social anxiety

I think you have answered part of the next question:
What benefit or reward do you get from this condition?

Id still ask you to ask yourself, how would your life change if you did NOT have these sensations anymore?
Imagine you have no more sensations (shaking nerves, fear of passing out, lightheadedness).
Picture your situation if you had no negative sensations from standing in a long queue or being in a crowded noisy restaurant.
What would you do that very day?
Where would you visit?
What kind of career or place would you get?

You already know what you get and do in this situation of sensations.
What would you do WITHOUT the sensations?

ps.. i still hate the term 'mental condition' even though i understand it.
Its just that it implies having some sort of 'disease' or 'affliction' and you are only describing severe anxiety to me.
Thats not a 'mental disease' at all.
Its a human condition really.
Yours is just extreme.

 

I've had SAD all of my life, but just recently it's gotten extremely bad. It's not so much of the can't talk to people because of embarrasment, as it is the panicing. At least lately. Though i think it's because of stress thats built up on me over all these years of being so self conscious. Before i have been having panic attacks i never could understand why people could panic over absolutly nothing like this, but now i do! It's tearing me apart. I can't focus in school like i should be able to. It seems completely out of control.

Also i've been really sick lately. Like i can't eat that much sugar without feeling like i'm dieing. And every drug that i've tried to fix these problems with lately has made me really sick. My eyes don't look good they are black and the skin has shrunken around them. My nerves constantly feel shocked. And lately every day during fourth block i've been getting extreme nausia along with panic attacks throughout the whole block. One day about a week ago i felt real sick all of a sudden and started shaking profusely so i asked to go to the bathroom. I felt the extreme urge to throw up, but couldn't. I was afraid to go back to class because i was afraid of throwing up in class in front of everyone. So i tried to make myself throw up, and couldn't. I've been feeling like that everyday now, and i don't think i can handle it much longer. I feel like i'm losing complete control, and everything about treatment and fighting it i've heard just doesn't seem to work. I can't seem to be able to keep my mind of of it. I really wise there was some definite way of handling this.

 

I've always thought of it as severe anxiety only.

Honestly, if I didn't have problems I'd most likely be an alcoholic married and hating it.

 

oh hey desert, I just read your post. I have the same thing and I'm now 37, had it at your age too, just getting worse. Your right, the meds fuck your nerves up, that's why you see mental patients shaking and shuffling around. Better to give up the stressors I think. Though I've had a rough time being idle with a bright mind, the active lifestyle is best if you can overcome your illness. Exercise helps.

 

Just highlighted a few of the areas where you need to take a look and reflect on.
One of the classic symptoms/sensations is that you are 'losing control' or you will 'lose control'.
As the panic response happens your fueling it, its fueling you and you have thoughts like:
"Oh god no.. if this gets any worse i might just lose it.. go mad.. im gonna go nuts.. run around screaming.. something so bad..."
No.
You wont.
You wont pass out either.
Your body, your physiology is doing EXACTLY what its meant to do.
The sensations are EXACTLY what you would expect based on the PERCEIVED threat.
You are in flawless health in that sense.

If any of this sounds confusing feel free to PM me because at this point Im interested in solving it for people who want to escape this and absolutely CAN without a doubt.
Im telling you that the psychology community is very very CONSERVATIVE and almost hates to call anything '100% curable'.
YET
And yet even they will confirm to you that Panic Disorder is 100% permanently curable.
100% permanent.

It might take you 24-48 months before you are back to near perfectly normal.
But keep in mind you are always improving along those months.
Heck,
Some people go from extreme panic attacks (most extreme) to none in just months.
The only reason that so many of us think 'nothing has worked' is because we just never got the clues, the techniques or the right advice.
When you do... your life changes and fast!

 

you so crazy

 

Can I tell you something surprising... there are alot of people who do not want to know about anxiety disorder being cureable.
Most do.
Many dont want to know because it will require hard mental efforts, some pain and then a change in lifestyle.
I understand that.
Just dont want them convincing the hopeful otherwise.

 

Dude, I went thru all that, got off the boat, moved to another state, got a job apt college and made it about 9 months then I was medicated until I fell apart from it all anyways, 8 years later. I had a friend who got around ok and believed totally what you
're saying but all the overcoming doesn't compensate for the extra stress it causes. There are plenty of ultra-stable people with fabulous nerves that can calmly do that kind of stuff.
If you get panic attacks you will get panic attacks, it's probably just a nervous thing.
See, like some dogs are high strung and drive everyone crazy because that's genetic. Some people get crappy nerves, just got to deal with it; better than driving people to suicide which is sooo common. Just while I was living in my van the past few years there have been people shooting themselves, can't take the heat.
Of course I'm hypomanic so maybe straight up anxiety disorder is different. I know hypomania which is hyperactivity I suppose is kinda like a mental disorder. Maniac, etc
that's what crazy's all about is being too wound up, that's why those major tranqs work so swell.
Change in lifestyle, yeah, like live a calm life, maybe get a small dog as a pet.

 

Some would suggest that the very worst possibly thing you can do is to accomodate your sensations.
Thats exactly how and why people become progressively withdrawn even thought they are going out less and less.
Eventually not going out at all.
People start by cancelling far away trips, eventually not going to crowded noisy places.
Then finding work that suits them or often quitting their jobs.
Then only going out to the store but at night or quiet times.
Then eventually 'protecting' themselves more and more till they are a hermit, living inside, not even coming out the door.

So whats happening here?
The MORE you reduce the stressors in life (protect from them, stay away) the MORE the condition persists.
Hmmm?

What if I told you the sensations are NOT caused by people, things, noise and crowded market places.
What if you found out it was essentially how you think of these things.

I will offer this again.. your nerves are working perfectly.
Flawless.
In fact you are demonstrating why your physiology is in absolutely perfect and brilliantly designed working condition.

Does that sound wierd or odd?

 

That's the way it goes. I know often I'd have a crazy day started and getting out I'd feel much much better
What do you think about that what you did when young you'll do later on; such as some of my neighbors are real partyers and when they talk it's often their parents partyed, usually with them, so people who get used to a certain way may continue it.
They say my nerves and heart concerns are all emotional but it sure feels physical. Ok, the bus drivers from the city dont like it out here in the country and we don't like it there because we each grew up in those environments.

 

Its both and you will most definately fire up your nerves and increase your heart rate.
You will dump adrenalin into your blood stream.
Your chest muscles will constrict.
Your eyes will 'tunnel vision' and you will increase your oxygen levels.

All EXACTLY the way nature intended you to do when something is about to threaten your safety and health.

Now here is the fundamental truth and why they say its 'emotional'.
You THINK
then
Your physiology responds.

I know you are probably not going to want to hear what Im going to suggest but Im going to beg you Alpha to please just stop and consider this in the best possible intended meaning:

Its you.
You are doing this.
Nothing else.
Not your body, your family, noises, crowds, traffic, line-ups, disease or fate.
Its you.
Your the one doing this and you are the one who can stop it.
Nobody else can help you (not counting God)
Not drugs,
Not family,
Not friends.
YOU.
Your doing it and you can reverse it.

Can I ask you a favour to just humour me and spend a single day just considering that.
Then, regardless of what you arrive at come here and let me know how you thought, felt and reacted to such a possibility?

 

Whats the clues and the technics?

 

it sounds like some kind of engram thing, like scientology. CRAP.
You know what will cure your attacks, xanax! but it can increase your desire to drink and mixing those two is a bad idea.

 

I think you're just being really ignorant toward it. It's not easy for people like me. And no, xanax is a pain in the ass. It will fuck up your life if you keep taking it, and it's very addicting. I'm getting addicted to it right now. I'm trying to quit, and just deal with my problems without drugs.

 

We used to say that people that had this kind of problem were 'shy'. Now we say they've got 'social anxiety disorder' and give them pills that cost $100 a month and that have side-effects that could kill an elephant. Wow, that's really progress...

 

Its certainly not a Scientology thing lol.
What might surprise you is there is an actual reason why Scientology DOES 'seem' to work for people.
And its not because of the hokey meters or engrams or whatever.
Its because they START with the belief that it is them.
They are doing it.
Then they determine that they will take steps to change it.
(from there the steps are pretty kooky yes)

The point is that 'tip #1' is DECIDING that YOU no longer want to have panic attacks, sad, PTSD, anxiety attacks.
You.

I cannot overemphasise why and how you cannot get anywhere along the line until you decide that.
Once you decide that you are doing this and you will now begin undoing this - you are literally beginning to end it right there.

If I had to put forward some 'steps'?
Hmmm.
Next thing I would do is IDENTIFY the sensations.
Dont 'dwell' on them.
Acknowledge what they are and why they are happening.
They are happening for reasons and you need not be obsessed with those reasons anymore.
Resource: Lucinda Bassets 'Attacking Anxiety' Course.
The strength in her course is the personal testimony including going through all the symptoms and sensations you are afraid of.
The weakness is that you can be in danger of spending too much time focusing, working and analysing your 'disorder' (its a big course).

If I had to pick a follow up 'course' it would be Joe Barrys 'Panic Away'.
http://ojar.com/panicaway/index.htm
He does a great job explaining why some people think they have schizophrenia and he introduces the 'trick' that will eliminate panic attacks.
Which is conciously 'trying' to have one.

Id also throw in Bronwyn Fox because of two huge strengths she presents:
Mindfullness - in which you are aware of the sensations, thinking and anxiety and you train yourself to 'let it go'.
Disassociation: Like Joe Barry, she explains why you are NOT losing your mind, going schizo and why its actually a 'good sign' although you wont believe that at the time heh.


Now here is where I would get some cynical looks I bet.
I would END everthing using (more or less) the Linden Method.
By that I mean this would be the last stop for the whole anxiety and panic situation.
Linden is oft criticised for being too much of a salesman and for being a bit 'amateurish'.
Ok,
But one of the strengths of Linden is that he is an 'amateur' and is just 'one person talking to another'.
I like that.
His 'Five Pillars' do seem a bit goofy and are probably not in the right order and sometimes he glosses over things quickly.
Ok.
But what Im saying is this, his core concept is that you will simply acknowledge you got yourself in this jam and YOU will get yourself out of it.
You will no longer give power to it.
You can start forgetting the sensations, let them go and to stop doing things like coming to internet forums to engage in more obsession with it.
http://www.panic-anxiety.com/
The problem?
Most people do NOT follow the course exactly as he lays it out.
Then they complain it 'didnt work'.
It might be helpful if he had the course rewritten.

In ANY of these techniques (and i do recommend that order) I would suggest you may very well be prepared to experience some 'pain'.
In all the cases they even warn you that you might find things 'get worse' before they get better.
The first few times you deliberately TRY to make yourself have a panic attack it just might work heh!

btw... has anyone yet to notice that Benzos, whether its Xanax or anything else,
Has anyone noticed to date, not one person on earth has been 'cured' by taking those?
Exactly.

 

Sorry to double-post but you are bang-on right there and all we have done is modify naming conventions and made even more powerful drugs.
Good call!

 

I'll look at that sight. Thanks.

On that last part. Did you mean to say that benzos don't work? I think they do, but only while you are on them. Then after you take um for a while you actually start getting more nervous then before you took them.

 

I agree with you totally and its true that the 'kickback' (as my doctor calls it) will set you back to being more nervous.
I didnt quite believe him and naively thought that the benzos were 'curing' my nerves.... umm.. until I ran out of them.
Yikes!
The 'Kickback' was absolutely brutal!

At best they just suppress the nervous system.
Thats really it.
Think about how awesome it will be to never even think about taking those again.
Wont even cross your mind.

 

Yeah i know, but i'm starting to get addicted to them, and just overall dependent on them despite this "kickback" thing. It just seems so easy to fix this problem with benzos, and so hard to do it the other way. I know in the long run, not even that long, the benzos want work anymore and i'll actually just be more nervous then before.