Severe Social Phobia

[Callie1518]

Hi everyone I am new and this is my first post. I am grateful for a place that has understanding people who may feel what I am going through. I have PTSD with bipolar and anxiety. Lately I developed a debilitating social anxiety where I do not interact with anyone at work except to ask questions. Everyone is socializing (it is a very chatty place) and I just stand around looking like an idiot with nothing to say. I try to find work to do but sometimes since I am new, I can not find things to do. Does ANYBODY suffer a sever social phobia? I am at the point that I just come home after work at noon, and I don't go anywhere. I have no friends to do things with anymore because I am to shy to be around them. I go to church but there is a social time for a whole 25 minutes and I can not EVEN FORM THE WORDS IN MY MIND AS TO WHAT TO SAY. I am thinking of hiding in my car during that time. Does anyone have this problem? I don't even have a life to talk about. No friends, no trips or social events that I attend, empty nest and a husband who is out of town most days of the week. When he is home he mostly rests and we don't do anything. PLEASE HELP and tell me I am not the only one who struggles with such a terrifying disorder! Can you get over this awful social phobia?

[Hidden]

You are definitely not alone, social phobia is fairly common with anxiety disorders. Are you on any medication?

[Callie1518 in reply to Hidden]

Just Latuda for bipolar and Klonopin which doesn't seem to do anything but make me drowsy. I wonder if there is anything more specific for social phobia.

[Passionatebutterfly]

this is my specialty because i also have ptsd, bipolar and social anxiety and i was just in ur shoes not too long ago. This is what i did. First i had to look at all the medication i was on and it turned out one of medications was making me have alot of social phobias and anxiety where i couldnt speak to anyone. I felt stuoid everytime i opened my mouth and i could see the looks on peoples faces after i talked and it wasnt pleasing. It was embarressing. So for awhile i isolated. Not only that but i didnt even want to associate with anyone. I hated speaking to people. I just never fit in with others cus i knew i was different. I first got on a stimulant for adhd, and that is the onky thing that helped me get out of bed and want to be community oriented. But my other med was making me trip up on my words. Topomax. I dont ever recommend that pill. Its for weight loss since most bipolar meds are a weight gainer. Next what i did after i could get out of bed and wanted to start talking again, i educated myself with my disabilities. Especially on social anxiety. After that i learned coping skills to help with the anxiety and not only that but my coping skills were hobbies that i lived which getting involved with hobbies gave me something to talk to others about cus like u, i didnt have a life anymore and nothing to say to people when i would get around others. My hobbies are adult coloring books with gel pens and coloring pencils, bullet journaling (seriously look it up its awesome), writing in a diary, gratitude journal daily, mood chart and symptom chart, doodling (i actually google or watch youtube videos on doodling and copy others art work. I practice lettering and calligraphy anf anything art related. That also gives me the chance to get to know myself and for me to be comfortable with being alone. I now dont see my time alone as a bad thing. I use it wisely and enjoy my own company. Cus if your not okay with hanging out with yourself, how do u expect others to be okay with hanging out with u?

Before u go out, pray to god to give u the strength snf motivation u need to be outspoken and personal to others. And pray that god will help u be fun enough for people to want to get to know u. Praying is the first thing i do before i do amything. I have better days that mornign that i prayed then the mornings i forget to pray. Of course sometimes it doesnt work but thats okay. You just have to work extra hard that day. Yeah we have to work alot harder than others but just make urself dedicated to ur recover and have faith that u will recover into a community oriented person and one day u will find ur anxiety is nit gone but not surfaced either. And nust kniw theres always gonna be the days where life challenges u even more. Those days u just have ti work extra hard. Learn positive affirmations also. Google ways of being more social. And keep educating urself.

Good luck and i hope i helped

[Callie1518 in reply to Passionatebutterfly]

Thank you for your help. Just a few weeks ago I was active an enjoying life. Then I got a job where I am on top of tons of people who have alot of free time to chat. I got phobic of the stuff I had to do (move wheelchair patients into their chairs which I am not trained to do) and teach an exercise class. The phobia is so worse I can't do my job. The social anxiety is the worse part. Now all I do is sit at home with my dogs and wait for my husband to come home from his out of town trips. I am a member of a gym and I see a therapist, that's it. I hope I can overcome this the way you have but I am not sure I can.