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Statistics |
| Unique Visitors: 3 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 195456 |
| Visitors Out: 1130 |
| Total Visitors Out: 11456 |
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| Social anxiety experience: Melissa |
| 2011-10-25 08:33:00 |
Why I admire this fellow social anxiety sufferer:
She's done this video about her battle with the SA disorder. She has shown her face basically to all of the world, talking about something that is still a "taboo". I'm thinking: Writing this blog is sometimes too much of an exposure to me. What if someone recognized me? Fear of appearing weak is a part of social anxiety disorder symptoms. My psychiatrist may not think I am weak because I'm afraid of people, and afraid of talking about that fear, but what about the other people? Another paranoid thought: What if my psychiatrist actually thinks I'm weak too but is too professional to admit it:)
She not only is able to go to work, but is working with costumers. Yes, she's working in costumer service. I'm thinking: Ruuuuun, run for your life! I would rather sweep the streets than have to do with real, living people.
One of her triggers for anxiety attacks was riding the train. Now she's going to work by train.
She's doing group therapy...
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| Anxiety attacks and lifestyle influences |
| 2011-10-21 09:21:00 |
When I first started writing my Social phobia anxiety blog I was so determined to turn my life around. I was going to do whatever it takes because I clearly remember how desperate I was for this to stop.
People who don't suffer from social anxiety disorder just cannot imagine what it's like to live with this constant fear.
I'm closer than ever to the thought that SAD is a chronic disease. For some reason I was predisposed to it, and then something in my life happened and I got "sick" with SAD.
Just like some people have an untreatable infectious disease that always flares up when their imune system goes down or it's "that time of year" when for some reason it's worse or they become exposed to the infectious agent again...
That's what it looks like to me now. It gets better for a while... but it can return at any time.
I guess I've just wanted too much for get cured for good, just to live my life like all the other people. I forgot I have to take good care of myself and be genera...
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| Controlling Your Emotions Before They Control You |
| 2011-10-20 02:18:00 |
Stumbled upon this video not ready to face this morning. Can't make myself go out of the house.
I have found a bar of Xanax I left sometimes last year "for rainy days" (and completely forgot about it) but I refuse to take it unless absolutely necessary.
I don't know how I found myself in this mess (again) although I can recognize some patterns.
First thing is, I am not skilled at managing my emotions - so when things around me get too demanding and ugly, I lose that little bit of control I have over them. My people skills are pathetically inadequate for dealing with jerks, fools and addicts. Yeah, plus I'm so positive as you can tell.
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| The monster is back! |
| 2011-10-17 17:42:00 |
No, no, no, NO again!
Not again. That's all I can think of now.
It's been a year since I stopped taking Lexapro and - for a while - didn't even thought of popping a Xanax.
Didn't need them; didn't want them.
I was "cured" of panic and anxiety attacks, not turned into the extrovert. I'm fine with that.
All I wanted is to live a normal life, really.
But the old beast was not killed, just chased away. Spent time lurking in the darkest corners of my mind when I was particularly stressed or tired.
Recently, she shown her ugly face again. Came out of the blue. Sneering openly at me. Threatening. She knows me so well. Knows I'm afraid of her.
As always, it attacks when I'm most vulnerable, and have no available resources to fight back.
So, what now...?
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| I can laugh at this now |
| 2011-03-29 00:01:00 |
I just had to post this screenshot (it's an article with usual advice on social anxiety, go out more and socialize bla-bla - but check the comment!), it had me laugh out loud & it's how I feel sometimes too:
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| Stopping Lexapro or how Cipralex just got the dear john letter |
| 2010-11-29 04:29:00 |
Dear Lexapro,
I'm leaving you tomorrow.
It was lovely knowing you, but I have to find my own way now.
It was long in the making anyway. Time to stop prolonging it and to say good bye!
You were there when I needed help and I'll never forget that. I feel like a stronger and wiser person now because of our (more or less) successful, almost three year long relationship.
Wish me luck now!
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| What is Paxil? |
| 2010-09-29 13:05:00 |
Did you got SSRI drug Paxil (brand name for paroxetine) for your social anxiety?
Do you know about Paxil's interactions, how it works, and what exacly Paxil is?
In short:
Other commonly prescribed drugs for social anxiety are Lexapro (or Cipralex), Xanax.
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| Social anxiety: You are not alone! |
| 2010-09-21 04:14:00 |
I just wanted to share this:
55 people from 13 countries - all having social anxiety - are in this video.
Just imagine how many people are silently suffering every day - maybe even closer to you than you'd think, not having the nerve to admit they have it. Because it's embarrassing!:(
Remember: You are not alone!
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| I seriously need to get off Lexapro |
| 2010-08-23 00:42:00 |
OK, I'm officially freaked out now.
I am taking Lexapro almost as long as this blog is up: that would be... let's see... three years already?
I love Lexapro. I really do. It helped my SAD. It helped *me* when I was completely out of options, and almost hopeless.
Since Lexapro kicked in, I could just go on with my life, not thinking about this social anxiety stuff.
No fears, no tremors, no sweating, no ruminating endlessly. I just felt... so normal.
In the end, I almost forgot about that black dog on my shoulder.
I didn't feel like writing this blog either - or visiting every day, sometimes multiple times a day "my" SAD forum like I used to - or reading a bunch of overcoming social anxiety books and ebooks and cure social phobia DVD's I've bought - - - all that talk about social phobia... Ah. Wearing me out.
Didn't want to remind me.
It was not my problem any more.
Because when I pop that little white pill in the morning, I am free.
Dude, you just had to go and wake me u...
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| Relaxation exercises to do at home |
| 2010-08-06 15:16:00 |
anti-anxiety exercises
What are the best ways to fight anxiety when you're at home, alone? These are the exercises to do to elicit relaxation response without the need for drugs:
Deep Breathing Exercises
Visual Imagery Exercises
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Yoga and meditation
Deep breathing is something so simple and beneficial, yet you're most likely misusing it!
When we are anxious, we tend to breathe shallow, fast, in the chest. What we need to do to relax ourselves is just the opposite of that: deep, slow breathing from the abdomen.
Visual Imagery is also something you're already doing without even realizing it. But if you suffer from anxiety you're doing it all wrong:)
Change your visualizations from anxiety-inducing to soothing inner imagery.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation are exercises where you deliberately tense your muscles to mimic the stress response and than relaxing them progressively.
Meditation and yoga exercises are great for practicing mindfulness.
When y...
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