# Sticky  Share your experience with treatment for social anxiety



## Drew

Is there some treatment that has helped you triumph over social anxiety?
Share your experience with it!

If the treatment is not currently listed, click the "Suggest a new listing..." link at the bottom of the page to add it. Once you add it you'll be able to add your experience immediately.

Thanks!


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## creativedissent

shame-attacking exercises!


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## VIncymon

I battle particular days of frustration with longer gym hours !

IT works !... most times.


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## ezcurrad

talkingto myself alot about diffucult things


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## allangering

I am also agree with your experience.Thanks for sharing that, it was wonderful of you.It helped me a lot.


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## WhimsicalInWV

*What works for me*

Hi,

It's a mix of things that have helped me over the last 3 months.

*RX- I swore after taking about 6 different kind and only getting worse, I wouldn't try again. But finially I tried Paxil.

*Books- The ones that are helping the most are:The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety; The Feeling Good Handbook; The david burns panic attack book, cant think of it right this second.

*Therapy- finding a great therapist. i had to go through so many to find the right one, but it's SO worth it. Plus i don't pay anything (its through a grant). And i go once a week. CBt helps! And talking all my angers out is so great!

*Self talk

*Journaling- didn't want to do it at first, but now i can't stop!

*Exercise-plus it helps me burn alot of nervous energy

*Massage- usually i use a massage cushion and it feels so good!

*Visual rexlation/Meditation and Mindfulness

That's all for right now
Dawn


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## CCS

Breathing slowly in through my nose and out my mouth always calms me a tad. And talking to myself in my head always works too. For some reason I can get myself so fired up that nothing bothers me anymore after I do it most the time.


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## shy797

I've had social anxiety since I can remember, I'm almost 23 now. I took Klonapin, every supplement out there, and anti-depressants on and off for years-which helped a little bit when I was in high school, but the Klonapin started making me _more_ anxious for some reason the past few months (my body was probably getting a tolerance to that horrible drug). I decided to stop taking it about a month ago and have been getting panic attacks and embarrassing blushing episodes multiple times a day, pretty much any time someone would talk to me. I finally found something that works right away...it sounds crazy but what do you guys have to lose, it's free! For me it worked 100 times better than any medication or therapy session, or supplement, mainly because it totally stopped my panic attacks in their tracks. I actually cried the next night after my panic-free day at work, how could something so easy and free cure panic disorder and NO stupid doctors tell us about this!? For the past week I've been doing it pretty much everyday, now when I would normally get a panic attack I still feel the anticipatory anxiety but then NOTHING. It's called EFT, I heard about it years ago but figured it was a bunch of crap since no one really acknowledged it. I hope this helps someone, here is the link for the free manual (I didn't buy any of the DVDs just used the free manual and it worked). It's 100 times better than any medication or therapy session I hope you all try it out, good luck!!

https://www.emofree.com/downloadeftmanual.asp


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## Jayne311

I just tried one of the EFT videos on youtube for anxiety, and I did find it very relaxing. I felt a little tired after I got done, and like my arms and legs were a little heavy, but a few minutes have passed and now everything feels like normal, except I feel less anxious. 

To test it, right after I got done watching the video, I checked my email. That always gives me anxiety, and plus I'm waiting for a really important email. I felt a bit better about checking it. Kind of like I was able to realize that even if I got the most horrible email ever, it didn't have to bother me. I was still a little anxious about it, but it wasn't as much as before. I feel like the video got me to relax about it.


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## Blargh

Mindfulness is certainly part of the picture. Two things helped me get out of SA: 1. Realizing that not everyone is part of the same social bloc. Individuals have their own motivations, hopes, and fears. Fearing that everyone is against you is mathematically unlikely at best, destructive paranoia at worst. 2. Your SA keeps you in a reactive state that doesn't allow much critical thinking. If someone talks to you, it's hard to snap out in time. Be mindful. Treat the individual as you would be treated--like an equal. A fellow human being. If you manage that, you're on the road to more proactive thinking and behavior.


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## DI117

Blargh said:


> Mindfulness is certainly part of the picture. Two things helped me get out of SA: 1. Realizing that not everyone is part of the same social bloc. Individuals have their own motivations, hopes, and fears. Fearing that everyone is against you is mathematically unlikely at best, destructive paranoia at worst. 2. Your SA keeps you in a reactive state that doesn't allow much critical thinking. If someone talks to you, it's hard to snap out in time. Be mindful. Treat the individual as you would be treated--like an equal. A fellow human being. If you manage that, you're on the road to more proactive thinking and behavior.


This

The biggest step I took to getting through my anxiety was realizing that I am in control of my thought process. You have to push yourself to realize that you are in control of every thought, remind yourself that YOU are in control and not the anxiety. Think of the anxiety as a metaphysical layer over your brain, it's not human, it can't _actually_ do any harm to you, so why bother being scared? Once you put it in to scale, it becomes more of a pet peeve then a dominating force of your life.


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## Monday

Blargh said:


> Mindfulness is certainly part of the picture. Two things helped me get out of SA: 1. Realizing that not everyone is part of the same social bloc. Individuals have their own motivations, hopes, and fears. Fearing that everyone is against you is mathematically unlikely at best, destructive paranoia at worst. 2. Your SA keeps you in a reactive state that doesn't allow much critical thinking. If someone talks to you, it's hard to snap out in time. Be mindful. Treat the individual as you would be treated--like an equal. A fellow human being. If you manage that, you're on the road to more proactive thinking and behavior.


I think Mindfulness is such a good tool for people with SA. I recommend Zen and the art of happiness. Or even Zen for dummies. Since Mindfulness, and Mediation, teach about the monkey mind..that part of us that's always yapping, and in our case telling us what we are doing wrong, judging ourselves..Mindfulness and meditation, teaches how to turn off the inner voices. To just be in the moment. To accept what is. You might not like it but you can at lest accept it and that brings it's own peace. Acceptance has been the key for me. The more I accept myself warts and all, the more I feel , confident.
Being that I have OCD it has been hard to trying to learn to Mediate but at the same time, it has helped me to at start to learn how to turn off the obsessive thinking.


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## eccentricpeter

my experience with treatment for social anxiety is a dumb counsellor who doens't give me meds when I clearly need them.


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## Ruthless78

Hey guys . 
I'm new here, but not new to blushing and social anxiety! Found the forum and wanted to tell you about my success with EFT. I've had my blushing problem for about 20yrs I'd say, and i've tried prozac but thankfully i'm off it and honestly wouldn't touch Big Pharma with a barge pole these days. The 'side' effects are horrendous, including making anxiety worse! Thanks Big Pharma.. I'm happy to see others are trying EFT. It really is amazing and there is so much in the way of free video on you tube, and also the free manual from the emofree website, that you really don't have to see an EFT therapist and part with cash. I'm broke so that's not an option for me lol. 
I recommend a guy called Brad Yates on you tube ('eftwizard' is his channel). Loads of vids from him. Today at university, there were a number of situations that would normally have caused me to panic and blush furiously, but NOTHING happened!!! I really recommend trying it out. As i say, it is free so there is nothing to lose, apart from your time tapping along with a few videos. This one is a good starter i think:






There are lots of other people making EFT vids, but this guy is really good. Bear in mind that you can make up your own scripts specific to how you feel etc and thinking about situations that cause blushing while tapping really seems to clear the fear. It helps to be as specific as possible, so persevere for a while. However you might not need to, as being vague and feeling shame, fear, panic etc still is very effective i've found. EFT rocks!!!!!


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## walkerbonbon

I set little goals for myself and tackle them one by one. For example, I couldn't make eye contact during conversations for a long time. So I set a goal to be able to learn to make eye contact. I did it in manageable steps, like first making eye contact with strangers while shopping or while walking the dog.

Then I learned to make eye contact by looking near the person's eyes, but really on brigge of the nose. I did this till I felt comfortable.
then I worked myself up to maintaining real eye contact breifly.
I also watched reality TV shows and documentaries (not movies with actors) to observe how people make eye contact in real life. It's a lot less than I thought.

So that's how i was able to teach myself to make eye contact.

I did similar things with conversation, speaking in front of a group, and making small talk. Breaking up each thing into small, manageable, Do-able tasks.

And I may have setbacks occasionally but I just get back in there and keep at it.

Good luck to all!


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## mischa nieves

I've found that EFT works very well.

Also positive affirmations. Flooding my mind with positive thoughts helps drown the negative ones.

Relaxation techniques.

Learning to listen to what you tell yourself. Sometimes we are our worst enemy. We are constantly critical of everything we do, constantly putting ourselves down. I started writing down the things I said to myself, boy was I emotionally bashing myself. Then I worked at replacing those thoughts.

'Become your own best friend'. I read that somewhere and it's true. Sometimes we think we'll feel better if we know that everyone likes us, but in reality it's our own self love that we are truly in need of.


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## Colhad75

The Law of Attraction and the book "The Secret". The first thing it did was help me to change my thinking thus enabling me to overcome depression and anxiety to a large degree. 

We all have the ability to change our mind from negative to positive. Depression, Social Anxiety and such are thoughts that you choose to have. The thing to realise is that you can change your mind to say you're positive, happy and can smile. Just by deciding to think that way goes along way to helping to overcome depression.

The ability to chose how you think belongs to you.


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## AlekParker

CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy. There are many people who have overcome or controlled Social anxiety with CBT and CBT is a proven method with a plethora of scientific studies that have proved that it will work. (given that you put the time and effort to do it)

A lot of what is talked about above by other forum members, like countering negative thoughts, self talk, positivity, relaxation techniques, affirmations, mindfulness even meditation are all related to COGNITIVE Therapy. Cognition is the 'process of thought' in our mind. We can change this towards the better with all these techniques combined.

Where Exposure, or puting yourself in gradual social situations starting with small goals and working your way towards larger is related to BEHAVIORAL Therapy.

Combined, these are the fundamentals of Cognitive-Behavioral therapy. We need to relate our thoughts and feelings with the actions or behaviors that we take, both gradually and progressively. We can't merely sit around and try to 'feel good' we have to eventually add behavioral therapy to our cognitive therapy and combine them.

Dr Richard's Tapes, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and 'The Work' are examples of/ or use CBT techniques within them.

We have an active group that meets 3 times a week where we practice all these methods to overcoming social anxiety. Iff you'd like to join:
http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/groups/online-cbt-group-therapy/


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## RenegadeReloaded

Colhad75 said:


> The Law of Attraction and the book "The Secret". The first thing it did was help me to change my thinking thus enabling me to overcome depression and anxiety to a large degree.
> 
> We all have the ability to change our mind from negative to positive. Depression, Social Anxiety and such are thoughts that you choose to have. The thing to realise is that you can change your mind to say you're positive, happy and can smile. Just by deciding to think that way goes along way to helping to overcome depression.
> 
> The ability to chose how you think belongs to you.


Hi I've watched the movie callled ''the secret'' and it was about law of attraction too. Except i didn't found any tools to help me change the way I see things.

Is the book more detailed ? Or is it even about the same thing ? I want to try it again, this time reading.


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## laessence

There are self-help books that have helped me. Also facing a fear everyday helps tremendously.


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## vardhan

*I feel i am close to overcoming social phobia/ocd*

The solution for me was to ignore the thoughts and seeing things clearly.

May we all come out of this rut...and help others too.


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## fayezrhapsody

To me getting out of my head so speak is a determining factor to eliminating anxiety.
There's different ways of doing that, sometimes it's creative outlets, sometimes physical activity.
However there is nothing that _consistently_ helps me to control it, its more of a combination of things _depending_ on the situation.
Guided self talk, as where I try to change my perspective (without ever directly opposing my previous one) has been my most efficient tool. 
When all else fails I scratch myself till i bleed and smoke myself out. =P


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## Ventura

A lot of things have helped my SA :

1) Meds where the 'band-aid' for helping my anxiety. Zoloft + welbutrin , and ativan as needed. Along with tea's and calming herbs!

2) CBT , this might of been the most important step in helping my SA, without CBT, I am unsure how I would of gotten past a few of my fears! The therapist also was good to vent from too.

3) My service dog , They have been proven to boost self esteem, speed up or kick start recovery, and help with motivation! They are great with people with depression . Along with the work they do to help you recognize your over reactions! With Brownie, he alerts me before a panic attack *which helps a lot*.


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## frica

great story


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## trytrytry

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Slow Exposure Therapy and a Social Anxiety Workbook with my psychologist have helped a TON! get a good therapist... and you'll be amazed at how smart they're and know exactly what you're thinking!


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## afraid2goinpublic

*This book has really helped me "Overcoming Anxiety and Depression" Practical tools to help you deal with negative emotions. by Bob Phillips I am not saying it is a cure for SA but it sure helped me alot! I was able to go shopping today and not take any meds to do it! It felt so good. No sweating no anxiety no pills no heart racing. It has alot of coping tools in it. I hope you guys give it a try and I hope it helps atleast one other person then my post is worth it! Thank you in advance . *


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## The shy soldier

Please try *Dr. Richard - Over coming social anxiety, step by step -Sessions*
It consists of 20 sessions.
I am still trying his 1st technique which he calls: *'slow talk'*. he thinks reducing the speed of our talking lessens our level of anxiety while conversing with other people, And he got that right!. it helps me on daily basis now...

Give it a try...


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## Drew

The shy soldier said:


> Please try *Dr. Richard - Over coming social anxiety, step by step -Sessions*
> It consists of 20 sessions.
> I am still trying his 1st technique which he calls: *'slow talk'*. he thinks reducing the speed of our talking lessens our level of anxiety while conversing with other people, And he got that right!. it helps me on daily basis now...
> 
> Give it a try...


I can also recommend this! 

I went through a group based on his therapy and benefited enormously.


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## Invisiblehandicap

a) read lots of books on SA, depression, self improvement etc
b) use self help techniques + come up with own self help
c) Go on internet less
d) stop giving into obsessions (I dont have ocd, but have some minor obsessional thoughts + habits)
e) Think of each exposure as good. It is awesome that you have been given an opportunity by the universe to do exposure and improve yourself. 
f) stop avoiding things that make you uncomfortable. 
g) I tell myself to stop complaining and just do it. Stuff like that works.
h) You MUST learn to observe your habits and thoughts etc. What do you do that is not good for you? What can you do to improve, make yourself happier??


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## Omgblood

Medication to stop the physical symptoms and help stop the thoughts 

Exposure

Still in progress


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## pastels

did u get cbt from a book if so plz tell or did u go to a therapist for it?


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## annalucky

hi folks after suffering for years with anxiety and many different antidepressants that doctors kept giving me never had any effect,they gave me some short term diazepam that helped they said i could not be on these as they are addictive,i have got severe anxiety disorder,social anxiety,panic attacks and low mood,had to give up a good job 5 yrs ago because of this,cant look people in the eye or cant go to appoinments,or talk to people i dont know.if i go anywhere i last so long then i get a fear and have to run home anxiety is crippling,saw a therapist and couldnt work with her as couldnt do the tasks she asked,i have been put on olanzaine teva,i have not started them due to reading all the side effects,andbeen told if u miss a pill you get the shakes and vomit and more,can any one help me on this to put my mind at rest thanks


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## rawrguy

I personally can't stand self help books on social anxiety and shyness. I do not read on my leisure time and it's just not a rewarding experience for me. I feel that going out to a party or any type of social event would help me better than reading a whole book. Thing that helped me in the past: Zoloft, Benzos, CBT. Things that continue to help me: taking risperdal to prevent my bipolar disorder from turning my mood into suicidal depression or psychotic behavior, meetup.com, exercise, positive attitude.


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## bugdrops

meditation, and doing what triggers me, but i was in love, and that helped aswell. only tried med's that wont do me no good this far, hope im going to get good help from lyrica if my doc prescribes it for me. no therapist have worked so far, and im in this institution now, been here for 2 months but they still havent started with treatment. and it seems i have just been getting a little bit worse lately, shame, i was doing very good in the beginning i dont know why... im not takin it good.


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## anthony54321

For some reason you keep classing me as a spammer and I am not, my last 4 or 5 posts have not been published,I have suffered with social anxiety and blushing for years and I have virtually overcome it, all I am trying to do is to help others,if you don't want me to contribute or help please let me know
thankyou


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## andrewedwards

stoping masturbation and watching porn helps with the anxiety


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## buddyfed

Monday said:


> I think Mindfulness is such a good tool for people with SA. I recommend Zen and the art of happiness. Or even Zen for dummies. Since Mindfulness, and Mediation, teach about the monkey mind..that part of us that's always yapping, and in our case telling us what we are doing wrong, judging ourselves..Mindfulness and meditation, teaches how to turn off the inner voices. To just be in the moment. To accept what is. You might not like it but you can at lest accept it and that brings it's own peace. Acceptance has been the key for me. The more I accept myself warts and all, the more I feel , confident.
> Being that I have OCD it has been hard to trying to learn to Mediate but at the same time, it has helped me to at start to learn how to turn off the obsessive thinking.


excellent.


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## Paloma55

1) Age & experience, getting better at social interactions over time.
2) "Power of Now" books & CDs.
3) Medication to solve panic attacks & tremor.
4) Journalling, positive affirmations, breathing techniques.
5) Determination, perseverance and repetition to build comfort & confidence.


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## FrozenSlumber

*Exposure*

Repeated exposure 
(with a healthy dose of some very serious honest discussions with myself)

Some days it feels useless but I just checked my Liebowitz Social Anxiety Score and... it went from 94 to 64. Only a year between the two, I am amazed. I'm really starting to feel the difference.

(There is no stopping the thoughts, or "they" as I call it. Not for me anyway. My mind never slows down enough for meditation and such. The more I try to shut them up the more upset I get which just makes it worse. So basically I just let it run... and let it be proven wrong. I figure, the more "they" get proven wrong, the less they yell. "They" haven't shut up yet but it's not quite as "loud" anymore)


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## AndCounting

None of the stuff that was supposed to help me helped at all (exercise, medication, therapy, church, etc).

What did help was diving head first into things without thinking too much about consequences (socially speaking). That isn't to say that I don't worry about the consequences, I would just do it anyway! It's been working for me. I started small with just my words and then lead up to actions. It took up until this year for me to realize that I'm a likeable person and that everyone enjoys being around me. I've been doing this for a couple of years and all of the people I've befriended/gotten to know in that time frame can't even tell that I have social anxiety or depression.


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## AndCounting

FrozenSlumber said:


> Repeated exposure
> (with a healthy dose of some very serious honest discussions with myself)
> 
> Some days it feels useless but I just checked my Liebowitz Social Anxiety Score and... it went from 94 to 64. Only a year between the two, I am amazed. I'm really starting to feel the difference.
> 
> (There is no stopping the thoughts, or "they" as I call it. Not for me anyway. My mind never slows down enough for meditation and such. The more I try to shut them up the more upset I get which just makes it worse. So basically I just let it run... and let it be proven wrong. I figure, the more "they" get proven wrong, the less they yell. "They" haven't shut up yet but it's not quite as "loud" anymore)


My thoughts never stop either. I have been "meditating" since the summer and instead of stopping my thoughts, I've been shifting them. When a negative thought enters my mind, I shut it out immediately and fight it with positive things and affirmations. It's not always easy, though. Something negative just recently happened to me and I'm fighting the negative thoughts from that as we speak. Listening to uplifting (but not painfully corny) music helps me also


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## arkham

1) Journaling 
Everything good or bad today, all my feelings, emotions goes to my diary on laptop. I wasn't sure if it would help me, but now I feel the need to write to it several times in a day. I also write down ideas about the future, what I want to change about myself, not necessarily to reach that goal immediately but just to make sure not to forget it. 

2) Talking to people more
I used to restrict myself to only talk "when necessary". So I talk nothing at all to noone mostly. Now I force myself to write online for people, just to talk a little more than I used to. I get positive feedback mostly, it definately helps

3) Get out of comfort zone more
This one is so hard even when I am convinced it would be beneficial. I force myself not to avoid some friend parties, social interactions, stuff that I fear. I didn't succeed on that one yet, just partialy.

4) Talking to SA people about it
I learned a lot from people who have simmilar life experience as myself. Only they understand me the most. I didn't expect such support from people really. 

5) Keep your expectations low and more realistic
I don't expect everything to be "normal" on day one as I start to cope with social anxiety. I feel happy with the progress I made, I know where I have to work at and try to be fair to myself.


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## Demeter

My "treatment" happened in 2008, it started with me seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist team for clinical depression. I was additionally diagnosed with PTSD and social anxiety disorder, and was given pills to calm my panic attacks. My psychologist did the typical 'talk therapy' thing, and gave very little feedback. Near the end of our sessions he told me that I seemed "all better" but I wasn't, and I let him know that. A few sessions later he suggested that I "turn to Christ for spiritual healing", he gave me a pamphlet about Christianity... I was so offended that I never wanted to see his face again.

At least I learned that PTSD and social anxiety disorder were causing me to become depressed. Knowing this makes it easier for me to prevent that deep, dark, clinical depression that has destroyed my life so many times in the past. Additionally, simply KNOWING that I actually have a social phobia makes it easier for me to accept myself as a human being... Knowing that I'm not alone, and that other people experience this. It makes me feel.... Normal... In a not so normal way. :yes


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## Kizzie

Demeter said:


> My "treatment" happened in 2008, it started with me seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist team for clinical depression. I was additionally diagnosed with PTSD and social anxiety disorder, and was given pills to calm my panic attacks.... At least I learned that PTSD and social anxiety disorder were causing me to become depressed. Knowing this makes it easier for me to prevent that deep, dark, clinical depression that has destroyed my life so many times in the past. Additionally, simply KNOWING that I actually have a social phobia makes it easier for me to accept myself as a human being... Knowing that I'm not alone, and that other people experience this. It makes me feel.... Normal... In a not so normal way. :yes


I couldn't agree more with you Demeter, just knowing I have SA has been such a leap forward and a path out of the chronic depression that I was diagnosed with a long time ago. I floated in and out of therapy for it, but it never made a dent in the way I was feeling until I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD and SA recently. And viola, there are lots of people like me, books and forums to help, and a light at the end of the tunnel finally.

Re SA - Like you I feel much less different now that I know what I'm up against. It lets me accept myself and to get on with looking at strategies to help (e.g., CBT) rather than wasting time beating myself up for being awkward.


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## Crimson11

I bought an EFT program for socially anxious, it seems to relieve some of the anxiety, but it hasn't cured it. It takes a lot of time to work on past memories, but I need patience and persistence. In my opinion, the main thing to overcome social anxiety is growing your comfort zone day by day, by doing something a little challenging everyday. EFT can help in taking the panic away and supports you a little.


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## SwtSurrender

My dad, school, bullying, school, psychologist, psychotherapy, psychiatrist, PROZAC 20 mg, extroverted boyfriend and his extroverted retard****** friends, experiences, prozac<3.


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## Former Atheist

Drew said:


> Is there some treatment that has helped you triumph over social anxiety?
> Share your experience with it!
> 
> If the treatment is not currently listed, click the "Suggest a new listing..." link at the bottom of the page to add it. Once you add it you'll be able to add your experience immediately.
> 
> Thanks!


 I suffered from People Pleasing for a long time starting in childhood trying to earn my Parents praise and then when I became and adult , it continued vying for anyones praise and admiration. I suffered from low self esteem and was crying out , essentially, for the void to be filled.

It wasn't until I was 30, that I gave my complete life to Jesus Christ and started to understand just how valueable I was being made in the Creators image and how I had intrinsic worth . After a few more years time, my life became all about living for him instead of me . Amazing things occur when we put ourselves at #2 status to his #1 rightful place in our lives. Having him as my authority , truth, wisdom, and esteem.....is placed properly and with his power in my life I finally overcame the enslavement of not thinking I was good enough. So, all praise and thanks goes to my King, Jesus.


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## amaytorr3884

Buy some cool sunglasses for 2 great reasons:
1)Makes you feel confident
2)You can practice making eye contact without revealing your deer in headlight eyes


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## shelala1

First I am happy to have come across a community of people who have come here to share their personal experiences with SAD.
I don't think people with SAD always realize the strength they pocess because of how crippling SAD can feel. It is very common to feel alone in the struggle.

Hopefully my strategies can help others, they are also common to other responses here.

A) Connect with yourself: this may include your body and mind. Take up meditation, yoga and exercise. What happens when you are placed into these situations? How do you feel? What do you feel needs work? What needs improvement? Try not to lash out to your negative thoughts and emotions. Watch them pass and go, transform and shift. You will realize they are temporary. Do not grab on to positive or negative emotions or thoughts. Just observe them. What can you learn about what happened? What happens when you let yourself be consumed by a thought/feeling? What happens when attach yourself to positive feelings? You will learn everything is temporary. Attachment and desires cause suffering and are illusions. What you may learn is if you stay still you will realize all you have is right now. You have a choice. I can't explain how much working out has improved my mood and energy. I HIGHLY recommend doing something physical. 

B) Create Steps: What can you do to make your life better? What needs improvement? What are some small things you can do right now? Research what SAD is and read/listen to other people success stories or struggles. Learn to be compassionate with yourself. Love yourself. Be patient. Be your own best friend. Do things by yourself that you have fun experiencing. Hug yourself, kiss yourself. Masterbate lol what ever it takes to show self love. You come first. No pun intended. Write in a journal and let everything out. Write to record your process, write to express yourself, write to learn and create goals.. To keep track of things. Read inspirational stories of people who go through other types struggles yet get back up again or keep trying. Let these people motivate you to become a better person. Don't make unrealistic expectations. Good things take time, so be easy on yourself. Be your own cheerleader. It is okay to fail and fall. Just get back up and keep going. Learn from EVERYTHING you do.write motivational quotes on a sticky pad and put them on places where you can go to and remind you of what is important to you journey. Have fun doing the exposure of your great fear by signing up to something you enjoy! 

C) Rid Yourself of Negativity: be that thoughts, people, goals, addictions, places, judgement and shame. Be honest with yourself. Write down qualities you want to work on having or striving for. Are they realistic to you? What can you do right now? What jave others done to strive for the same qualities? How can you expose yourself to situations so that you have the opportunity to help them grow and mature? Where do you think is sucking the soul out of you? That you have come to just settle with even though it makes you unhappy? Maybe you can't do anything now to change everything but you can make steps that will allow you to in the future. Surround yourself with positive music, books, heros, inspirational quotes, fun/playful activities, love, travel, expose yourself to your fears, look for positive and healthy relationships. Try to become financially independent, respect yourself. Learn how to stop reacting to negative experiences or people. People who are negative are in great pain. They need help. Wish them the best but do not carry the load if you do not want to. Their actions and words say more about themselves than you. Stay focused on your journey. Watch comedy. Eat your favourite food. Spread love to aomeone in need or randomly.

D) Give Back: help others, listen and give advice. Spread your awareness. Give a helping hand, a hug, a kind word. Appreciate what you got and find beauty. Find beauty in the loss or absence. Find beauty in giving back and loving others. Be kind even when others are not. Make someone laugh, compliment someone, try to smile and give warmth and understanding. Forgive and let go. 
Be yourself, be yourself even if you are scared, anxious or sad. Be vulnerable and uncomfortable. Don't feel shame or apologiz for being human! You might actually help others feel less alone in their own struggles this way, you might actually create a positive change... You will attract people who accept you for you. Accept imperfection. Accept others. Give to animals, the environment etc... It does not have to be just people. Embody the person you wish to meet. Appreciate others. Celebrate your successes no matter how small. Set a positive for others. Lift people up. 

E) Everyones journey and succeses are different. Don't compare yourself to others. You do not know their life. It is pointless. Focus on yourself. Ask for help if you need it. Do it for you. Talk to people who love and care about you. Call your friends. Expose yourself to uncertainty. You only live once. Make the best out of it. Remember you deserve as much as anyone else. Don't let the opportunity slip by all the time. Be mindful of each moment, decision and choice. You always have a choice. Try it even if you think you won't like it. Give it a shot if you have nothing to lose. You might surprise yourself. Then keep striving to surprise yourself again and again. Don't take life so seriously. Make a fool out of yourself and laugh!


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## shelala1

Make a schedule and lists of when you will accomplish them and what you will do/ gain doing it.
Studies show meditation is extremely beneficial, so try your best to at least do 15 minutes of it each day.
Have rest days
Join something and commit to it.
Pamper yourself (very important) 
Show gratitude, kindness, appreciation and love to everyone. Don't allow negative seeds invade your thoughts. What you think you become. Practice positivity in all aspectd of your life.
Research and keep looking, listening, feeling.. Use all your senses to gain insight to being a better you.
Be open.


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## ZombieIcecream

- Journaling.
- Self Talk.
- Exercise (Cardio - Strength Training)
- Setting small goals for myself.
- Belly breathing.
- Exposure therapy.
- Going on walks.
- Reading Anxiety Help blogs.

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