Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
For whatever reason, the past few months my social anxiety is high again. I had good control of it about a year ago and it gradually has declined. I'm trying to figure out where it stems from again and battling those thoughts, but so far not having much success. So I wanted to find out if anyone had any tips or advice on how to conquer it or what works for you.
I don't have it all the time or with everybody, only certain times. Like my children's birthday parties we're invited to. Those are probably the hardest for me. Trying to make small talk, which I don't always do great at, and making good impressions etc. Also with people I value and care about. If I run into them at the store, or in town etc, I get extremely anxious. It's like I like them so much I don't want to ruin it or for them to ever think I don't like them etc. I don't know why I have those thoughts, but I do. I can hardly look people in the eye and sometimes when I do I feel like I do awkward gestures with my eyes or say things with my eyes I don't mean. This sounds so bizarre I know lol. Or it's like I can make an effort and compliment a stranger and that goes great, but the second they want to carry on the conversation, I get all nervous and stutter or mumble, and start to fall apart and I tend to not make sense or say awkward things. I'm thinking of getting back on Lexapro, but I haven't been on it in over 7 years so I'm really trying hard not to. But at this point, unless I can find ways to overcome it, I may need to for a while. Thanks in advance for any help. :)
I don't have it all the time or with everybody, only certain times. Like my children's birthday parties we're invited to. Those are probably the hardest for me. Trying to make small talk, which I don't always do great at, and making good impressions etc. Also with people I value and care about. If I run into them at the store, or in town etc, I get extremely anxious. It's like I like them so much I don't want to ruin it or for them to ever think I don't like them etc. I don't know why I have those thoughts, but I do. I can hardly look people in the eye and sometimes when I do I feel like I do awkward gestures with my eyes or say things with my eyes I don't mean. This sounds so bizarre I know lol. Or it's like I can make an effort and compliment a stranger and that goes great, but the second they want to carry on the conversation, I get all nervous and stutter or mumble, and start to fall apart and I tend to not make sense or say awkward things. I'm thinking of getting back on Lexapro, but I haven't been on it in over 7 years so I'm really trying hard not to. But at this point, unless I can find ways to overcome it, I may need to for a while. Thanks in advance for any help. :)
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My day...today...misplaced my debit card...didn't realize it until I got to the register after shopping to a full cart. Used a different debit card and pulled apart everything looking for missing debit card before I left parking lot. Got home, dropped keys. So now I have a missing debit card, missing keys. A full cartload to unload and put away. I got everything put away.Dumped purse for a...
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I don't really know how to label this but I having a rough week and I can't say it's one thing.... I have a lot on my plate which is nothing new and I try to cope in many positive ways and do but I still have my moments.My kids more so my daughters talk to me about everything which I know it's cause of comfort and we are close.... however I really struggle with the venting about their dad which...
I have found that I stress out in very specific social situations as well. Specifically, I tend to get very anxious before I go to teach a class or in any class where for some reason I feel intimidated by a student.
Honestly, the best thing I have found to help me with this particular anxiety is listening to my ipod. I have a specific playlist called chill out. It is a mix of very mellow, low key songs that seems to help me calm down.
I, like you, did not really want to go back on meds. I have Bipolar (a different beast), but I have been on and off meds since I was diagnosed at 19. I struggled with the idea of needing medicine to feel normal. At some point it became a choice of I can take a pill to help me calm down and be able to function like I want, or I can not be the outgoing, happy person I know I can be. I totally understand some people wanting to avoid meds, but if you know it helps, maybe you can take it just long enough to get the issue under control and then slowly come off of it? I have heard of using meds as a sort of a jump start. Get the condition under control and then slowly come off the meds and learn how to manage the anxiety before it gets to this point again.
Just an idea!
And thanks for the tip of listening to the ipod. Being mellowed out is when I deal with anxiety the best, so that is a great suggestion. Thank-you for your help! :)
Sometimes, unfortunately, we let things get so big its hard to fix it. It's kind of like a doctor told me when I had my gall bladder taken out, it's easier to keep pain under control than to get it under control. I firmly believe anxiety works the same way.
It's much easier to keep it under control once you get it down to something manageable, but you gotta get it there first!
Also reminds me of my bedroom---geez I need to clean. Haha
As your anxiety levels go back to normal range, you'll notice that you have more techniques to help you stay calm, focused, and relax those pesky thoughts.
Social anxiety is one of the things I practice in front of the mirror to relax my tensed muscles and it helps.
Best wishes!
Mideyebrow- Thank-you! You're absolutely right that it's the thoughts that are what are making things so tough. If only my mind would be kinder to me lol. But it really is getting difficult to get through these occasions, so hopefully with some meds temporarily, it will help me see clearer how to manage my thoughts and function better. If you don't mind me asking, what do you practice for social anxiety? You mean sort of affirmations in the mirror? I used to do that and it did seem to help. I may try that again. Thank-you! :)