# New here - looking for people suffering from SAD in Los Angeles



## sb1985 (Apr 7, 2015)

New to the group. 29 year old female living in Los Angeles for almost seven years trying to make it as screenwriter. I've been suffering from SAD and mild agoraphobia since my late-teens and have found it difficult to make friends and keep them in L.A. Since it's such a social town, it's a terrible problem to have here, but screenwriting is my dream and kind of have to live in this city?? I'm really considering relocating though. 

I haven't found many low key, shy people like myself that share the same interests (i.e. film, books, pop culture, comics). And the friends that I did make in film school have either forgotten about me or moved states because they couldn't find work here. I still talk to 2-3 of them regularly on Skype and text and see one of them whenever they come back into town. I've tried Meetup.com and thus far it hasn't helped.


I've been on meds (Wellbutrin) since August of last year after having my first full blown panic attack and am looking into switching doctors as the CBT therapy has not helped all that much. I can go into most stores now and control the attacks with breathing, but that's about it. The depression, social anxiety, and no motivation to go out are very much there. It's been worse since quitting my job in February. 

Basically I'm looking to make a new network of friends in Los Angeles (or elsewhere) that are suffering from SAD (and maybe depression... but still not sure if that symptom is because of a combo of the SAD and meds...) to have someone to talk to that understands what I'm going through and how hard it is to overcome.

Any advice or links to other forums would be amazing


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## ricardo (Apr 8, 2011)

Hey, always welcoming to hear people being proactive with their issues and looking for support networks 

Which meetup groups did you try, by the way?

I only recently tried some out of OC, those being the ones in LA.

In the related SAD meetup network, these are the two LA groups I can see best fitting people with Social Anxiety Disorder:

http://www.meetup.com/s-l-a-m/

and

http://www.meetup.com/Introverts_in_LA/

The latter is probably less straight-out SAD and shy people, and more just "introverts", but it's still a good resource, I believe.

I personally know the new organizer of the second group now, and have hosted an event in the first group.


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## sb1985 (Apr 7, 2015)

Hi, Ricardo!  

I went to the meet and greet for the Socia(LA)nxiety Slammers several months back and it didn't go well for me. Probably due to the fact that there were like 30+ people there and at one point we had to sit in a circle and speak in front of 8-10 people. That was uncomfortable. I exchanged a few numbers, but no one ever followed up or anything. 

I'm looking into a group therapy situation and a new doctor right now, so we'll see how that pans out. Hoping to meet people my age that actually live in L.A. to form friendships with. No one that I know has severe SAD problems the way that I do and it's extremely frustrating for them and myself to keep the friendship going.


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## MildSA (Sep 29, 2014)

I live in West LA but it seems like we don't share the same interest based on your profile but I'm not going to judge by its cover. You can PM me if you want to hang out or something.


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## timbar (Apr 8, 2015)

I'm also trying to become a professional screenwriter. I started writing at home in New York while working a part time job to save up before moving to Los Angeles. Five years and eight screenplays later, I had plenty of money saved up to make the move, but I was too shy to do it... Until now.

I quit my job back in January, then last month, I packed up my car and drove down to Florida to stay with my grandmother for a few weeks before driving out to Los Angeles. I'd love to meet a fellow screenwriter suffering from social anxiety once I get out there.


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## sb1985 (Apr 7, 2015)

Congrats for making the plunge! It took a lot for me to move from Georgia to Los Angeles to go to film school back in late-2007. Change is hard. Feel free to send me a private message when you get into town and we'll have coffee or something.


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## timbar (Apr 8, 2015)

Yeah, it's kind of scary. I don't know anybody out there, but I will try to meet new people.


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## sb1985 (Apr 7, 2015)

Hope it's easier than you that it's been for me. During college it was okay, but after I had problems keeping friends and now I have none left that live out here on a regular basis.


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## forgetmylife (Oct 1, 2011)

Hi

I don't live in LA, I live like an hour away (in socal). I do want to move though!
Welcome to the forum!

You might want to look into trying different meds if the Wellbutrin isn't helping...


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## sb1985 (Apr 7, 2015)

Actually meeting with a psychiatrist (finally) next week about medication management. I might try and get off of them altogether and try to beat this thing without a med that I have to take everyday and just stick to Xanax when needed. No meds at all would be the best case scenario, but definitely getting off of Buproprian asap.


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## slowlyimproving (Jan 2, 2014)

sb1985 said:


> Actually meeting with a psychiatrist (finally) next week about medication management. I might try and get off of them altogether and try to beat this thing without a med that I have to take everyday and just stick to Xanax when needed. No meds at all would be the best case scenario, but definitely getting off of Buproprian asap.


That would be best, if you can do it!


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## sb1985 (Apr 7, 2015)

Tell me about it. I haven't felt like myself since started the meds in August 2014. I went from Prozac, to 150mg of Buproprian, to 300mg of Buproprian which is what I've been on since the end of December.


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## forgetmylife (Oct 1, 2011)

sb1985 said:


> Tell me about it. I haven't felt like myself since started the meds in August 2014. I went from Prozac, to 150mg of Buproprian, to 300mg of Buproprian which is what I've been on since the end of December.


Well most people aren't fans of bupropion around here (because it doesn't seem to help with anxiety or social anxiety) and all the SSRI's can mess with your emotions to make you "not feel like yourself" etc. It's termed SSRI-Induced Indifference and the same thing happened to me when I was on Zoloft. My emotions were numbed and dulled, I was not myself, I was irritable and possibly even apathetic...

Coming off meds sounds like a good idea, but if things don't work out and if you ever need to go back on meds, you could always try a different class of antidepressant (SNRI, TCA, MAOI - MAOI's seem to be best) or low-dose benzos daily.


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## sb1985 (Apr 7, 2015)

forgetmylife said:


> Well most people aren't fans of bupropion around here (because it doesn't seem to help with anxiety or social anxiety) and all the SSRI's can mess with your emotions to make you "not feel like yourself" etc. It's termed SSRI-Induced Indifference and the same thing happened to me when I was on Zoloft. My emotions were numbed and dulled, I was not myself, I was irritable and possibly even apathetic...
> 
> Coming off meds sounds like a good idea, but if things don't work out and if you ever need to go back on meds, you could always try a different class of antidepressant (SNRI, TCA, MAOI - MAOI's seem to be best) or low-dose benzos daily.


Thanks for the advice  Being off daily meds and taking Xanax only when needed would be amazing.


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