Hello, dunno where to post this, but there's some cool people in the box so I guess this is appropriate (mods, feel free to move this to the correct area if I am mistaken). I think I'm depressed and/or socially anxious. I'll sometimes feel like absolute shit, with the most negative thoughts hitting me all at once. I think about my future, "Why can't I find a girlfriend?", "My friends all hate me", shit like that. I'll come up with reasons in my head why all of that stuff is true, even though I know it's not. I'll have just weeks at a time when I feel down. And then I'll get over it for a month or two, but something always triggers it and it comes back. I'm also super nervous around people. Even my very best friends, who I hang out with every weekend. I know they wouldn't judge me for some shit like this, but I'm always afraid to bring it up and just spill my guts out and talk about it, which I know would make me feel better. And when we all hang out, I feel extremely self concious, like they're all secretly laughing at me when my back is turned (this happens all the time at school and other places too). And I know that they're not, they're all good people who don't judge, but I always convince myself they are. What the fuck is wrong with me? How do I get over it?
Sounds like generalized anxiety disorder to me. You get over it by forcing yourself to get over it. Realize that these thoughts you're having about your friends hating you and what not are nothing other than delusions. You control your mind, nothing/no one else does. Or you can go see a psychiatrist to get some benzos/SSRIs that will almost certainly help you.
Im not sure about the SSRIs, it may help you or it may not, It didn't help me, but it does vary from person to person, getting some type of benzo is a good idea though.
ssris do not always work. i was put on a bunch of different ones, and they never did anything for me. i just pushed through all the shit. found things i enjoyed doing, found happiness where i could. ive dealt with depression since i was about 10/11. but it wasnt until this past spring that i finally opened up to ppl outside my family about it. it took the death of one person who did so much for me to finally let in others i care about. when i told my close friends they didnt laugh. they felt for me. a lot of them had been through their own shit too, or still go through it. its something serious, well for some its just "i feel sad, pity me". i wasnt changed in the eyes of my friends, they just understood me better. i wasnt pitied or laughed at, ppl who truly care about ya wont. i still have some social anxiety too, but for the most part its gone. i just stopped caring what most ppl think about me, stopped worrying if they think i act stupid or lame or whatever. they dont know me, they dont matter. having ppl to talk to really helps. ive talked about a lot of my stuff with some close friends and its helped so much. at a time in my life i never thought id see the next day, now its 2010!! i never thought id see my 13th birthday, and now im nearing my 20th. depression is a bitch man, a big dirty bitch that pulls ya down. but ya can hold yourself up. i did on my own for years, but having some good ppl with ya really helps
i pretty much had the same symptoms im on SSRI's now and ive noticed a big difference go to a therapist that can prescribed u some
damncrazylegs knows his/her shit. i feel for you, op, i know what you're going through. in fact, i have lost friends because of me being so self-conscious about our relationships, they just couldn't take my constant doubt (in retrospect i doubt i would have kept those friends anyway though.) the few friends that i have love me like i love them, and we both know that we can talk to each other, and we know that maybe even if we don't understand each other's problems, we feel for them, no judgements. so, light one up and talk to them. or just light one up. either way, just keep yourself near your homies and it'll be okay. as cheesy as it sounds.
Thanks all. All your posts have been really helpful. I don't think I'm going to take the medicine route, but in the next couple days I'm pickin' up a fat quarter sack, I think I'll just talk to my friends over a couple bowls or something. That's exactly what I mean, constant paranoia of looking like an idiot. I'm gonna take that advice to heart, thanks man.
Ya i get the same thing because i have social anxiety disorder. You should probably go to a psychiatrist they can do some great things. But if the first few meds they put you on don't work don't lose hope sometimes it takes awhile to find the right one for each person. I wish you best of luck and hope you get it taken care of
I've dealt with a lot of the same feelings, so I know where you're coming from. Personally, I don't agree with the medication thing, I feel like every time someone has a problem the first reaction is to medicate them, but it's not the only way. This is in YOUR mind, you can fix it, you have everything you need to overcome it already. Maybe start keeping a journal to see what types of things trigger your anxiety/depression over time. Start exercising. Try talking to your close friends about it. If you're feeling lonely, go out! Take up a hobby and hang out with your good friends. Try to make a conscious effort to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones. Even if it seems forced at first, it will help in the long run.
Hey man, I've been through the same shit dog. Trust me it's just all in your head and that's what you have to tell yourself, that its just in your head and it's not true. I wouldn't really recommend the anti-depressants, they just made everything wayyyy worse for me bra. Smoking pot always helps me, cheer up bra, everything will be alright.
When you have legitamate anxiety disorders there's no forcing it out. I would get panic attacks and stilld do doing stupid things like buy food for typing a paper or talking to a friend. If you have a legitamate condition you can help control it with will power but you can't actually fix it it doesn't work that way. I changed every aspect i could that brought on panic attacks i eliminated them all and fixed alot of problems in my life but it still happened. It's not as simple as thinking i want this to stop and it will. I have Bi polar too and never knew it i did all sorts of things to make myself feel "normal" again and this last month is the first time i am back to normal in 6 years because i started taking lithium. I am not a dumb person and i'm extremely keen with psychological things i diagnosed myself before i ever saw a doctor and i did all i could to fix it even when i knew what was wrong but it still persisted invading and crippling my everyday life. At some point you have to say enough is enough and seek help.
100 mg Zoloft keeps me sane. You should try it. When I'm off it I feel like pulling out my hair over the dumbest things and my throat closes up if I get too stressed. Inherited it from me mum. Nothing to be ashamed of. And people who say you can just get over it yourself... I have to disagree with.
You're absolutely right to disagree. Some anxiety issues are legitimately caused by chemical imbalances in the brain...just like depression. If you have such imbalances, the only way to correct them is through medication. Just like all the people in the Box that constantly opine "SSRIs didn't work for ME, you should definitely stay away from them man!" Just because they don't work for you doesn't mean they won't work amazingly for another person. If they didn't work for you chances are your depression does not stem from chemical imbalances. More people need to be educated about this kind of stuff.