Social Anxiety & Depression

The mental health community (the professionals involved in mental healthcare and their patients) is the most non-judgmental community I have ever encountered. No matter how bad your problems are, or how silly they are for that matter, the community is accepting. We focus on recovery, not judging. And a therapist is used to clients being reluctant to open up, and they will be trained in helping you to do so in a manner that you are comfortable with.

 

Hello there, itsjoanna! I've also struggled with social anxiety, so I commend you for making the hard decision to admit the problem and seek help.

I would recommend that you at least give therapy a try. Why? Several of the reasons you list against therapy in your post (you'd feel judged, you're reluctant to open up, etc.) make it sound like your social anxiety is the one making the decision. If you're going to work through this, you need to challenge those thoughts and not defer anymore to your anxiety. Think of it as a first opportunity for facing your fears.

Medication can take the edge off the anxiety, and please do take it if your doctor recommends it and you find that the pills actually work. But I don't see how just taking pills is going to help you unlearn the patterns of thought and behavior that are making you unhappy.

But at the end of the day, do what you think will help you most. Congratulations again on beginning to address this problem :eusa_clap

 

I have been seeing the mental health community for over 10 years and have never been judged. I am or have battled depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, bipolar, gender identity disorder, multiple personality. They have given pills and therapy/ counseling. I would try counseling/therapy first and if that doesnt work then try pills.

 

I'm pretty sure I have social anxiety, but I'm so scared to see a doctor. I just want to be able to do things others do; get a job; go to university and confidently meet new people. I know I'm gonna blow it in interviews - I can't even speak to assistants in grocery stores without getting nervous!

Good luck and I hope your therapy helps you out!

 

I have been in therapy for a little over a year now. It was SO hard for me to take that first step and go. I was terrified to open up about my anxiety, depression, and history of sexual abuse/rape. Let me tell you, it was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself!!!! I went from being terrified to push a grocery cart in the store to now living on my own, going to school and finally facing my sexuality. Believe me when I tell you, I was a mess before I went. Also, I had been on pills for 8 years. They helped and I still take them, but therapy was the turning point for me. Just try it. Muster up all the courage you can and go. If you have a favorite comfort object, such as a blanket or stuffed animal, bring it! If you have a favorite tshirt that makes you feel better, wear it. If you like to write, journal and bring it with you to read outloud. Bring a fancy Starbucks drink with you to sip on. I still do all of those things when I need a little extra courage. My therapist is the least judgmental person I have ever met. She supports me and helps me feel safe. She is patient and works me through some HARD life issues. Please go give it a try for a few sessions. I don't think you will regret it!!!

 

I actually am in the same situation as u....Im seeing a therapist in a week for my stress and social anxiety....Of course u will feel judged, but just know that they're there to help u feel better, not to shame u or embarrassed u about the problems u have. good luck!

 

For me therapy has always been something like "well, who does this effer thinks she/he is?? Just because they've read some stuff doesn't mean they can come and start telling me what to do". I get quite defensive and reluclant to listen and take advice from people who I believe have no saying on the matter. Like straight people on gay issues... and the sort. Sure, some are better informed than others... but it just gets on my nerves.

Like last time my father was telling to take my bike to the mechanic and get the brakes check. And I was like "it's fine", since kept on insisting on it... I was like: "well, I don't see you cycling, so what do you know about this??".
It turned out he was right. I biked for ten minutes and BAM! The right brake fell off. lol
*shrugs* Gotta laugh when things bite you in the ass...

I didn't want to go to therapy because it would have to be done under the premise that because I'm gay there's something wrong with me (I went to therapy just so my mother and sisters would shut up already). Aside from my "don't give me advice" position on it, I have no problem with therapy.
It turned out to be awesome. I adoooooooore my therapist. I'd go straight for him. lol
He was very gay friendly and saved my eyebrows (yeah... I'm a tricher).
He gave me good insight and no advice. Just suggestions, if you can them that.

Hopefully you found therapy helpful.

 

I used to have social anxiety because i was affraid people around me were judging me and depression because of my sexual orientation.

I eventually learnt that it really doesn't matter what others think of you, it is always best to be true and be yourself (at one point a doctor did give me a referal to see a psychiatrist but in the end i didn't go). I find i made some close friends these past 3 months although i still suffer depression from time to time since i live in a conservative environment

 

I have a long history of battling with depressions and social phobia (I am over both now).

I would say that there are 2-3 things that helped me more than anything.

The first thing is therapy. Yes, I know it is hard. One of the problems with social phobia (and depression to a degree) is that you do not want to feel judged. But breaking out of the shell is so vital. Willpower alone is not enough to break social anxiety (if that was the case, anyone with SA would get over SA in very short time). Look out for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or it's newer (and IMHO better) "cousin" called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

The second thing that helped me was becoming a member of Toastmasters. Yes, it is very daunting to speak in front of other people, but it is the nicest group of people. Almost all knows what it is like to have a fear of public speaking.

Lastly, mindfulness mediation also helped me quite a bit.

 

I have social anxiety and depression too. I recommend taking anti depressants because if you don't do anything to treat the depression it's only to get worse. I made that mistake, and it was not a fun ride. I'm both in therapy and on medication. Once you get comfortable with your therapist it becomes much easier to open up. I HATE talking about myself to others, so I understand your hesitation. I highly recommend you try therapy and medication. They really do help.

 

Lately, I have been thinking that I have social anxiety and depression. I have taken health quizzes to determine if I am or not, but those are not the proper way to diagnose someone. I'm kind of scared to go to a doctor, I don't really know why. Well, I think it's because my family would think I'm being too emotional and go against it. I would prefer not seeing a therapist because I would feel like I'm some kind of crazy that needs professional help.

If you don't want to go to a therapist, go to a friend. That's what friends are for right? To keep us balanced.

 

I would definitely recommend giving therapy a try. It can be hard to open up, but therapists know how to deal with that. I started dialectical behavior therapy for some issues a few years ago, and that eventually led me into therapy for my panic attacks. At the time I was prescribed klonopin and took a couple a day on most days. I gave therapy a try, and though it was hard at first, it eventually got better. I even attended group therapy, and that was scary! Now, two years later, the only time I take anxiety pills is before I fly on an airplane. I haven't had a panic attack in a good two years.

So I'd say, start out with a little medication, but give therapy a try as well and you may find in time you don't need the medicine.

 

Try therapy, it's easier than it seems like it would be to open up. If you find that you're not comfortable with a therapist, find another, but they tend to be really open and very non-judgemental individuals. I've seen a few therapists before and just found it way more comfortable to talk about my feelings than I thought I would. I actually do counceling for domestic violence services and never once have I judged my clients for anything they have done or felt. Not once. A real therapist or councelor will not judge you because there's no reason to. The stigma against mental health struggles tends not to exist in the mental health community.

Also I was taking anti-depressants for anxiety for awhile. They're a good non-addictive alternative to what you've been prescribed if you'd like to bring that up to your doctor. Also if you're doctor is a regular internal medicine doctor they are not really qualified to diagnose mental health d/os so just because he/she feels you're depression isn't bad doesn't mean they're correct in their assumptions. And you should also definatly go to a psychiatrist instead if at all possible. They know way more about psychological medications and the side effects and how to monitor dosages. And that's actually very crucial because in some people these drugs can have serious side effects that your normal doctor knows little about. At one point my antidepressents actually gave me severe moodswings and dangerous suicidal ideations (which I couldn't figure out was the medication until a therapist noticed it). Good luck with everything, I hope therapy is a positive experience for you!