# Has anyone been successful in getting over SA without therapy?



## MoonlitMadness (Mar 11, 2013)

I've just stopped CBT after 6 sessions out of 12 because I am not finding it helpful and I don't see how a mere 12 week course can help anyway. I have a self help CBT book but is this enough? I was meant to go to the doctor today to change my medication and ask to be referred to a different therapist but I cancelled the appointment. I am desperate to change my life but don't know how.. loads of people say therapy hasn't even helped them. How do I shake off thinking that I'm weird and don't belong? I really want to become an actress but I can barely handle working my part time retail job.. 

What has personally helped you?


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## Alienated (Apr 17, 2013)

Read what I just wrote here http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f25/from-members-of-sai-474762/

let me know what you think .


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## FrostSpike (Jun 12, 2013)

Total immersion, joined the military


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## cybernaut (Jul 30, 2010)

My issues are too complex and difficult to express to family.So,I've never seen a therapist when growing up.As of now, I'm trying "self-therapy" on myself.I have 2 books of people who actually dealt with SA, 3 work-books, and SA MP3s. This is now the best time because I have obtained my first part-time summer job, and it should be good to put those to use. We also need to remember that if you have been dealing with SA since childhood, then it's not going to take a few measly months to "get over it". I've given myself a 2 year mark to see how self-therapy will work. The only issue for me is motivation, and that's hard when you deal with depression and isolation.


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## keeptry (Jun 27, 2013)

hi had a lot of help with eye movement desensitization go on youtube to check it out it may help you it made a lot difference for me hope its helpfull.


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## AceEmoKid (Apr 27, 2012)

I recently started therapy for depression and general + social anxiety due to a recent emotional breakdown I had. I'd been reccommended it since I was a child, but my mum thought it was unecessary - I agree with her (yet now after the incident I find myself stuck). The way the therapist summarized it, therapy is having another person help you help yourself. I guess it could speed up the process of "curing" anxiety, but really it's all on myself. 

These past few months I've had enough willpower to wake up, stop wallowing in self pity, and do something. I've been going out on excursions around the city (by myself most of the time, but it's all exposure nonetheless to becoming more comfortable in public places/social situations) and I've pretty much avoided turning on my laptop at all unless I needed to check something important. I've used and abused the internet as my vehicle to vent when I needed to stop spotting and elaborating on my issues and instead try to fix them; to make friends online when I needed to go outside and actually talk to some new people or salvage my already starving ones (not that online friends are bad, it's just that I did this all in excess so that it consumed all my time). 

I'm far from "cured" but I've made some substantial progress on my own. I feel like being in therapy now will just be a waste of my time but I'll give it a few more months to see if it does any better than what I accomplished on my own.


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## MoonlitMadness (Mar 11, 2013)

AceEmoKid said:


> I recently started therapy for depression and general + social anxiety due to a recent emotional breakdown I had. I'd been reccommended it since I was a child, but my mum thought it was unecessary - I agree with her (yet now after the incident I find myself stuck). The way the therapist summarized it, therapy is having another person help you help yourself. I guess it could speed up the process of "curing" anxiety, but really it's all on myself.
> 
> These past few months I've had enough willpower to wake up, stop wallowing in self pity, and do something. I've been going out on excursions around the city (by myself most of the time, but it's all exposure nonetheless to becoming more comfortable in public places/social situations) and I've pretty much avoided turning on my laptop at all unless I needed to check something important. I've used and abused the internet as my vehicle to vent when I needed to stop spotting and elaborating on my issues and instead try to fix them; to make friends online when I needed to go outside and actually talk to some new people or salvage my already starving ones (not that online friends are bad, it's just that I did this all in excess so that it consumed all my time).
> 
> I'm far from "cured" but I've made some substantial progress on my own. I feel like being in therapy now will just be a waste of my time but I'll give it a few more months to see if it does any better than what I accomplished on my own.


Yeah, that is very true! Therapy helps us to help ourselves. I am using self help books, so I hope that will be enough. Good luck to you! I wish I had your motivation. Are you trying any medication?


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## AceEmoKid (Apr 27, 2012)

MoonlitMadness said:


> Yeah, that is very true! Therapy helps us to help ourselves. I am using self help books, so I hope that will be enough. Good luck to you! I wish I had your motivation. Are you trying any medication?


Lol to be honest I don"t know where the sudden motivation came from. I think it might be the change of scenery - I'm coming out of the stifling depressive haze of high school and entering the independence or university. Having a new slate to look forward to propelled me just enough to make a change.

I'm not taking any currently but my therapist just recommended I try some medication for anxiety. I'm going to get assessed sometime in the next few weeks by a psychiatrist. At first I was opposed to taking meds because of that whole stubborn ideology that you can only help yourself, but then I thought, what the heck - if one little pill can make my anxiety go poof, why not give it a try? I wish you luck.


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## Implicate (Feb 1, 2011)

I decided that therapy was of no use at all to me, dumped my psychiatrist and went to my family doctor and had her prescribe me the antidepressant that most helps me. I bought a self CBT book, and just forced myself out of my comfort zone, as well as being absolutely determined to no longer be afflicted by anxiety.

Since I decided I didn't want to deal with anxiety and depression any longer, I've had nothing but positive things happen in my life. The satisfaction comes from knowing that I made this path for myself, and that my success is attributed only to me. 

I haven't had a moment of anxiety or panic attack since I decided to conquer it. It's been nearly six months now, and I am as happy as can be, especially considering that late last year I wasn't even able to leave my house.


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