Just wanna talk!
Question:
I was diagnosed with SP about a year ago, although I now realise that I’ve had it all my life it is just now more severe. I was (am) also a fairly heavy pot smoker. When my symptoms started being severe and I was having panic attacks when I picked up the phone or went to the shop I assumed it was the pot and once I stopped that the attacks would also go and I would be "normal" again. Not so my friend. That was just the beginning. It didn’t matter if I was smoking or not the attacks just kept coming and it seemed to be more and more frequently. Gone was my once existing social life, gone were the days of just being normal. My doc won’t put me on any medication because of my addictive personality (which although I’m not real happy about, I do tend to agree with her), she says that’s the last alternative. Instead I am now going to group meetings once a week to learn about the disorder and try cognitive therapy. This does not seem to be doing a thing for me especially when sometimes I need a drink or too just to get there. I did start these meetings once before and failed. My main goal now is too just go until the meetings have finished (8 weeks in total). Anyway I saw this newsgroup and even though I do not know ONE single person who suffers from this it seems to be very common. I am at the moment 23 years old and still living at home with no job and only few friends. The idea of going for a job interview or even ringing on the phone scares the shit out of me. So I really don’t know what to do. I suppose I am just looking for someone to talk to. DJ socially phobic
Response:
I’m 22 and the thought of a job interview or the phone ringing scares me to death, too. Hey, I even once had a panic attack so bad during my senior English exam in high school, I almost peed myself even though I knew the answers. 
It’s great that your trying to get to your meetings, even if you don’t think they’re helping. Pinky Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.
Response:
maybe you need medication. most arent addictive – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I was diagnosed with SP about a year ago, although I now realise that I’ve >had it all my life it is just now more severe. I was (am) also a fairly >heavy pot smoker. When my symptoms started being severe and I was having >panic attacks when I picked up the phone or went to the shop I assumed it >was the pot and once I stopped that the attacks would also go and I would be >"normal" again. Not so my friend. That was just the beginning. It didn’t >matter if I was smoking or not the attacks just kept coming and it seemed to >be more and more frequently. Gone was my once existing social life, gone >were the days of just being normal. My doc won’t put me on any medication >because of my addictive personality (which although I’m not real happy >about, I do tend to agree with her), she says that’s the last alternative. >Instead I am now going to group meetings once a week to learn about the >disorder and try cognitive therapy. This does not seem to be doing a thing >for me especially when sometimes I need a drink or too just to get there. I >did start these meetings once before and failed. My main goal now is too >just go until the meetings have finished (8 weeks in total). Anyway I saw >this newsgroup and even though I do not know ONE single person who suffers >from this it seems to be very common. >I am at the moment 23 years old and still living at home with no job and >only few friends. The idea of going for a job interview or even ringing on >the phone scares the shit out of me. So I really don’t know what to do. I >suppose I am just looking for someone to talk to. >DJ >socially phobic ></PRE></HTML>
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Grachman
Response:
I was diagnosed with SP about a year ago, although I now realise that I’ve had it all my life it is just now more severe. I was (am) also a fairly heavy pot smoker. When my symptoms started being severe and I was having panic attacks when I picked up the phone or went to the shop I assumed it was the pot and once I stopped that the attacks would also go and I would be "normal" again. Not so my friend. That was just the beginning. It didn’t matter if I was smoking or not the attacks just kept coming and it seemed to be more and more frequently. Gone was my once existing social life, gone were the days of just being normal. My doc won’t put me on any medication because of my addictive personality (which although I’m not real happy about, I do tend to agree with her), she says that’s the last alternative. Instead I am now going to group meetings once a week to learn about the disorder and try cognitive therapy. This does not seem to be doing a thing for me especially when sometimes I need a drink or too just to get there. I did start these meetings once before and failed. My main goal now is too just go until the meetings have finished (8 weeks in total). Anyway I saw this newsgroup and even though I do not know ONE single person who suffers from this it seems to be very common. I am at the moment 23 years old and still living at home with no job and only few friends. The idea of going for a job interview or even ringing on the phone scares the shit out of me. So I really don’t know what to do. I suppose I am just looking for someone to talk to. DJ socially phobic
