# Maine



## afraid2goinpublic (Nov 8, 2011)

_Anyone else in Maine? Wanna chat ? Share thoughts and ideas?_
:clap


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## jean de maurier smith (Feb 29, 2012)

*hi*

Hi, I'm brand new to this site although I've been dealing with social anxiety my entire life. I live in Portland and would love to chat with fellow Mainers to see how they are coping and just to get a sense of connection with others around here. There don't seem to be many resources for dealing with this. I hope to hear back from you, thanks.


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## afraid2goinpublic (Nov 8, 2011)

*Awesome!*

:clap* Yeaa, HI! I am glad you joined this site alot of good advice here. I found it very helpful. So youre in Portland, thats only 45 mins away. Do you have any groups or programs in Portland? I know there are none in Waterboro. I have been looking to try and find others with SA and compare symptoms. Do you use meds to help with your SA? I am on 4, zyprexa, buspar, wellbutrin and klonopin. The klonopin helps alot when I have to go out in public!! The other three help regulate my moods and keep me calm,lol. Well I hope to hear from you soon, ohh and welcome to SAS!*



jean de maurier smith said:


> Hi, I'm brand new to this site although I've been dealing with social anxiety my entire life. I live in Portland and would love to chat with fellow Mainers to see how they are coping and just to get a sense of connection with others around here. There don't seem to be many resources for dealing with this. I hope to hear back from you, thanks.


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## jean de maurier smith (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks for responding. I just started on celexa, which hopefully will help with depression and boosting energy. I'm not sure it'll do anything to help my SA however. There isn't anything in Portland dealing specifically with SA unfortunately. The last two nights I've gone to AA meetings. I'm not an alcoholic but it was helpful just to get out of the house and be around a group of people. The way the meetings are run its ok to just sit in the back and not say anything. I'd like to start going to toastmasters meetings; from what I've read on this site and others, they sound like they can really help in overcoming anxiety. I'm just worried that it might be too much for me or that I'd be too passive to really participate and get any benefit out of it. Aside from the mess what else do you do to work on your SA?


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## afraid2goinpublic (Nov 8, 2011)

*Well, with the pills I am on I find I can build up the courage to go out and do my shopping easier. But I have never attended any type of group therapy, never found any to try around Waterboro. What is "toast master"?? Is that a group ? *
*And is Celexa the first pill you have tried for your SA?*


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## jean de maurier smith (Feb 29, 2012)

Toastmasters is an international club devoted to gaining skill with public speaking. It sounds pretty daunting, however I've read online that many people with SA have found it helpful. Also, as public speaking is such a common fear I imagine that many attendees would feel nearly as anxious as myself. My hope is that I'm actually able to do it, the benefits would carry over into everyday social situations.
I've been on a few other ssri's in the past, but nothing has really helped. I was curious to try an maoi inhibitor but my doctor was reluctant to proscribe one. Plus they're pretty expensive and I don't have any insurance right now. I was laid off from my job last fall.
Has this forum been helpful for you? I'd always been too weirded out or anxious to participate online. I just realized how silly/crazy it is to feel that way.


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## afraid2goinpublic (Nov 8, 2011)

*I've found this website helpful in some ways, but not in others. I think there are to many "just for fun" threads and not enough threads that actually deal with SA. But I have started a couple of threads seeking answers about meds and local groups. So yes in some ways it is helpful. *


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## Chrisisacoolguy (Apr 1, 2005)

I am from Rockland and it's awesome to see two other mainers. hit me with a PM if you want contact info


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## ellipsis (Apr 3, 2012)

Make that 3 
Brunswick here


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## st3phanie (May 18, 2012)

and another :yes. I am in Maine but up north in Island Falls near Houlton.


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## ellipsis (Apr 3, 2012)

st3phanie said:


> and another :yes. I am in Maine but up north in Island Falls near Houlton.


The real Maine. I grew up just a short drive on RT1 south of Houlton.


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

Portland/Auburn


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## TeYeM (Apr 24, 2013)

<- 30, M, Auburn, ME. I've been dealing with SA my whole life. I'm at the point where I've been inside for years. Moved up here to clean up, got clean and then became afraid of everything. I have a ton of tools to help with it now, I've been studying it for years, but I'm not getting anywhere. I feel the most helpful thing in my case, and probably all cases with SA would be actually getting out and desensitizing. Thing that sucks is that I don't have a single person that I can call to do anything with. Figured I'd start at a site like this first. Maybe find someone that would want to just go out and do random little things like walks, and maybe start doing all the things that make us uncomfortable. I do not judge anyone for anything, no matter what your life choices have been. If you're around here, please don't hesitate to reply. Thanks, Tim.


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

I love Brunswick ham, but I am based in Wales.


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

TeYeM said:


> <- 30, M, Auburn, ME. I've been dealing with SA my whole life. I'm at the point where I've been inside for years. Moved up here to clean up, got clean and then became afraid of everything. I have a ton of tools to help with it now, I've been studying it for years, but I'm not getting anywhere. I feel the most helpful thing in my case, and probably all cases with SA would be actually getting out and desensitizing. Thing that sucks is that I don't have a single person that I can call to do anything with. Figured I'd start at a site like this first. Maybe find someone that would want to just go out and do random little things like walks, and maybe start doing all the things that make us uncomfortable. I do not judge anyone for anything, no matter what your life choices have been. If you're around here, please don't hesitate to reply. Thanks, Tim.


I also live in Auburn... What are the odds of that?


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