Hi my name is Eric and I suffer from social anxiety to a severe degree. I am afraid of people even afraid to be around my family. I would like help with catch my irrational thoughts and breaking them down to logical more rational ones so that I don't feel as anxious and paranoid as I feel. I fear that you will notice me noticing you because I am hyper vigilant always assessing my environment. I'd like help with thinking I need to check in with my body to see that I'm safe all the time.
Thanks
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EricJones
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Hi Ericmy daughter suffers social Anxiety. due to lockdown, she has learning difficulties and her routine was changed, this had a big impact on her mental health. as her routine is very important. it has had to be re uikd along with ger confidence. she cant have people to close to her. i have been doing graded exposure with her, been hard for her for last few months but progress is happening.
i give her what we call achievments to do, this can be to go i a shop and buy item or walk through a part of town, just small bits. but regular is needed to decenatise.
or walk to postbox and back on ger own.
over time it has got better and better she is back to going to tesco each week. And now doing sainsburys gradualy once a week, just in and buy tiny thing and out.
to start with i was waiting in car for her in carparks, but now she takes her car and goes
she still returns with Anxiety of people behind her or near her and the un helpfull anxious thoughts, she was repeating them over and over. but not so much as was 2 months ago
she wrights down what she did her positives,
what she achieved that day
she said it feels better though than when she started, not perfect but better. i say it takes time, little steps but must be regular.
she said she not move away from people like she did. she wld before leave an isle in shop rather than pass people.
she has got a saying for anxious thoughts at mo. its just that parrot, and thinks of how far she has come.
i had anxiety 10 years ago, she helped me get better. she had never suffered anxiety untill covid lockdown. because her freedom and routine was taken away. this effected many with learning difficulities/Autisum.
she was also hyper vigilant, and felt not safe. she tells herself she is ok and us safe at times
her body is slowly getting used to doing thing again
hope maybe you can find a way too
its decentsatising gradually and slow
but regular little steps. dont get discouraged when it feels rough, keep going keep a book for each time, record all and do hiw felt out of 10
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