Posted by SLS on September 4, 2009, at 9:02:31
In reply to for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2009, at 12:22:56
> Some of you here know a a great deal about social anxiety--from experience and research.
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> Is social anxiety sometimes a symptom of MDDMost definitely.
For some people, it is not separate disorder, but an integral part of their depression and the psychological damage it leaves in its wake. Sometimes, I prefer to look at the severe social anxiety I had as social inhibition. When you combine social inhibition with a perceived pressure to "perform" socially, anxiety can result. It is difficult to perform, even without social inhibition, because you have nothing to say to anyone. Depression leaves your mind inactive, and there is nothing for which you are motivated to interact with others. Additionally, there is the lack of interest, motivation, and energy produced by the abnormal neurobiology. This is where the additional pressure to perform comes from. It is uncomfortable to remain quiet and inhibited while being asked to be social. For those things that are related to perceiving a pressure to perform, I believe these have their roots in psychology rather than the biology of social inhibition and inactive mind. It is the psychological counterpart to the condition that should respond to psychotherapy; CBT being perhaps the most useful for this situation.
When the biological depression remits, so does the social inhibition. You can now perform better socially because your mind is more active and there is a motivation to interact with people.
This is more conjecture on my part through observing my own illness. I'm not sure you can find literature that portrays this scenario exactly.
Let us not forget, though that there are anxiety disorders that are separate from depression, but are often comorbid with it.
- Scott
or some other condition? (that is 'biological')?
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> Can it be 'merely' psychological?
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> Why do many of us here deal with this?
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> Is there any good reading--explanatory reading?
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> I'd love any comments, better questions, info, experience,
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> fb
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poster:SLS
thread:915603
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090902/msgs/915710.html