# Group Therapy, Yay or Nay?



## BetaBoy90 (Jan 5, 2010)

So I will be attending a group therapy at my hospital in a couple weeks, and want to here success or horror stories about peoples experiences with group therapy?


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

I started group recently and it has been great. The trickiest part was getting the guts to go to the room but once I got in I felt good. Im actually one of the people who talk the most and I feel very relaxed. Its nice to be in a social environment and I think its a great stepping stone to move to bigger and better things. So I vote, Yay


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## BetaBoy90 (Jan 5, 2010)

eek a mouse said:


> I started group recently and it has been great. The trickiest part was getting the guts to go to the room but once I got in I felt good. Im actually one of the people who talk the most and I feel very relaxed. Its nice to be in a social environment and I think its a great stepping stone to move to bigger and better things. So I vote, Yay


Cool, i'm excited to start it up than!


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## djr86 (Jul 23, 2009)

I would like group therapy in an environment with others who have SA and understand it. I don't think it would help me to be in therapy with ppl who do not have conditions that are similar to mine.


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## BetaBoy90 (Jan 5, 2010)

I think it would just be nice to get positive feedback from people other than family, and I'd like to support others through their problems as well.


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## complex (Apr 22, 2009)

I can not open up with others face to face I just dont find it theraputic more just annoying and nerve racking I like one on one with my Dr. once every few months thats all I need now thank god! But I might have to be going back soon I think Im having more issues other than SA *** the last thing I need!


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

yea it is nice to get feedback and many times they can help you but helping them is also a nice thing to do. I always offer my opinion when I can relate. 

and nobody in my group has SA but to me that doesnt matter. I actually think its more helpful and they can all relate to some extent. 

The important thing is you gotta keep getting more and more social and this is a great way to do it. 

Let us know how it goes...


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## fredbloggs02 (Dec 14, 2009)

I went to two group therapy meeting about a year ago now. The people there were predominantly nice but I was too introverted, too shy, too off my head at that point. They were all about 5 years older than me, there was an interview for outstanding freakishness to test wether or not I was a team player and generally afflicted enough to participate. I passed it with flying colours!¬:boogie 

I remember leaving half way through one of the groups right before the one on one session where we would talk to one another in pairs. I don't regret that decision really, I don't think I was up to it at the time. The guys there were all pretty sociable people, wanted to talk, wanted to hang out in between sessions. I diddn't. I have no idea how to go about asking people general questions, feigning social prowess, making a connection, evacuating if there isn't one or even knowing if there is. All I'd have done is slowed someone down for the sake of my self-improvement, that's something I just couldn't/can't do. I wish like some of you I could put off the anxiety and recharge afterwards. Not that you haven't worked at it I know some of you have, it's just that I have too and I still couldn't do this.

I wanted to say thing, supportive, helpful things but I couldn't. I probably just stepped on peoples toes. 

Still, for a receptive kind of person to this type of treatment I think it could be something great!


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## Georgina 22 (Jan 4, 2009)

Betta boy - I've not been to a social therapy group and the thought of attending one kinda freaks me out LOL 
But I would love for you to keep us updated on it though, tell us how it went.


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## BetaBoy90 (Jan 5, 2010)

Yeah I will, mine isn't all social anxiety people though, but still I have SA so I'll tell my experiences.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

Fred brings a good point. As you are getting better there is a certain time to do certain things. 

If going to group brings you massive anxiety then I think you shouldnt do it. But its important to keep always doing stuff that brings smaller anxiety so that once you overcome that you can move up to a "harder" thing. Since you had a bad experience the first time you should tackle smaller things but dont give up on trying again. 2 months before I did go I would have had a terrible time, so I went when I knew I would have anxiety but that i could move beyond it. Now that I have done that I can move on to a tougher challenge.


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## movingforward80 (May 6, 2010)

I was subjected to group therapy because there were no programs that had intensive one on one. I needed a day program. I wish there were one on one day programs. Anyways I went to group therapy because that's would I'm told to do to get better. However, I didn't I had SA and then developed negative voices / thoughts that caused me to be hospitalized twice. I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder but now just think I had SA.


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## The Tibetan Hat (May 10, 2010)

I had a couple of rounds of group therapy and frankly they didn't really work for me, mostly because others in the groups first experienced anxiety through trouble at work whereas mine occurred at school well before that and prevented me from working. While the therapy was definitely worthwhile for them, what they talked about was seldom very relevant to me. 

So it worked for them, but not for me, that's why I'd say give group therapy a go, just don't beat yourself up if it doesn't feel right. You might just need something different.


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