# So if you've had therapy, then why do you still have social anxiety???



## letitrock (Jan 10, 2009)

??


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## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

Because the therapy didn't work. Ditto with meds. And then funds ran out. And social experiences are still crap. So here I still am.


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## Virgo (Jun 27, 2016)

Because therapy doesn't work. Tried twice!


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

I don't know, you'll have to ask my ex-therapist. Or maybe not, considering.


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## truant (Jul 4, 2014)

I'm guessing it's for the same reason some people are still in wheelchairs even though they've been to the doctor's.


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

Because therapy isn't a magic cure, there isn't a magic cure. Therapy might have an effect, or it might do **** all, and it depends on lots of variables:

- The type of therapy being given
- The ability of the patient to do the therapy (I wont say willingness, because that isn't usually entirely under the control of the patient)
- The skill of the therapist
- The situation and position of the patient
- The amount of resources available to treat the patient
- Whether the patient is still treated like **** in the world

and so on.

I used to have a very negative view of therapy, I have changed that view since I experienced therapy of a very high standard, and all of the above were in place. I know I have improved from therapy, and at minimum it has improved some stuff, but I don't expect it to _remove_ my problems, like a surgeon can cut out a cyst.

It's like asking "well you went to the gym, why aren't you thin yet?". Because going to therapy wont remove social anxiety in the same way that stepping foot in a gym won't remove all your body fat, there are a lot of other variables in play.


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## LonelyLurker (Sep 24, 2016)

truant said:


> I'm guessing it's for the same reason some people are still in wheelchairs even though they've been to the doctor's.


Because the wheelchair user wasn't ready to be helped? :laugh:


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## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

To add to what's already been said here (there are a lot of variables) -- the patient needs to be 'ready' for it. They have to truly buy into it with every fiber of their being.

As @*splendidbob* alluded to, this is not a conscious choice so much as it is a state of mind largely outside the patient's control (who the heck would choose to be this way, really). This 'readiness' cannot just be "switched on" as you would a light bulb.

I don't think anyone has an answer as to what makes some patients ready while others are not (and possibly never get to such a point). If anyone had that answer, then people would be able to go to therapy and "just do it" all the time. But, it doesn't work that way.


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## acidicwithpanic (May 14, 2014)

I don't know, why do terminally ill patients continue seeing doctors knowing well that they have slim chances of surviving? 

I'm not one to give up on improvement just because it is near impossible. If that was the case, then I would've killed myself five years ago, but I chose not to. I realize that therapy will not cure me of all my problems, and that's okay. What's not okay, is walking into a therapy session thinking that it will rid you of any SA. This is a chronic illness. You may have it for the rest of your life, and the best you can do is accept it and find ways to use it as an advantage.

I think what you're frustrated by might be CBT; it's great if you have the energy to commit to the program, but unfortunately most people like myself have had trouble with finding the motivation for it especially when the anxiety is very severe. There are other forms of therapy that potentially could be more effective, it's just that a lot of people do not have access to any of those such as ACT. I've tried to find ACT programs in my town, but I never succeeded.


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## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

tehuti88 said:


> Because the therapy didn't work. Ditto with meds. And then funds ran out. And social experiences are still crap. So here I still am.


This



Atheism said:


> Because therapy doesn't work. Tried twice!


And this



splendidbob said:


> Because therapy isn't a magic cure, there isn't a magic cure. Therapy might have an effect, or it might do **** all, and it depends on lots of variables:
> 
> - The type of therapy being given
> - The ability of the patient to do the therapy (I wont say willingness, because that isn't usually entirely under the control of the patient)
> ...


And this


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## Nelbow (Mar 16, 2016)

Everyone is different. Not all therapists can help sufferers of SA equally. I don't think the therapist I saw knew how to help me. But she did tell me that I would never be a social butterfly or something to that effect. I think she was trying to lower my expectations of what I could hope to achieve. She was just being realistic, and she was probably right. I would love to see someone who specializes in SA someday.


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## rm123 (Mar 21, 2016)

My therapist for anxiety was abs useless, wasn't interested in what made me anxious just gave me some breathing exercises & told me there's nothing else she can do


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## sad1231234 (Jul 10, 2016)

Because therapy doesnt automatically heal your SA, it takes effort and an application of the theraputic techniques for overcoming social anxiety.


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## Chihuahualover93 (Apr 19, 2017)

Because it takes _time_, and it's not a magical cure. I am in therapy working on my problems, but I know it's going to take a long time until I can function like a normal person. Therapy _has_ helped me a lot, however.


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## Alpha Tauri (Mar 19, 2017)

My psychological disorders fight back and stops me from continuing the therapy.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Honestly, I am still having trouble adjusting to other people's reactions.


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## Overdrive (Sep 19, 2015)

Don't bother asking this ****ing question.


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## TheInvisibleHand (Sep 5, 2015)

Overdrive said:


> Don't bother asking this ****ing question.


One day without chopping trees and you are already starting to become aggressive...not good.


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## Overdrive (Sep 19, 2015)

TheInvisibleHand said:


> One day without chopping trees and you are already starting to become aggressive...not good.


Nice, i have a new pet now. Soon i will teach you how to do some tricks.
Good doggy !.


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## dragonfruit (Dec 11, 2015)

acidicwithpanic said:


> I don't know, why do terminally ill patients continue seeing doctors knowing well that they have slim chances of surviving?
> 
> I'm not one to give up on improvement just because it is near impossible. If that was the case, then I would've killed myself five years ago, but I chose not to. I realize that therapy will not cure me of all my problems, and that's okay. What's not okay, is walking into a therapy session thinking that it will rid you of any SA. This is a chronic illness. You may have it for the rest of your life, and the best you can do is accept it and find ways to use it as an advantage.
> 
> I think what you're frustrated by might be CBT; it's great if you have the energy to commit to the program, but unfortunately most people like myself have had trouble with finding the motivation for it especially when the anxiety is very severe. There are other forms of therapy that potentially could be more effective, it's just that a lot of people do not have access to any of those such as ACT. I've tried to find ACT programs in my town, but I never succeeded.


I just want to say I love your Bread Mom avatar. :laugh:


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## dragonfruit (Dec 11, 2015)

I have been bullied all through my childhood, teen years and adulthood from classmates, peers, co-workers and family. I'm still anxious in situations and I have a hard time trying to get over past traumatic events. I still see my therapist because it is good to talk to someone face to face and ask their advice or opinions.


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## acidicwithpanic (May 14, 2014)

dragonfruit said:


> I just want to say I love your Bread Mom avatar. :laugh:


Thank you. I want to cut your beard while I show you my most private of areas.


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## Michael1973 (May 25, 2005)

I've been working on SA therapy on and off for 11 years, and the hard truth is, you need to consistently work on the therapy in order to truly change. I don't do it nearly enough, so I still struggle with certain issues. Also, it's important what you tell yourself as you do it. You can be making really good progress, but if you're still telling yourself negative things you won't feel like you're changing.


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## dragonfruit (Dec 11, 2015)

acidicwithpanic said:


> Thank you. I want to cut your beard while I show you my most private of areas.


I loved that sketch so much. "Who took the toilet paper?"


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## ladysmurf (Jan 3, 2012)

dragonfruit said:


> I have been bullied all through my childhood, teen years and adulthood from classmates, peers, co-workers and family. I'm still anxious in situations and I have a hard time trying to get over past traumatic events. I still see my therapist because it is good to talk to someone face to face and ask their advice or opinions.


that's pretty much how I feel.


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## gthopia94 (Dec 18, 2015)

Call me a conspiracy theorist but...

Because "Therapy" like other medical practices aren't to cure you, they're for financial gain. You can come to therapy for 15, 20, 30 years and it still won't make a difference. The only people benefiting from it will be the medical industry because $$$>Another humans well being.


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## KrazyEvilMonkey (May 4, 2017)

Diagnosed with something else because I'm peculiar. The session I was gonna talk was the time there was no more therapy. Weird.


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## MNM (Oct 3, 2012)

I've only gone 7 times with current therapist but its the most I've stuck with any therapist. He is awesome and we click well. So far, I am still quite a bit the same but it helps to go talk about some of my fears and worries and listen to a new perspective on it. He gives me ideas of things like where I could meet new people, etc but he also assured me it is a long process and sometimes people get better but then something sets them off and they come back to therapy. 

So I guess I'd say, it depends on the therapist, how much you are willing to apply to your life that they offer you and variables that life may throw at you. I don't expect to end therapy one day being cured but rather having a new outlook on things and better ways of being able to handle stuff, more prepared I guess.


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## MissingCub (Jun 5, 2017)

I go like once well randomly, always a different doctor, always have to tell them the same thing every time then I leave and never get another appointment only to go back for them to do the same thing, not to send appointments
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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