Posted by jumpy on April 12, 2003, at 9:19:33
In reply to Re: Social Phobia . Is this forever? » Tepiaca, posted by Ritch on April 11, 2003, at 23:33:45
> Hi, I don't think you will have to take medicines for the rest of your life. I talked to my Mom (who is in her '70's now), and found that she was suffering from social phobia symptoms in the 1950's after she was divorced from her first husband and was dealing with newly diagnosed epilepsy. She was very scared of having a seizure in the daytime and having something embarassing happen to her. So much so, she didn't attempt to find a job for many years and stayed with my grandparents and didn't venture out much at all-despite only having seizures while she was sleeping (and Dilantin+phenobarbitol stopped them after awhile). From what she told me, she just "grew" out of it-with some support and encouragement from her neurologist to seek employment. My pdoc told me something like this: 1) When you are 20 you may be convinced that everyone is constantly evaluating you, 2) When you are 40 you may not care what others think about you (but still believe they are), and 3) At 60 you realize they weren't thinking much about you at all the entire time. The trick is to "realize" that sooner rather than later.
Great insight Mitch. Please, Please write a book for the rest of us ... like the "World according to Mitch" or "How to deal with Mood Disorders" by Mitch. You are offically in the Hall of Babble Fame!
I have also heard and seen that certain mental illnesses reduce in severity as we age ... like depression and bipolar disorder in certain people. This has happened to some friends, one with bipolar and the other with unipolar, now in their 60's and more stable and happy. Doctors say this is due to reduced hormone activity which drive many people's illness.
Have a nice weekend.
Jumpy
poster:jumpy
thread:218604
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030411/msgs/218749.html