# Has anyone gotten over social anxiety with Therapy?



## itsnoteasybeinglonely (Apr 8, 2010)

Hi, I got this really great opportunity for free therapy and I jumped at the chance. Because hello! free therapy. And social anxiety isn't going to magically get rid of itself. I am about to be a senior in highschool. I have had a pretty bad highsschool experience, and when I go to college next year, I want things to be different. Does anybody think it is possible to get rid of a good amount of my anxiety before then? My anxiety is pretty mild, and I have never had a panic attack, so I just wanted to know if there are any sucsess stories. Or if anyone has had any good experience and results with therapy?


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## Twelve Keyz (Aug 28, 2011)

No, and I don't plan to :stu


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## Sara2012 (Jul 21, 2012)

Yes, it's always possible to improve, I've been helped by them before. I'm going through a tough time right now, so I plan on seeing a psychiatrist. I wouldn't do it if I didn't believe it could help. They can help you with coping techniques and sometimes it's just nice to talk to someone who's objective. It takes some time and work, but it's well worth it.


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## tom99 (Jul 24, 2012)

Sara2012 said:


> Yes, it's always possible to improve, I've been helped by them before. I'm going through a tough time right now, so I plan on seeing a psychiatrist. I wouldn't do it if I didn't believe it could help. They can help you with coping techniques and sometimes it's just nice to talk to someone who's objective. It takes some time and work, but it's well worth it.


so what difference does therapy make


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## Sierpinski (Jun 17, 2012)

In reading about controlled studies, one gets the impression that *everything* works. I mean, they always seem to find statistically significant evidence of improvement using any form of therapy imaginable. But based on my own experience, nothing seems to work. Nardil made me less shy, but it also made me extremely offensive and I actually lost friends while taking it. Hypnotherapy made me feel more social for about 9 days, then petered out. Psychodynamic forms of therapy usually made me feel much worse. This was supposed to be a good sign, but in retrospect I don't know why.


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## Monroee (Aug 26, 2009)

Nope - I'm still waiting to be fixed. I'm not exactly sure what therapy is supposed to do for me. I've only been in some form of talk therapy, right now, psychodynamic. I'm not sure how pouring my heart out and analyzing the core of my emotions is going to help erase my SA. 

BUT. I always enjoy my own ramblings, so I do enjoy therapy sessions to some degree. 

Free therapy? Take it. Who knows - it might help you. Everyone is different.


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## Sara2012 (Jul 21, 2012)

tom99 said:


> so what difference does therapy make


Everyone has there ups and downs througout life, I'm not saying therapy is cure all. I think of therapy as a tool to help you get through your downs easier and faster, whether it be through meds or other forms of therapy. I've used it through different hardships in my life and it does help. I know I couldn't have gotten through it myself as easy. Besides, what is the harm in trying.


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## Invisiblehandicap (Jul 31, 2011)

I have improved a lot by being my own therapist. Does that count??


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## Sara2012 (Jul 21, 2012)

Invisiblehandicap said:


> I have improved a lot by being my own therapist. Does that count??


Of course it does. Happy to hear that.


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## engima (Feb 3, 2009)

It only works if you work with it. If you expect it to 'fix you' nothing will happen, but if you work with the therapist to change, then you will see change. In my case it helped a great deal, and was more effective than self therapy. Talking about it to someone confidentially helps.


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## Sara2012 (Jul 21, 2012)

engima said:


> It only works if you work with it. If you expect it to 'fix you' nothing will happen, but if you work with the therapist to change, then you will see change. In my case it helped a great deal, and was more effective than self therapy. Talking about it to someone confidentially helps.


My thoughts exactly. They can give you the tools but you have to do the work.


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## Hamster12 (Jun 11, 2012)

I did a course of CBT therapy aimed specifically at SA. It did help but it didn't cure it. It made me look at the SA more objectively, and realise what was happening and why, and some wrong thinking I had. But in my case the negative thinking came about due to the SA (which in my case I think is biological), and even correcting the negative thinking didn't fix the underlying SA. It's like looking at a petri dish and knowing there's bacteria in there, but not knowing how the hell to get rid of it. If there was an antibiotic for SA it'd be great, but so far, for me the best thing is diazepam.

But why not, it's free, it's interesting, and it gets you out and meeting new people and it does help, it just didn't cure it for me.


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## biggieK (Aug 4, 2012)

i have gone to a few sessions and it helps but they are so dang expensive i can not afford to really go often enough. my psyc has allowed me to text her when i really need it though which really helps


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## biggieK (Aug 4, 2012)

she is the one who actually led me to this site (=


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## Sierpinski (Jun 17, 2012)

In the past few months, I've met some of my old friends from high school. They say I am just as nervous and uptight as I was 29 years ago. Given all the therapy I've had, all the meds I've taken, all the self-help books I've read, all the meditation I've done, this is, quite frankly, a shocking and disturbing thing to hear. And yet I recognize that it's true.


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## feels (Jun 18, 2010)

Nope. I tried a therapist once and it took about 2 sessions to realize a therapist would never help me. I have to help myself. I need to get rid of this on my own. A little encouragement from family and friends only makes things easier.


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## Sierpinski (Jun 17, 2012)

feels said:


> Nope. I tried a therapist once and it took about 2 sessions to realize a therapist would never help me. I have to help myself. I need to get rid of this on my own. A little encouragement from family and friends only makes things easier.


It's good that you realized this so early rather than going through all the torture I went through. But I never really had family or friends to speak of, unfortunately.


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## Green Eyes (Sep 6, 2009)

I have often doubt if one can ever get over sa. I have thought for so long that I will always be like this and I will never get better. I had 5 years of different therapies and they didn't help at all. But since a year I finally have a good therapist and things get a little better. But in a few weeks I'm starting school again and I think school is the worst thing ever. I'm really scared of it. But I look at how I will do at school to see if my sa is really getting less. In the past few years I've started school a few times, but dropped out every time because of my anxiety. If I keep going to school and if I graduate in 2013 then I'm really getting better.


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## FullEffect256 (Aug 8, 2012)

just because one therapist didn't work, doesn't mean talk therapy doesn't work all together. it's all about finding someone who is empathetic, trusting, and you have a good bond with. It also helps that they are properly experienced in the field, work with multiple techniques, and encourage you to work on your problems outside of the sessions. 

too many people here turn to meds as their first option which very rarely fix the problem by themselves. it has to be a combination of the two to truly make a lasting change. i say if you are finding one person isn't helping after a few sessions, keep searching for the right one. try to ask as many questions as you can upfront to get a better sense of their methods and how they think they can help you. best of luck!


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## Sierpinski (Jun 17, 2012)

FullEffect256 said:


> just because one therapist didn't work, doesn't mean talk therapy doesn't work all together. it's all about finding someone who is empathetic, trusting, and you have a good bond with. It also helps that they are properly experienced in the field, work with multiple techniques, and encourage you to work on your problems outside of the sessions.
> 
> too many people here turn to meds as their first option which very rarely fix the problem by themselves. it has to be a combination of the two to truly make a lasting change. i say if you are finding one person isn't helping after a few sessions, keep searching for the right one. try to ask as many questions as you can upfront to get a better sense of their methods and how they think they can help you. best of luck!


Does this mean that you have gotten over social anxiety with therapy?


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## Elizabeth419 (Sep 9, 2010)

There is a social anxiety test on this board here somewhere. A few years ago I scored in the high 90's. Then a year later I scored 72. And now I'm in the low teens. This is all due to my insanely chaotic lifestyle. I drank and did drugs and forced myself into any ****ed up scenario I could. And when I'm sober I feel fine. I don't party as much now but through all that exposure therapy I healed most of my sa. This coming from a girl who couldn't even look anyone in the face in high school.


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