going to see doc about anxiety med

[pete89]

i have always felt i suffer from social anxiety disorder and in some cases maybe general anxiety disorder. i always felt it was not an extreme case that maybe i could work it out myself and try to better myself by making lifestyle changes. however the last two years i feel i have made no improvement and from a certain experience that happened recently i feel this is something that is taking way to much controll over my life.

 

i need to go see a doc about this but would like to know from experience what the proceure is like and how to go about it.

 

i hope this doesnt come off the wrong way and seem as if im just looking to go to the doc because i want him to give me drugs. thats not what this is about im just trying understand how i should go about this, after all im going because i feel i have an anxiety disorder so its not going to be comfortable for me to do

[ellandroader]

Hi there,

 

I am a fellow sufferer of Social Anxiety Disorder too....did you try CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)?

 

That has helped me immensely, as well as the whole good old fashioned 'putting yourself out there' which has to be done gradually.

 

Do address it either way....it made my teens/20's pretty difficult for a while.

[jsx730]

When I went to the doctor for ADHD, I found that it had alot to do with my social anxiety.

 

After being prescribed Ritalin, then Adderall, I found that once my head was clear and focused enough to engage in conversations, I'm actually a pretty social person.

 

Just something to think about if you find yourself with symptoms of ADHD too.

[karvala]

Hi there,

 

I am a fellow sufferer of Social Anxiety Disorder too....did you try CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)?

 

That has helped me immensely, as well as the whole good old fashioned 'putting yourself out there' which has to be done gradually.

 

Do address it either way....it made my teens/20's pretty difficult for a while.

 

Exactly, I think this is the way to go. A lot of people, myself included, perceive themselves (and/or are perceived by others) as having some form of social anxiety, which can inhibit their social life quite severely. This is almost never a medical disorder, and drug treatment is essentially inappropriate; you might as well go and ask your doctor for a crate of beer as this will probably also help. In truth, it's a behavioural/emotional/psychological issue, which can be more or less extreme in different people, and if it's a problem in your life (and only then), can be helped enormously by therapy, including in particular CBT as ellandroader says.