HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE OR HAD SOCIAL ANXIETY?

[ronaldkia]

how many people here have or had social anxiety? I've had it for 10 years now. im suprised to see that someone just came up with the topic suddendly. I didnt know that many people in here had social anxiety. theyve never mentioned it before for some reason.

please post replies telling us when it started and how it affects your life, etc... thanks.

I also really like your post TheMoose, its a very good technique you used to not think about it, but just do it fast when your approaching an anxious situation. thumbs up to you.

 

[Aplunk1]

Yes, since I was a young man.

I've always had it, balding or not, and prescription medicine has certainly helped me.

I still have panic attacks.

For me, there's no useful way of combating my anxiety except through medication and concentration on other thoughts. I'm still learning to cope with it.

I don't think male pattern baldness has had much of an impact on my SA.

 

[Wezz]

whats the anxiety attacks ?

feeling uncomfortable in public , not relaxed ?
i guess i have that then :roll:

 

[Solo]

I do have it as well. But it´s more intense just in the very first moments I walk out from home. It´s just the moment where I can´t control it, and I do strange things such as choose the less crowded street, even if I make a longer walk.


Then, when I meet someone and start talking or doing something, my mind gets a lot more relaxed and I can forget it and have a good time.

But I´m self conscious all the time, and kind of tense. I hate that feeling.

 

[Felk]

I have it too. Well had more than have.

One word for this:

Buddhism

If not, at least some meditation or yoga, it will really help you relax. There is no feeling quite like that experienced when all your troubles seem meaningless - "freedom" doesn't quite do it justice.

Anyway, meditation has recently been proven to help prevent heart disease, something that baldness sufferers have an increased risk of :wink:

 

[IBM]

.

 

[JayB]

had panic attacks once i noticed my hair was falling out. never had it before.

 

[hairhaircomeagain]

I think everyone has a little bit of social anxiety. I mean how many feel comfortable right away on entering a party full of people, someof whom you dont know. You gradually get comfortable and sometimes not at all. I think it has something to do with your confidence too. I suffere quite a bit from this too.

 

[ShedMaster]

Yes, since I was a young man.

I've always had it, balding or not, and prescription medicine has certainly helped me.

I still have panic attacks.

For me, there's no useful way of combating my anxiety except through medication and concentration on other thoughts. I'm still learning to cope with it.

I don't think male pattern baldness has had much of an impact on my SA.

what kind of medication do you take for it?

 

[Solo]

Yeah, I think it´s a very common thing, but I have had times when thinking of people staring at my hair in my back became almost a physical pain.


I found any excuse and went home, for no reason apart from this.


It still happens to me sometimes when I´m at crowded places. It´s like a conscience flash that comes to me from nowhere, sometimes when I´m enjoying myself. "Hey, they are having a good time looking at your head".

I feel suddenly the urge to leave, and so I do.


I wish I could be stronger mentally, but sometimes I lose my nerve. The good side is that, with time, I´m controlling it better and it´s slowly fading.

 

[Aplunk1]

I'm prescribed a low-dose of Remeron for anti-anxiety.

 

[Solo]

Trascendental Meditation helped nothing in my case.


I was far from perfect at doing it, but I haven´t got any benefit from it, apart from the relaxed feeling that I had during those 20 minutes. My mind was a bit clearer, and maybe faster thinking for the first 2 days, but it is highly possible it just was the placebo effect.


And I had to quit after a couple of weeks because of a weird episode of dissociation I had. No more problems after I quit TM, though.

I think it could be beneficial in some cases, because it helps focusing your thoughts, but my experience is not so positive.

 

[scientist]

i agree that buddhism and taoism help. i've had social anxiety for most of my life, if i'm in uncomfortable situations like public speaking i can turn red and start sweating profusely, for me i think it's because my hairloss makes me hate myself, so if i can get it back and start liking myself more i hope i won't have any more episodes.

i think it helps to be prepared for the situation, but life is unexpected, meditation should help you relax your mind and hopefully ease anxiety

 

[silkeysmooth]

I don't know many people that are perfectly comfortable in social situations, aside from people that are generally stupid and thus oblivious to the concept of social anxiety (frat boys...).

However, hair loss certainly exacerbates social anxiety for me, and I imagine it does for many others.

 

[ShedMaster]

I'm prescribed a low-dose of Remeron for anti-anxiety.

did you notice any sides since starting? libido, etc? thanks.

 

[Felk]

Trascendental Meditation helped nothing in my case.


I was far from perfect at doing it, but I haven´t got any benefit from it, apart from the relaxed feeling that I had during those 20 minutes. My mind was a bit clearer, and maybe faster thinking for the first 2 days, but it is highly possible it just was the placebo effect.


And I had to quit after a couple of weeks because of a weird episode of dissociation I had. No more problems after I quit TM, though.

I think it could be beneficial in some cases, because it helps focusing your thoughts, but my experience is not so positive.

Yeah well it takes a lot of practice, though i don't practice the meditation you mentioned. One thing each good teacher stresses is that one should not be in a hurry to see results, it's not a product to be consumed like everytihng else in society. "Here... for just one dollar, i'll teach you meditation and all your troubles will go away!"

As to you thinking faster, that's by no means the aim of meditation. Having a peaceful, relaxed state of mind afterwards is usually the outcome. Though it takes practice to carry this state of mind from the meditation into daily life.

However "placebo effect" got me confused - that means a different reaction to a treatment because of the way you are thinking/acting - but meditation is all about changing the way you think and act, so any every positive outcome of meditation could be labelled a "placebo." Placebos come about through the power of the mind, and meditation aims at harnessing this power.

 

[Solo]

Yeah, well I was in doubt when I referred that as a "placebo".

But I thought that it´s somewhat correct, because I was not talking of the direct benefitial effect TM could provoke, but the effect my upbringing mood and excitement provoked.

But as you said, in this case, the line that separates both is almost inexistent.

I didn´t tried it as a Scalp Exercise, or a static bike routine, I was aware of the effect that preparation and suggestion could have when I meditate, and I think I did the correct steps when I practiced it.

I really think my mind became more agile after the first sessions of TM, because I managed to avoid that "lateral thinking" thing, and I felt like I could focuse more on the main subject of thought, and obviously it´s a consecuence of a more relaxed and peaceful state of mind.

I wasn´t hoping for instant results, in fact I didn´t believe I could improve anything with that in my head, but it really did things on me. It´s something people should try, imo.

 

[Felk]

Sorry i just re-read my post and realised it sounded a bit criticising / defensive - i wasn't implying if it didn't work for you you weren't doing it right. But it sounds good, like you had some sort of beneficial experiences from it

 

[Aplunk1]

I'm prescribed a low-dose of Remeron for anti-anxiety.

did you notice any sides since starting? libido, etc? thanks.

Increased appetite... that's all, besides a general sense of well-being and comfort.

 

[Felk]

Holy sh*t im the only "no" vote...

I thought it was being anxious socially all the time or something. Of course we feel a little anxiety in social situations from time to time, but most of the time when im being social im talking lots and having fun.