# I told my mother about my social anxiety - seeing the doctor tomorrow



## Funkadelic (Oct 6, 2010)

I'm supposed to move away to university in 3 days in another part of the country, and today I've been getting REALLY scared about it. In fact, I got so scared I decided I didn't want to go at all anymore.

My mother came home from work, and I just told her I didn't want to go to university. She was really upset and angry with me. She kept saying, "but why?! I thought you wanted to go to university!" over and over again. Finally, I kind of broke down and started crying in front of her (literally like a little girl :no).

She asked what was wrong with me, and I just thought, **** it, my life sucks anyway, I'll just tell her I have social anxiety. So I slowly told her this and explained how SA affects me. And guess what? Turns out, she VERY sympathetic, and she was shocked that I had been going through so much anxiety for so long. We had a good long talk about it.

I'm going to see the doctor with my mother tomorrow morning, and hopefully get prescribed with some medication. I think I am still going to university, but if I can take some drugs to relax me it will help a lot with settling in.

For the first time, it seems like there may be a ray of hope for me. I would highly recommend other SA sufferers talk over their problems with someone they trust, whether it 
be family or friends (or even online friends). Trust me, they want to know.

*Edit: Update posted below!*


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## Double Indemnity (Aug 15, 2011)

Good for you! Good luck at your appointment


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## Keith (Aug 30, 2008)

Awesome, good luck!


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## pegger18636 (Aug 3, 2010)

congratulations man that's awesome to hear! I didn't even really notice my SA until university started and suddenly became much worse. I stuck it out for 2 hellish years as things slowly worsened and stopped seeing friends drove my self insane with perfectionistic/compulsive study habits etc and finally dropped out beginning of my 3rd year. Only THEN did I finally really explain to my parents what was up because that was my reason for dropping out. It took me even much longer before I had the balls to go talk to a doctor about it, which is the first step. The earlier you identify and accept it, and then start working on strategies for coping being it medication or CBT the better! The number one killer is AVOIDANCE.

Again that takes a lot of courage and you didn't waste any time so well done.


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## Funkadelic (Oct 6, 2010)

*Update*

Thanks guys, I appreciate the encouragement. 

*An update:* I went to my first doctor appointment an hour ago, and it went surprisingly well. I was too nervous to talk to him myself (save a few mumbles), but my mother spoke for me, and he was quite understanding of my disorder. It was a relaxed talk.

*What happens next:* The doctor was reluctant to give me any medication immediately, but he agreed to prescribe me with some Diazepam tablets. I literally just got them from a pharmacy. He also gave me a leaflet with some phone numbers of local groups who can help, and he said they could get me in touch with genuine, professional help.

Like I said in my post, I'm supposed to move to uni on Friday, but my mother phoned them for me and told them about my anxiety issues. They apparently said that they would be very happy to provide me with help and support to settle in. They also said they're going to tell all my lecturers and tutors about my anxiety, which I didn't feel good about at first, but I guess it just has to be done. I can't go on living like this, so I just have to admit to my issues. After all, if I want help and they want to help, you've just got to do it.

Although I'm supposed to move in on Fri, the university is making special arrangements for me to move in on Saturday instead, and will hook me up with a counselor of some sort.

I've only taken a 2mg tablet of the Diazepam medication like 10 minutes ago, so I'm not sure what to expect from it. I just hope it will calm me a bit and stop me from being so scared all the time. At the moment, I am genuinely mortified about moving away and living with other young people I've never met (I'm awful at first impressions...)

So overall, things are starting to look up for me. It took me almost 6 years to reach out and seek help, and I'm really proud of myself for doing it (possibly the only time I've ever felt this proud of anything in my life). I won't lie - my life still sucks a LOT, and I still feel I might drop out. I also doubt my problems will be over any time soon. However, I know it won't be the end of the world - I will keep trying to improve no matter what.

What has surprised me most is how much help there actually is for people like us. For years I've been alone and living in fear, and it is relieving to see a glimmer of sunshine in my life for once. I'm only 18, but SA is the same no matter how old or young you are, whether you're 12 or 120. So far, people have been very kind and considerate, and it's like a whole new world for me. I wish I had started sooner.


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## socialreject (Jan 15, 2010)

I've just started uni and went to the doctors to ask for medication to help me do a presentation, she couldn't give me valium because of my asthma and so she gave me some homeopathic crap that doesn't work and so I didn't turn up for the presentation.


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## Himi Jendrix (Mar 24, 2010)

That is great. 

2mg diazepam is not much. For instance, I take 2mg klonopin which equals 20-30mg diazepam.

Medication has changed my life for the better. It took a long time to find the right combo of meds that work for me. Once I found the right combo and the courage to fight my fears I began to overcome my agoraphobia to the point where it is completely remissed ATM. 

My SA is dramatically reduced as well and it is something that I believe will never go fully away but it is greatly under control now.


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## rymo (Sep 6, 2009)

Himi Jendrix said:


> That is great.
> 
> 2mg diazepam is not much. For instance, I take 2mg klonopin which equals 20-30mg diazepam.
> 
> ...


Of course it's never going to go away, you're taking medication :\ Whatever works, I guess.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Everybody has anxiety....we have just been letting it get to us.


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## candiedsky (Aug 7, 2011)

I told my mom about it in the same way you did, and I did cry like a little girl. I am a girl, but it was still embarassing as hell.

It's been a few months since then and I still had not gone to the doctor. I'm going tomorrow for my ankle, but I'm going to bring up my SA and that I may be bipolar. Good for you, it's not easy opening up.


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