Medication is only useful if there is a physiological reason for your panic attacks. Sometimes there are those reasons. But most of the time, it is psychological. I'd suggest seeing a psychologist just to talk to them about it. They usually have some strategies for you to start "getting over it" so to speak.

 

Well...

Part of having social anxiety for me was/is/will be my thought process. Ergo: how do I percieve people? Are they thinking good things, bad things, judging "me"?

And then you have to think: "well, what am I thinking? Would I think they were _____ or thinking _________ about me"

And then you have to say: "Am I really important for a group of people to stop what they are thinking and go WOW THAT GUY ___________"

"Have I done anything to make them ________"

And then you think, and go "why the hell am I nervous?" And it's not fair that you have to do this every damn day. But I know I do, I don't know if you think people are thinking things or what, but just taking a pill isn't going to make you feel any better about yourself or give you confidence. It may just give you a case of the "blahs." I was on quite a few medications, hell I even admitted myself to a psychiatric hospital to avoid the situation, but until I admitted I wasn't thinking right, I couldn't fix it. And you know what: I gave up a year of being happy because I was too immature to realize that there is no "normal" and everybody comes with their quirks and you have to deal with them. If it's social anxiety, if it's a learning disability, if it's having an ugly mole--you just have to find a way to deal with it. If this doesn't remotely register and you just get anxious around people, then forget I said anything. But I'm willing to bet that your anxiety comes from somewhere, and it isn't all other people.

So I'm not going to tell you to take medicine for it or not. That's not my position: I'm not a doctor, I don't know you, and I can't tell you why you feel that way. It would make me irresponsible to say "oh, you absolutely don't need it" or "you absolutely do need it."

I will tell you taking a pill on it's own isn't going to do a whole lot. At least it didn't for me. Seeing somebody that you can talk to about this does not mean you are worse off than people that just take pills. It actually means you're pretty smart and are using a part of health coverage that the insurance company would prefer you not use because it's pretty expensive. But the fact is that what's best for Health Insurance ABC to make money isn't in FLAT_LINER's best interests.

My advice is to do something that most people don't do: see a psychologist first, talk to them, and ask their advice on the pills. If your GP wants to perscribe you pills, tell them what you want to do. They can't perscribe them, but they can tell you what they think based on what they think you are. But make sure you are comfortable with this person. You have a social anxiety problem and getting somebody that isn't very personable to talk to in a room one on one is more scary than walking into a group of people and talking to the first person that looks at you.

I understand this whole thing is kind of scary. :happysad: I wish it were easier. But the bright side is I'm sure a lot of people have had to deal with much worse things and they are fine, so you shouldn't have a problem. :hugglez:

 

as you get older you learn to deal with it better. also don't be e-diagnosed or e-diagnose yourself. it's the worse frigging thing you can do.

I used to think i had some form of Agoraphobia. It was just me not being able to deal with meeting new people (which I didn't really like doing).

Learn to deal with it or go see a professional.

 

:chuckles:

The world needs less war, more vagina

 

haha well i dont think its that i get plenty of vagina......

idk i guess ill go see a doctor monday and see what happens

 

i'm not fond of public speaking.

 

I'd rather avoid situations where there's going to be large crowds... but... I deal.