mark84
12-06-14, 10:34
Hi folks,
I'm both nervous of going to the doctors and I'm not sure what's right for me so I thought I'd ask here, I know you're not doctors but you're in similar situations so I'd really appreciate your thoughts.
I've never been confident and as a child had many moments of what seem in retrospect to be mild social anxiety, when I hit my teens I got depression (which seemed pretty normal at the time with so many other depressed kids around!) as the depression went at about age 17 the anxiety just got worse and worse, until in 2010 when i was 26 I had to go for CBT, because I was in a mess! The CBT rapidly lessened the more generalised aspect of my anxiety, and I was once again able to get on a bus or go to a shop.
I'm 29 now and it's still there but I'm able to cope with it reasonably, my social anxiety is still unpleasant though and some situations are a nightmare for me that other people enjoy- I'd consider it 'moderate' - there are routine situations I can relax in, there's plenty of things I struggle with; taking my cats to vets, having a friend I feel comfortable with who brings along some one else who I don't, paying at a till, going some where else. I do do all these things and push myself through but I end up exhausted and sweaty!
There's bigger situations I can't cope with at all, a girlfriend is out of the question, 5 yearly family functions make me want to vomit, as does the dentist, and any kind of sit down occasion, like a wedding reception is hell.
I feel like I'm missing a lot of stuff, the CBT positive thinking doesn't have any effect because by the time there's some one in the room with me I'm in a major state of panic already, I can't "take a step back" and see the reality of the situation. There's quite a strong family history of mental illness, out of my 13 closest relatives, 6 to my knowledge have had treatment for mental health issues.
So my question, would medication likely help me? I've met some people who barely seem anxious in the slightest who the doctors dish medications out- but I worry (surprise surprise) that I'd go in their and they'd dismiss what I was saying as too minor because I am able to leave the house and have some social interaction, or just send me for more CBT.
Thanks for reading this long post!
Mark :)
I'm both nervous of going to the doctors and I'm not sure what's right for me so I thought I'd ask here, I know you're not doctors but you're in similar situations so I'd really appreciate your thoughts.
I've never been confident and as a child had many moments of what seem in retrospect to be mild social anxiety, when I hit my teens I got depression (which seemed pretty normal at the time with so many other depressed kids around!) as the depression went at about age 17 the anxiety just got worse and worse, until in 2010 when i was 26 I had to go for CBT, because I was in a mess! The CBT rapidly lessened the more generalised aspect of my anxiety, and I was once again able to get on a bus or go to a shop.
I'm 29 now and it's still there but I'm able to cope with it reasonably, my social anxiety is still unpleasant though and some situations are a nightmare for me that other people enjoy- I'd consider it 'moderate' - there are routine situations I can relax in, there's plenty of things I struggle with; taking my cats to vets, having a friend I feel comfortable with who brings along some one else who I don't, paying at a till, going some where else. I do do all these things and push myself through but I end up exhausted and sweaty!
There's bigger situations I can't cope with at all, a girlfriend is out of the question, 5 yearly family functions make me want to vomit, as does the dentist, and any kind of sit down occasion, like a wedding reception is hell.
I feel like I'm missing a lot of stuff, the CBT positive thinking doesn't have any effect because by the time there's some one in the room with me I'm in a major state of panic already, I can't "take a step back" and see the reality of the situation. There's quite a strong family history of mental illness, out of my 13 closest relatives, 6 to my knowledge have had treatment for mental health issues.
So my question, would medication likely help me? I've met some people who barely seem anxious in the slightest who the doctors dish medications out- but I worry (surprise surprise) that I'd go in their and they'd dismiss what I was saying as too minor because I am able to leave the house and have some social interaction, or just send me for more CBT.
Thanks for reading this long post!
Mark :)