# Question for you yeah_yeah_yeah



## tednugent2007 (Oct 28, 2007)

I just ordered that book Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler that you suggested the other day. Can you give me a breif outline of what th book covers? Will it give me some social exercises to do?


----------



## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

In all honesty I think the best way to find out what it covers is to read it  But it has:

1) Brief theory of CBT that will help you to understand what you are aiming for
2) Section on COGNITIVE (thinking) techniques and written exercises that first begin to chip away at your thoughts and beliefs - which are essential to set you up for the ...
3) Section on BEHVIOURAL CHANGE and exercises - the 'engine' of the therapy. You will read about attentional training, safety behaviour prevention, rumination prevention and MOST IMPORTANTLY - Behavioural Experiments (mini experiments and Belief Changing Exercises)

There are also further sections covering other useful items as well. Its a full programme and is very, very good - as long as you read the whole thing and consistently apply it for a period of MONTHS. Reading alone may provide a little insight but will not be anywhere near as effective as actually applying what is in the book, systematically and regularly. Read the whole book first, then go back to each chapter. Eventually it all becomes automtic.

Remember - you have spent your _whole life[/] learning the beliefs and ways of acting that keep you stuck and anxious. It will take time to begin to reverse that  Stick with it, reward yourself for gains you make. You will go forward, and you will go backward. There is a great section in the book about how to keep the momentum going.

Good luck!

Ross_


----------



## tednugent2007 (Oct 28, 2007)

Thanks for the fast reply. I hope one day to be a guru like you. lololol


----------



## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

You'll need to add about 120 books to that list, about 50 academic papers, 4 types of therapy and many years of obsession to get to that level.

Of course instead you could have a life. Whatever you prefer


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

is there any difference between the 1999 publication and the latest version of the book?


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

yeah_yeah_yeah said:


> You'll need to add about 120 books to that list, about 50 academic papers, 4 types of therapy and many years of obsession to get to that level.
> 
> Of course instead you could have a life. Whatever you prefer


Ross:

were you overexaggerating that number a bit or your really not because I could imagine having so many self help books and yet not get over the root of the problem. I realize its difficult to overcome any type of mental conditon but not impossible so theres hope? what I really want to know did schema therapy help in overcoming your problem and if so by how much>?


----------



## CoconutHolder (Oct 13, 2007)

I believe Ross is trying to take a break from SAS.

I don't know if he had schema therapy before now (maybe a little? not sure) but I know he is starting it soon to tackle schema-related things. 

You can search his other posts for more info. Most of them are in the "Recovery" section.


----------



## ardrum (May 13, 2007)

My experience is dwarfed by yeah_yeah_yeah's (aka, Ross), but I also really like the Gillian Butler book.


----------



## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

MavenMI6Agent009 said:


> yeah_yeah_yeah said:
> 
> 
> > You'll need to add about 120 books to that list, about 50 academic papers, 4 types of therapy and many years of obsession to get to that level.
> ...





> The Current DSM-IV Definition (Abridged):
> 
> A. A persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others.
> 
> ...


According the DSM WHICH ACTUALLY *IDENTIFIED AND NAMED *THE TERM "SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER", I no longer suffer from 'SA'. I have no significant problems in any of the above areas which THEMSELVES DEFINE Social anxiety disorder.

I do not have SA
I do not experience SA
I have not got SA symtpoms

I do however, have a personality disorder - and that is utterly, utterly different. That would be A SEPARATE DISORDER from SA, much like hypoglycaemia IS NOT type I diabetes. I overcame my SA symtpoms with CBT - however I have LIFE and RELATIONSHIP ISSUES that are caused by my personality disorder for which I am receiving schema therapy. Lifelong character based issues such as chronic anxiety WHICH HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY RESPONDED TO TREATMENT (have you had any previous treatment?) also respond to schema - but that is not what I am having it for.

People here seem to think that SA is a catch all term for absolutely every psychological disorder under the sun. On this site we have schizophrenics alongside Bipolars alongside OCD alongside other personality disorders alongside GAD alongside shy people ... all TOTALLY different disorders with totally different mechanisms - and one shared commonality - a fear of people. But because they are DIFFERENT DISORDERS - they require DIFFERENT TREATMENTS.

Is it possible to overcome SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER with current psychological methods? Yes - and there is a very high success rate. Is it possible to overcome all those other disorders? Yes - but THEIR success rates may be different. You may want to go and self-diagnose with all manner of other things, and you may even be right - but until you know what it is you have, you cannot know how to tackle it. THAT is why I have so many books - the disorder I have is very very commonly misdiagnosed or simply missed. Through shame and denial I kept the worst symptoms secret from my therapist - where they could not be acted upon. My own self-help has been what has got me to a place of total self-honesty and discovery. But this doesnt mean its true of every person on this website. You have a HUGE chunk of the knowledge I have collected on SA and depression on this site. There are many many books I have suggested. If you never try anything, or read anything, and except say "I am hopeless and so therefore all this psychology stuff must be rubbish", how on earth can you know? If you JUST have SA - then your prognosis is VERY VERY GOOD - IF you start treatment. Do nothing, stay the same. Simple as that.

Get a diagnosis. Find out ALL of your options FOR THAT DIAGNOSIS - and then start trying them. One at a time. Don't want to try anything until you are 100% certain it will work? Fine - do that. But you'll spend years waiting and in that time you could be making progress.

Sit and wait for the miracle cure or start working with the tools that have at least a VERY GOOD CHANCE of helping you. Its your choice - Im not making it for you.


----------



## ardrum (May 13, 2007)

I don't think I've ever revealed my fear of swimming and (deep) water before... Until now! Bwa ha ha haah a ha haa ha!!!


----------



## yeah_yeah_yeah (Mar 27, 2007)

MavenMI6Agent009 said:


> yeah_yeah_yeah said:
> 
> 
> > You'll need to add about 120 books to that list, about 50 academic papers, 4 types of therapy and many years of obsession to get to that level.
> ...


Hi there

I counted my books - hehe yeah I have 124. The main thing is - I have books on every axis I disorder imaginable and many social skills type books and general psychology / neurology / biopsychology and self-help etc - but I did not realise that I actually have Borderline Personality Disorder (quite low down the spectrum), so none of those books would ever have totally got to the core of it because they were designed to work on somethng else. Schema was desinged to work with BPD and was then adapted for use with chronic (eg lielong and not responding to other therapy) axis I disorders. Now I am having the therapy I can see what a perfect fit it is. Im very pleased and hopeful.


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

Im giving this thread a bump for its Overcoming social anxiety by Dr. Gillian Butler. Very knowledgeable resource self-help for sa.

http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Social-Anxiety-Shyness-Behavioral/dp/0465005454

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ove...s-gillian-butler/1101994523?ean=9780465005451


----------

