining what is going on with me today: Hi sis, doing ok, been better am being treated for Social Anxiety Disorder...the times I went to the doc about the "heart" trouble was from what we gather acute anxiety attacks, brought on from stress at work revolving around the social anxiety and from that would lead to depression. The doc figures that I am mildy depressed from it all and dealing with it all for all these years. If Dr. Brake had diagnosed me correctly all those years ago I wouldn't be going through all this right now. He put me on anti-depressants because of family history and because the prednisone that I took for my nasal spray addiction made me happy - prednisone in some people has a side effect of "euphoria". So when I told him I felt amazing on the prednisone and asked could I stay on them because I was relaxed and happy he said I was depressed and put me on Paxil without ever digging deeper - all because of family history. We only discovered what the problem was beacuse my doc wanted me to do some reading about medications for depression because I told him I wasn't depressed and didn't want meds for it but if I was going to put something in my body I wanted to have a choice beacuse of the side effects...so as I was reading I came accross a passage where it described what I was feeling and it had a name Social Anxiety Disorder. I talked to my doc about it, he asked a few questions and now I finally have answers...not wanting to go to a poker game beacuse I don't know someone there is...oddly...not normal...nor is not wanting to walk into a club by myself..and spending every day worrying about if there is a meeting where I might be asked a question and have to speak in front of everyone apparently isn't normal either..who knew! The only way I can explain how I have always felt is if you were about to get up in front of an audience and had to give a speech and you have an awful knot and nervousness in your stomach...imagine that feeling all the time...now imagine someone is there, a critic waiting to tear you apart because you weren't perfect...that's the only likening I can think of for people to relate to. I was off work for a week before I finally didn't have that feeling...then I had the appointment about meds for depression and came across the S.A Disorder... Anyway, there it is in a nutshell, his plan is to fix it and work though it with me rather than just hand me meds and send me on my way. I've been off work for almost 5 weeks and try to get out once a day...mostly just to the convenience store is all...it's not much but it is better than nothing.. I am on meds for it, just waiting for them to not make me so tired, it's the end of week 1 on them, and it might take up to 4 weeks to kick in, doc put me off work for 8 to 12 weeks or until he feels I am ready and I feel I am ready. As long as I am in my apartment and not talking to anyone I feel ok. I can't commit to coming out, had to build up the courage to go to Maria's yesterday...all I could think about was going home while I was there....being 4 hours away from my safe place might not be doable right now. Other than that, I doing ok Doc said I need a change, and he's right! I just need to figure out how to do it and make it happen before my time off is up, and I am pretty sure that's why he put me off for so long so that I have the time to look too. He's pretty cool actually. I'll email you Friday (because it's Thursday night) to let you know if I / we are coming out. luv u lots too J That's how I ended up here on this site...a way to talk to people who understand what I am going through...most people / friends just don't get it.."come out" "come over" "it will do you good" They have no idea and can't grasp the concept of it. I was burnt out at work and just couldn't put on the "game face" or feel like I was "on" all the time anymore and working with the public and having meetings and talking in front of people...the only way I got through it was to tell myself, this is my job, this is what I get paid for, it's not personal, suck it up and do it. Until now.. Thanks for reading. SAD BDD DEPR PDA I'm exhausted... J

12-18-2009, 02:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
millenniumman75 Status: Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dayton, OH Gender: Male Age: 35 Posts: 49,757	Welcome, JPL262000! __________________ millenniumman75 You are a success story waiting to happen! Live and let live VACUUMS more than a Hoover.... Live and HELP live is better!

12-18-2009, 03:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
Youandwe Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Oklahoma Gender: Female Age: 22 Posts: 328	Welcome to the forum ! __________________ R u a good person? Take the test at... http://www.livingwaters.com

12-18-2009, 03:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
fictionz Status: wanderer with hope Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: somewhere out there Age: 22 Posts: 579	to SAS! Don't ever feel unwelcomed. i'm sure everyone new feels the same way as you do when they begin here. Hope this place helps you out __________________ You're always capable. Connect together. Facebook \| Twitter \| Last.fm

12-19-2009, 09:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
Toad Licker Status: Broken Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: A Fruitloop Daydream Gender: Male Age: 45 Posts: 40,682	Hey John, welcome to __________________ The doctor released me a case of underjoyed No lack of nutrition something I can't avoid No mental condition maybe I'm paranoid or maybe maybe I'm just bored

12-18-2009, 03:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
jpl262000 Status: jpl262000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Male Posts: 4	Thanks Millenniumman75...I know this won't sound strange here, but almost deleted myself from the goup...figured nobody was going say welcome...had a little anxiety over it.. Again Thank you! J

12-18-2009, 04:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
jpl262000 Status: jpl262000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Male Posts: 4	thank you all.. J

12-18-2009, 04:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
jpl262000 Status: jpl262000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Male Posts: 4

12-18-2009, 05:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
redtogo72 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 419	Hey, welcome! That's a good way to describe what SA is like to people who don't have it. I might have to use that one when I describe it now. =p If you still feel tired later, you might ask your doctor to take your anti-depressant in the evening.