Pls, Is it possible to treat social anxiety without medications or therapies?!
Question: In social gatherings I get very nervous to the point of trembling. Just the thought of meeting new people or performing in thier midst triggers my condition that overwhelm me througout my presence so much so that I am obliged to make i excuse to go away. I have the impression everyone is watching me and that they all know the ordeal i'm going through. I just learned from the internet that it is called social anxiety and I have been suffering of it for over five years today. I understand it is jointly treated by medication and therapies. I can't afford any of the above. Please Help me
Answers: In social gatherings I get very nervous to the point of trembling. Just the thought of meeting new people or performing in thier midst triggers my condition that overwhelm me througout my presence so much so that I am obliged to make i excuse to go away. I have the impression everyone is watching me and that they all know the ordeal i'm going through. I just learned from the internet that it is called social anxiety and I have been suffering of it for over five years today. I understand it is jointly treated by medication and therapies. I can't afford any of the above. Please Help me
1. Welcome to the club. Every 1 person out of the three, had/have/will have anxiety disorder.
2. My therapist once told me all anxiety patients think people understand it when they are having panic attacks and/or when they get anxious. It's not true, noone understands anything! The only thing one can notice is VERY fast, loud breathing (it rarely happens). Don't worry about it :)
3. I was and still sometimes feel exactly the same. And I also can't afford meds and/or theraphy (my insurance does not cover mental health).
The best solution for me was getting my self confidence back. I didn't have any anxiety problem when I was in high school (but had before that) because in high school I was with the people I love and I was a popular friend. In my mind, I went back to those days to deal with anxiety.
For self confidence, imagine yourself a very succesful, sexy, funny person. Actually BE funny, being funny always is the best cure for social anxiety issues.
Try to distract yourself when you're feeling anxious and/or sick. I'm still a little agoraphobic, I listen stand up comedy shows when I travel, it makes me feel more comfortable.
Hope it helps
Are you in the UK? Medication for your anxiety could be provided through a gp, and National Health Service. If you are not, can you not discuss it with your doctor? I am sure there will be something they can give you to help.
Sorry to hear this m8, you can self help with relaxation cd's etc, however your circumstances seem that you need a little more help than this, medication is not a great answer to give you and if possible i think you can overcome this, however you seem paranoid that everyone is watching you, i can reassure you m8 they are not try and think that and distract yourself from that thought, counselling can help for anxiety states but speak to your Doctor as u seem distressed with this, i do hope this helps and all the best m8.
Oh, my. That sounds rather crippling, and awful!
Well first, I wouldn't be so quick to diagnose yourself. If you do have a regular doctor, you should probably at least see him. Since it sounds like you don't...I would strongly recommend seeking out a low-cost md. A professional medical opinion will help identify specifically what's up and help you with the fears you have. A bunch of, pardon the terms, YAHOOS isn't going to aide a medical condition.
With that being said, the fear of others in large social gatherings is pretty common. Is there something in your past that has triggered this emotional state? Were you humiliated as a child or perhaps just never encouraged by parents to appear in front of others competitively? Too harsh a push or none at all could lead to your fear of people.
Try to work your way up. Hang with a few friends you feel comfortable around, and go out with them. Have a dinner party and invite a couple newcomers...slowly work your way up to the comfotability with strangers. You might want to try taking a public speaking class when you are ready at a community college. Without medical intervention, the "therapy" you can offer yourself is to ease yourself into social situations. This may sound weird, but keep track of your breathing and how much you drink. Breathing rapidly when nervous causes a lack of oxygen to the brain...and can cause physical symptoms that might otherwise not be there. Alcohol...well, that's a problem of itself and for someone so nervous might not be advisable as a social lubricant unless it's just a couple drinks. You don't want to be the guy who only comes out of his shell liquored up.
Vitamin B complex is known to promote a sense of wellness. It's one of those things to my knowledge that you could try without there being any kind of side effects. Have a look online for the recommended amount to suit your height/weight.
Perhaps you should discuss this with a friend who is likely to be with you in a bunch of social outings, so you have someone to support you through this.
Best of luck!
It might help to get some help from some kind of life coach to see if they can help you change the way your mind reacts in these situations either that or keep testing yourself in these situations and see if that helps
Meditation and visualisation is meant to be really good for these things, you can get a book from most bookstores.
Although this is common for most people it depends to the extent of the problem when it would become an issue.