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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Michael Bell on May 18, 2008, at 10:15:31
Hi, I am hoping that you don't mind taking a quick poll. It only consists of two questions. It is for people with social phobia:
1) Do you have poor vision? (meaning do you have to wear glasses/contacts):
2)If you do wear glasses/contacts, does your SP diminish when you are not wearing your corrective lenses?Thanks!
Posted by Phillipa on May 18, 2008, at 10:31:53
In reply to Poll - people with SP, posted by Michael Bell on May 18, 2008, at 10:15:31
My anxiety or social phobia was much worse before I got lasix for distance. Glasses make me very anxious. So yes I feel better with them off. Phillipa
Posted by Molybdenum on May 18, 2008, at 19:01:10
In reply to Poll - people with SP, posted by Michael Bell on May 18, 2008, at 10:15:31
> Hi, I am hoping that you don't mind taking a quick poll. It only consists of two questions. It is for people with social phobia:
>
> 1) Do you have poor vision? (meaning do you have to wear glasses/contacts):
>
>
> 2)If you do wear glasses/contacts, does your SP diminish when you are not wearing your corrective lenses?
>
>
> Thanks!Not sure if I have SP. Never asked to be diagnosed with it. I LOATHE the thought of going out with people though, especially groups, even if I've known them all for ages & otherwise do not dislike them. If I have to do it, I don't take any meds for it & always feel OK once I'm there. It's the anticipation that I loathe. Does that count as SP? If so:
1. Yes for distance (glasses, not contacts)2. I have to wear them to see clearly 15 feet away. So I always wear them unless on the computer or reading.
Have you invented ones like Zaphod Beeblebrox's?
Posted by Michael Bell on May 18, 2008, at 22:19:20
In reply to Re: Poll - people with SP » Michael Bell, posted by Phillipa on May 18, 2008, at 10:31:53
I guess what I am curious about is the etiology of SP. I used to take off my glasses so that I couldn't see people's faces, and that seemed to diminish the SP to some extent. The recent theory of SP seems to be centered around the amygdala, and the reaction of the brain when someone with SP sees the faces of other people. I am wondering if there is something about the way that the orbital cortex and other brain areas interpret visuals of other human faces that triggers SP.
Posted by brooke484 on May 18, 2008, at 22:23:56
In reply to Re: if you can't see faces, does SP diminish?, posted by Michael Bell on May 18, 2008, at 22:19:20
I used to do that when I was a teenager because I thought everyone was looking at me and thinking I was ugly. So I stopped wearing my contacts. Even today (at 37) I don't look people in the eye when I'm walking around. I was never diagnosed with SP, but I definitely still have those issues.
Brooke
Posted by rskontos on May 19, 2008, at 15:32:32
In reply to Re: if you can't see faces, does SP diminish?, posted by brooke484 on May 18, 2008, at 22:23:56
Michael, I have issues with being with people and have panic attacks and I have only had vision problems after 40 prior to age 40 my vision was 20/10 no need for contacts or glasses. I have always avoided crowds, concerts, large groups of people if at all possible.
I don't know what that means for the study but I guess I don't fall into that part, since vision is only recently a problem and it is only for reading.
rsk
Posted by Quintal on May 19, 2008, at 17:52:49
In reply to Poll - people with SP, posted by Michael Bell on May 18, 2008, at 10:15:31
>1) Do you have poor vision? (meaning do you have to wear glasses/contacts):
No.
>2)If you do wear glasses/contacts, does your SP diminish when you are not wearing your corrective lenses?
I have worn contact lenses for a short time because one of my eyes is short-sighted by 0.25D. Obviously it wasn't worth the hassle because 0.25D isn't really noticable. I didn't notice any difference in my anxiety when I was wearing them. I always look people hard in the eye because I figured that's the best way to stop people thinking you're shy. Curiously, having a psychotic episode seems to have all but cured it.
Q
Posted by Trotten on May 20, 2008, at 23:03:57
In reply to Re: Poll - people with SP, posted by Quintal on May 19, 2008, at 17:52:49
Actually I never thought about it. But now you asked my answer is no, I feel the same person with or without glasses.
Posted by blueboy on May 21, 2008, at 7:59:33
In reply to Poll - people with SP, posted by Michael Bell on May 18, 2008, at 10:15:31
I have had bad myopia and astygmatism (sp?) since I was 7 or 8. When I was younger, I used to go out without my glasses or wear contacts, because I thought it made me more attractive to girls. But I don't know that it lessened my anxiety at all.
It's not impossible that it would help the anxiety, but I wouldn't do it, personally. I think you'd be less personable, less able to interact with others effectively, without the visual cues you get from small facial movements, body language, etc.
This is the end of the thread.
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