Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

LegacyUser

Hi guys,

Having recently been diagnosed with SAD after suffering from extreme stress and anxiety for many years, I am curious to find out if anyone else has been in the same boat.

It started a few years ago when I started to get afraid of going out. I was always such a happy go lucky girl, used to love going out with friends. I still went out and tried to enjoy myself but ended up getting weepy and anxious. Recently it has elevated that I avoid social situations like the plague, i.e. interviews, going clubbing/pubbing, going shopping as I am so anxious about people looking at me. I also suffer from paranoia to the extent that I am losing and have lost friends over this, as I am convinced that they are all talking about me and laughing at me. In my mind I know they aren't but still I cant stop being so irrational.

I also suffer from insomnia caused by my SAD(I believe) which is contributing to the stress in my life. I can barely go to the shop anymore and only feel safe at home at night, and with one or two friends.

This has ruined my life, and made hings so difficul;t for me, I feel like I'm losing my mind and going crazy and it scares me. I want to be happy but I cant find enjoyment in any of my favourite activities any more. I just want to go back to myself again the girl that was happy and fun loving...

GP prescribed me Lexapro 10mg and having no experience of medication like this, I would really appreciate any help or advice anyone in the same boat as me has to offer.

Thanks in advance

RossFixxxed

Unregistered2 wrote: »

Hi guys,

Having recently been diagnosed with SAD after suffering from extreme stress and anxiety for many years, I am curious to find out if anyone else has been in the same boat.

It started a few years ago when I started to get afraid of going out. I was always such a happy go lucky girl, used to love going out with friends. I still went out and tried to enjoy myself but ended up getting weepy and anxious. Recently it has elevated that I avoid social situations like the plague, i.e. interviews, going clubbing/pubbing, going shopping as I am so anxious about people looking at me. I also suffer from paranoia to the extent that I am losing and have lost friends over this, as I am convinced that they are all talking about me and laughing at me. In my mind I know they aren't but still I cant stop being so irrational.

I also suffer from insomnia caused by my SAD(I believe) which is contributing to the stress in my life. I can barely go to the shop anymore and only feel safe at home at night, and with one or two friends.

This has ruined my life, and made hings so difficul;t for me, I feel like I'm losing my mind and going crazy and it scares me. I want to be happy but I cant find enjoyment in any of my favourite activities any more. I just want to go back to myself again the girl that was happy and fun loving...

GP prescribed me Lexapro 10mg and having no experience of medication like this, I would really appreciate any help or advice anyone in the same boat as me has to offer.

Thanks in advance

Loads I'd say have been in that boat. Had a bit of a row myself. Lexapro 10mg is quite mild for that medication, which is a good thing. Give it a few months and do whatever your doctor says with it (that's the important part, whatever you may read online).

What I wanted to really emphasise here is you've taken the hard step, going to the doctor and starting onto medication. That really is a big step and a tipping poing. But it tips slowly. Don't expect miracles overnight and never beat yourself up for having a bad day. Remember everyone has them, and life will always be up and down. That is so so important to remember.

The real thing though is once the tablets start to work, you start to work on yourself. They are there to take the edge off, but you have to work too. You don't want to just take them and do nothing. When the edge is gone off things, even if its tough get out there. Start to rebuild your social life etc as you go. Improve diet, exercise, take up a hobby. Start doing things! Fun things!

Just remember: slowly slowly, and never ever blame yourself or think twice about a bad day! Best of luck OP. We've been there and it does get better. It gets way way better and you're already walking the path.

R

LegacyUser

Hey OP,

Sorry to hear you suffer from SAD. My best buddie suffers from it also. He's the nicest guy u'll ever meet, and a great friend, its a pity its the nice guys who beat themselves up over this and develop SAD and depression.

When i look back at my buddie at his worst, he found life very hard. He couldn't go anywhere, he got extremely nervous in public places, hated himself over what seemed trivial things and developed an alchol problem. An extemely bright lad (550 in his LC while suffering from depression put me to shame!) also but he couldnt go to college like the rest of us and he didnt make it on his first day.

That was 3 years ago, but when i look at him now hes a completely different person similar to the guy i knew tru most of 2ndry school. He still suffers from it a small bit now and then. Hes been off drink for over a year (something i would never have the mental strength to do) He's going back to college in Sept to do nursing to help people like he was helped by nurses. We are all extremely proud of him.

All i want to say OP is good luck and dont beat yourself up too much and you can get tru it.

LegacyUser

Thank you so much, really appreciate your advice. Im just want to be the girl i was, not the girl I am now. Here's hoping that I start back on the road towards her again!

LegacyUser

Yeah , me too .... exact same boat as you OP.

Went thru a few different types of med's , until I tried the lexapro 10 mg .
Worked very well for me , mild but strong enough to ease the stress of the day.
i used to dread another day when i woke up in the morning, but gradually came around to enjoying the day and re-developing my personality... even started to like myself again !!lol
Still not 100% restored , I dont go out much still ,but am much more comfortable with myself and with 'myself' around other people !

Good Luck , and make 10% more effort in everything !

LegacyUser

Thanks so much, it helps to hear stories of people who have moved on from this! I don't want to feel sorry for myself anymore, and not be able to go anywhere because I hate myself! Im only 19, and I guess I am lucky that I finally want to move on from this and start to live life! Thanks again!

RossFixxxed

Unregistered wrote: »

Thanks so much, it helps to hear stories of people who have moved on from this! I don't want to feel sorry for myself anymore, and not be able to go anywhere because I hate myself! Im only 19, and I guess I am lucky that I finally want to move on from this and start to live life! Thanks again!

That's a great post, as negative as it seems. You WANT to fix this and get out there, that means that you WILL.

You already seem a bit better, just keep it going. Keep posting on here if you need to. Don't punish yourself for anything you do 'wrong'. As I said, take it in steps but do make a little more effort to go out socialising. I always found the cinema much easier thans a house party or something like that. Maybe even take the inititiative and organise something with your friends!

Many people have beat this and I really look forward to your future posts from the other side of the anxiety fence!

Just as a heads up / caveat you may still have bad days even down the line, the trick is to just let them ride and not panic. Panicing about it or concentrating on it all day is only gonna feed the damn thing!

LegacyUser

Hi OP, this happened to me two years ago. it is a horrible thing to go through. Mine started of quite mild i was having panic attacks but i always knew what would trigger them so i had a xanax to take in stressful situations. one day though i was in a shop and a really bad panic attack just came over me and it was all down hill from there. i was so anxious all the time i was to scared to do anything i hated getting on a bus and hated going into shops. when this happened i was working and i was panicing all through work, like you said the only place you feel good is at home at night, that was the same for me as it's the place you feel safe. i also went to the doctors i was in such a state crying and everything he put me on 20mg Lexapro. i have to say they really worked for me. they take a while to get used to, they may make you feel sleepy for a while. it might take about a month for them to work but you will feel yourself coming around slowly. and you will be able to do your day to day things without even thinking about it. best of luck op, you are not on your own