Hi guys. Does anyone else suffer with social anxiety? And what are some tools you use to cope with it?
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Hello, fellow social anxiety-er here
I donāt have any tools to help as Iām still trying to find them myself to be honest. Iāve tried CBT but I only did a few sessions and didnāt really put my all into it so that didnāt help unfortunately, although they do say thatās the best thing for it.
itās so debilitating isnāt it? Here if you want to chat/vent x
I have suffered with it for as long as I can remember. I wish I could help but Iām terrible at dealing with it even to this day. 
Yes! I am diagnosed with generalised and social anxiety disorder. I am having exposure therapy at the moment but itās not really helping with lockdown and everything. I use distraction such as music in headphones and do not go out at the busiest times. I also have things such as squishies in my pocket and try to use breathing techniques. My friends know that ice on the back of my neck or on my wrists help. They anxiety of the anxiety is a big problem at the moment but my community team arenāt that helpful.
Does anyone have any experience with medication helping their social anxiety
I take quite a few meds for MH but venlafaxine and pregabolin are the main ones to help my anxiety. They have both been great but I have awful withdrawals from them if I miss a dose.
Oh ok thank you. Do you mind me asking in what way do they help
Iāve been considering going on meds for ages just need to take the plungeI feel more...relaxed? Iām on quetiapine and carbamazepine too which are sedating at first but once my body adjusted to it the sedation wore off but I was still a lot calmer.Oh ok thank you. Do you mind me asking in what way do they help
I tried other meds first, such as sertraline but I didnāt find it helped, although lots of people find it helpful. Medication can help but your GP may also refer you for some CBT too to give you tools to help in certain situations.
I take sertraline which is a anti depressant I think that helps with anxiety tooDoes anyone have any experience with medication helping their social anxiety
Iām on sertraline and itās made such a big difference. For me itās taken āthe edgeā off and within a few weeks my physical symptoms of anxiety were gone. Of course meds arenāt for everyone but donāt be ashamed if thatās the route you do go downDoes anyone have any experience with medication helping their social anxiety
I have taken sertraline too and it has been amazing.
Does anyone ever just get a rush and panic and think they've got the get out of a situation? I come over really faint and HOT I try abs laugh it off like "oh I had a funny turn today" but it's actually really upsetting.
Breathing and counting in my head really help but has anyone got any better techniques.
Does anyone ever just get a rush and panic and think they've got the get out of a situation? I come over really faint and HOT I try abs laugh it off like "oh I had a funny turn today" but it's actually really upsetting.
Breathing and counting in my head really help but has anyone got any better techniques.
yes 100% Iāve been in situations like that a few times in my life. I honestly think they are panic attacks
What is the ice for on your neck / wrists xx
When I come over funny at home I ask my partner for a wet flannel for my neck is it to help calm you? Xx
It really got to me before lockdown I had one in my daughters playground and had to leave her in the que with another parent. Really made me sad thinking it's not only effecting me now but my daughter too.
I have never ever fainter before? So I don't know why I think I'm going to it's so strange. X
My husband has been medicated since last Christmas. Heās been struggling for years and Iāve seen such an improvement in him, slowly but itās been amazing. Heās on fluoxetine.Does anyone have any experience with medication helping their social anxiety
Iāve been on and off fluoxetine for years for my anxiety/depression. Iāve tried mirtazapine and cilatopram - both made me feel like a zombie. I feel physically sick with my anxiety, itās a horrible feeling in public. Iāve had CBT and counselling before but it makes me feel worse for bringing back past trauma. I try to self-manage it now by recognising my good and bad days and working around them (easier said than done some days).
yeah so kind of the same thing but ice āshocksā you back into the present and out of the panic. I donāt know if that makes sense? Ice and pace breathing is really helpful to me in situations where Iām highly anxious or when I have panic attacks.
hello
I'm not sure if the anxiety that i feel is the same as the anxiety that you're talking about but i feel as though mine has become worse over the last few months.
when I'm in a social situation and I'm talking or someone talks to me i can feel myself come over all warm and hot, even sweating. my face feels like its burning bright red. it makes me feel as though i want to run away and hide. its not like i feel particularly embarrassed by what im talking about but i can feel the sensation of it about to happen. im then left feeling mortified by the incident which then makes my anxiety of that situation worse. it can happen whilst simply being asked if i need a bag when buying shopping or half way through a conversation with a friend for seemingly no reason? iv given it some thought over the last few months to try and find out what could be the root cause. my partner seems to think its down to how i feel about myself and my confidence. i just want to be able to speak to people and not have the fear of this happening? it can also prevent me from speaking up and i would sooner avoid certain social situations. ugh rubbish aint it!!!!
I'm not sure if the anxiety that i feel is the same as the anxiety that you're talking about but i feel as though mine has become worse over the last few months.
when I'm in a social situation and I'm talking or someone talks to me i can feel myself come over all warm and hot, even sweating. my face feels like its burning bright red. it makes me feel as though i want to run away and hide. its not like i feel particularly embarrassed by what im talking about but i can feel the sensation of it about to happen. im then left feeling mortified by the incident which then makes my anxiety of that situation worse. it can happen whilst simply being asked if i need a bag when buying shopping or half way through a conversation with a friend for seemingly no reason? iv given it some thought over the last few months to try and find out what could be the root cause. my partner seems to think its down to how i feel about myself and my confidence. i just want to be able to speak to people and not have the fear of this happening? it can also prevent me from speaking up and i would sooner avoid certain social situations. ugh rubbish aint it!!!!
Oh my goodness itās like weāre the same person
this has been my issue for a few years now. The going red in the face part. I can be talking to someone and then I get it in my head Iām going to go red and that theyāll be thinking why is she going red and it becomes this whole big thing! I usually say oh I just need the toilet or make some excuse to leave the situation. Itās honestly horrible isnāt it. I also donāt have a lot of confidence and struggle massively with self imagine/self worth and I think itās definitely related. I find it helps if Iām kind of controlling the conversation a bit if that makes sense so Iām asking the questions etc.Oh my goodness itās like weāre the same person
Hello!
wow yes exactly that and im really not sure as to why? sometimes its worse than other times. Right now I'm struggling to even have a conversation with some family members without it happening??? it must look ridiculous when its happening and im thinking the same like why is she going all red? i don't even know why it just brews up? i think its an unconscious thing isn't it..? i feel a bit jealous of people that can just talk or say something without it happening. it feels like it holds me back from speaking my truth or what i want instead of hiding and going along with things. there's got to be some way of getting over this situation so we can freely speak without fear of face burn!!!!
I had awful social anxiety when I was a teen. Like others have described; Iād feel myself flush, go bright red, hot and sweaty for no ālogicalā reason at all in social situations. I couldnāt go into shops by myself. Had to get my mum to phone and make appointments for me (doctors, dentist, hairdressers). Iād feel embarrassed about doing normal tasks like getting on a bus, using an umbrella, walking down the street.
I put it down to a lack of self esteem. I felt awful about myself. For no good reason too! Anxiety can happen to anyone. Itās also completely okay to feel like this too. (I always thought I was crazy.
Ive learnt to deal with it as Iāve got older and gained more confidence. I can quiet easily go into shops by myself and make appointments. I still get a bit of phone anxiety now and then. Talking to people and getting help is the next step for people. There are so many resources out there and amazing people willing to listen. The NHS have a long wait time for mental health, which needs improving. I havenāt been on prescribed medication (as I was always too anxious to make an appointment
) but have had CBT and hypnotherapy, which helped at the time. Also used herbal remedies such as Bachās, St. Johnās wart etc.
Everybody is different and we will all react to certain medications differently so sometimes it can be trial and error. I hope you are okay
I put it down to a lack of self esteem. I felt awful about myself. For no good reason too! Anxiety can happen to anyone. Itās also completely okay to feel like this too. (I always thought I was crazy.
Ive learnt to deal with it as Iāve got older and gained more confidence. I can quiet easily go into shops by myself and make appointments. I still get a bit of phone anxiety now and then. Talking to people and getting help is the next step for people. There are so many resources out there and amazing people willing to listen. The NHS have a long wait time for mental health, which needs improving. I havenāt been on prescribed medication (as I was always too anxious to make an appointment
) but have had CBT and hypnotherapy, which helped at the time. Also used herbal remedies such as Bachās, St. Johnās wart etc.Everybody is different and we will all react to certain medications differently so sometimes it can be trial and error. I hope you are okay