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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
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.
Is social anxiety sometimes a symptom of MDD or some other condition? (that is 'biological')?
Can it be 'merely' psychological?
Why do many of us here deal with this?
Is there any good reading--explanatory reading?
I'd love any comments, better questions, info, experience,
fb
Posted by Phillipa on September 3, 2009, at 12:34:23
In reply to for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2009, at 12:22:56
fb you couldn't have asked a better question as I've had it since age 24 and was find up until thyroid went and then started the merry go round of ads. Conventional medicine I think says it's depression not necessarily major depression. Seems each time the "Queen" googles it come up and lists depression but I just don't buy it. I feel they are separate and unresolved anxiety leads to depression. Love Phillipa
Posted by Maxime on September 3, 2009, at 14:02:37
In reply to for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2009, at 12:22:56
Hi FB, I wish I had an answer to your question. Klonopin/clonazepam is supposed to be good for SA. Have you ever tried it?
I don't know if you will get a response from Scott as he is away on holiday for the next week.
Take care.
Posted by alchemy on September 3, 2009, at 18:16:09
In reply to for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2009, at 12:22:56
There definitely is a biological component because drugs have helped so many people with it.
I have wondered if the anxiety of being alone could be somewhat biological.
Posted by Phillipa on September 3, 2009, at 20:36:27
In reply to Re: for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by alchemy on September 3, 2009, at 18:16:09
That's my main problem now? Phillipa
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.
>
> 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')?
>
> Can it be 'merely' psychological?
>
> Why do many of us here deal with this?
>
> Is there any good reading--explanatory reading?
>
> I'd love any comments, better questions, info, experience,
>
>
> fb
>
>
Posted by willyeee on September 4, 2009, at 19:20:47
In reply to for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2009, at 12:22:56
Gaba b seems to have social enhancment.
Posted by obsidian on September 4, 2009, at 20:12:47
In reply to Re: for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by alchemy on September 3, 2009, at 18:16:09
I don't know, but a lot of my anxiety is not about being alone, for me, being alone sometimes is a godsend...but about being with people, so very difficult often, but I do keep trying. Feeling alone can be a very visceral experience though...and I suppose I do feel alone a lot though. In fact, my earliest traumatic memories were about being left alone. I think it might be etched in my nervous system.
Posted by Garnet71 on September 5, 2009, at 13:26:56
In reply to for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2009, at 12:22:56
I think it can be biological, psychological, or a mixture of both. Outside of the biological realm, social anxiety can manifest out of avoidance, narcissistic, borderline, schitzoid, etc. traits. Aspergers or schitzophrenia from the biological side.
This is especially true with core issues of self. Some w/borderline and/or narcissistic tendencies react to others rather than internally defining a sense of self. When a person has a fragmented sense of self, or lacks a sense of self, that person tends to (unknowingly) define or reinforce their sense of self by their interaction with others. In such, cases, I beleive, the social anxiety stems after the fact - after a person's reation; but this manifests as an anticipatory social anxiety becaues it becomes a pattern. In such cases, I believe, the cumulation of one's perception of reactions to others causes the social anxiety.
For those with PTSD and childhood trauma, you can tend to be hyperaware (consciously and unconcsciously or both) of others' body language, eyes, words, etc. You 'absorb' these things and unconsciously react in ways you learned from years of childhood, thus causing feelings of anxiety around others - a social anxiety.
Also, if you have an insecure parental attachment pattern, for example-you were neglected by parents but sought to get your needs fulfilled in other ways - but had no consistency in getting your needs met - sort of ambivalent - you may be very reactive to PERCEIVED inconsistenceies that people display. It can be unconsciously confusing in that you take in the inconsistencies of others in ways you don't recognize. For example, in a friendship, you make plans to go out for dinner; the friend has to cancel for a rational reason-a sick child or something. The inconsistency matches your childhood inconsistency - you unconsciously question the friendship - is this person rejecting me? But you don't realize it. These inconsistencies are almost constant. It could be a sentence someone says to you that contradicts the friendship, but to most people it doesn't mean anything. If you unconsciously seek and scan for inconsistencies due to childhood dynamics, you are going to be affected by these things as opposed to someone who came from a nurturing, healthy background. Unconsciously taking in all these inconsistencies can manifest as social anxiety; simply-you are in an anxious state around others.
Social anxiety could stem from an unconscious fear of abandonment and/or rejection. An underlying trait from unresolved childhood issues.
Social anxiety in relation to avoidance traits - you were neglected or abused as a child, and your way of dealing with it was to avoid your parents. This becomes a lifelong pattern.
These things even happen to people who lack childhood trauma. For example, one's mother could have had post-partum depression; undiagnosed or perhaps a relative of Tom Cruise where the mother was not treated - and your needs were not met in your early 2 years. The baby could have closed off in an avoidance pattern as the only way to deal with the unbearable pain of not getting needs met. People establish different patterns. While one baby may totally avoid the parent to avoid the pain of not getting needs met, another child may be loud and cry to get his needs fulfilled - attention seeking. The later may not develop social anxiety, but may develop narcissistic or histrionic patterns of relating.
I had a temporary social anxiety when I was diagnosed with PTSD years ago. It went away. I was taking meds at the time, so it could have been that too. But I thought it may have been hypervigilance, as that is what my T at the time identified.
I'm rambling off the top of my head, but hope this helps. I'm not formally educated with this stuff, obviously, just picked up on some concepts that may (or may not) be relevant to those who suffer from social anxiety.
------------------------------
Some of you here know a a great deal about social anxiety--from experience and research.Is social anxiety sometimes a symptom of MDD or some other condition? (that is 'biological')?
Can it be 'merely' psychological?
Why do many of us here deal with this?
Is there any good reading--explanatory reading?
I'd love any comments, better questions, info, experience
Posted by SLS on September 5, 2009, at 17:35:29
In reply to Re: for Scott and others: the puzzle of social anxiety » floatingbridge, posted by Garnet71 on September 5, 2009, at 13:26:56
Nice post, Garnet.
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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