Posted by Bell_75 on December 19, 2003, at 17:38:45
In reply to Looking to turn my life around (social anxiety), posted by mrgeek on December 19, 2003, at 10:12:00
First of all, there's no need to apologize for a long post. This is just my guess, but I'm pretty sure psycho-babble doesn't have a word limit on posts. Also, each post is placed behind a link for that very reason and also so that people read it by choice. I'm just blabbering now I think so I'll get to my point..
I've been on 75mg of venlafaxine for 12 months now and its done nothing for my anxiety. It labels itself as being for the treatment of depression and some anxiety disorders. I don't really know the degree of my anxiety enough to label it as mild, moderate or severe.
I would also be interested in any treatment for anxiety as my medication has done wonders for my depression but not alot for my anxiety.
I have reccently been working with my therapist on my anxiety issues and had small amounts of gradual success. He got me to write a list of things that I have an anxiety about and grade them from the mildest to severe then start about half way and work my way to the most severe.
I also had the option of pulling out of the exercises he had set me if I became too uncomfortable because he didn't want me to become too distressed as that is counterproductive.
But I had to at least give it a deccent try.
I relate alot to what you have said about locking yourself away inside your apartment while you were unemployed.
I finished school last year (2002) and since have not had a day job at all. I've work for 7 hours on a saturday night 3 weeks a month but thats it.
I believe unemployed has greatly inhanced my anxiety levels as well as had negative impact on my self-esteem which was already rock bottom.
2004 is hoping to look abit better for me as I've enrolled in a college course but havent yet recieved an acceptance (I'm waiting by the mailbox).
I think its great you know so much about your condition and you're going into this well informed as well as open-minded to other suggestions and professional advice.
Right now I think I'd encourage you to take any therapy that is available to you because I know how benefitial it is. Like you said you have alot of things you need to get out of your head and I felt exactly the same.
I hope someday for similar people in my case and myself that there is an effective treatment for social anxiety because I know how unhealthy it is to live with it and there would be nothing greater than relief from it.Phew, I think I've wrote a book now too but I hope I've been at least a little bit of help. I know that reading what you wrote and that I related to alot of it gave me abit of relief that I'm not the only person in the world that has these issues.
*hugs* thanks for speaking up. Keep us posted.
poster:Bell_75
thread:291583
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031213/msgs/291715.html