What could a person do to help someone with social anxiety disorder?
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at
6:26 pm
My husband is suffering from social anixety disorder and he does not want to take the medication for it because of the side effects. Is there anything I could do to make him feel better?
Filed under: General
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
i am 24 male..not too long ago,i realized i developed social anxiety at about 15 or 16.i thought it was a lack of self confidence but when it got to the point where i was even afraid of eating by myself at a restaurant in front of others,obsessing over and over again over what i did and didn’t say to others,I knew it was serious..i have never taken medications,so can’t say if they really work but have heard of the side effects which keeps me away..So,i looked to the self help industry,started with daily affirmations for self confidence and self esteem,writing it and saying it out loud into the mirror..It helped me improve my confidence to an extent but not much..I tried prayer as well with temporary relief..Then finally,i started using subliminal videos..overall anxiety came down significantly within 4-5 months..i still got a long way to go,but it worked for when nothing else did..Google "intelligent warrior subliminal videos"..made by a guy named Nelson Berry who has been in the subliminal self help industry for 20 years..Also,get the "heal your fears" subliminal video…The reason why subliminals work is coz they reprogram/change your subconscious mind from hidden negative thought patterns to positive ones..Those uncontrollable feelings that one feels all come from the subconscious..if u take control of that,u can experience deep inner change and change ur life…gud luck)
Dont use meds they dont fix anything they simply drug you. Think he may need to get some self confidence and self-esteem. i myself had a social worker or counselor. Let him know your there for anything he needs people often think others can fix them but they can not a person needs to fix themselves with the help of loved ones around them, be there for him, maybe find something small to start off with some sort of social interacting that he would feel most comfortable in. Anything were he could relate to talk a lot about. Social anxiety can make you feel like you dont know what to do with yourself or you dont know what to say to people. Starting off with a environment were he can share an interest with people will help him outside of such a secure environment it will help him build confidence. Anything hobby or even job related. Take small steps remind him its never to late to get better.
When overcoming high levels of anxiety, it is important to learn the techniques of natural breathing. Many people who live with high levels of anxiety are known to breathe through their chest. Shallow breathing through the chest means you are disrupting the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide necessary to be in a relaxed state. This type of breathing will perpetuate the symptoms of anxiety.
Visit here: http://www.fightingpanicattacks.com/
It’s hard, as an outsider, to understand and cope with what he is going through. Your understanding is probably the most important thing for him. When anxiety creates problems, it can add fuel to the fire and make things worse. Does his disorder create problems between you? It can really help to be surrounded (not necessarily physically) with people who are understanding and empathetic with his situation.
You could see if he would be willing to try cognitive behavioral therapy. That’s a good first line of defense. While looking for a therapist, make sure their interests match yours. Think about how you want to go about solving this problem and try to find a therapist that specializes in that method. If he does not want to go on medication but is willing to try herbal or dietary supplements, ask about those. There are also plenty of books out there that are quite helpful as well. Maybe you could make a deal with him to try therapy and if it doesn’t work, see a psychiatrist for medication.
I can understand his unwillingness to try medication. Sometimes it can make things worse, as I’ve discovered first-hand. The tricky thing about going on medications is finding the right one that has the minimum amount of negative effects on you and having the patience to deal with the side effects you do have until they go away. If you do find the right one, however, life is great again.
I wish you two the best of luck!
smart not to go on meds. I suffer from it too and tried a few meds but the side effects got me off them right away. So i was bacvk to square one. I did some searching online and read about niacinamide (vitamin b3). Niacinamide is a certain type of vitamin b3 thats supposed to work really good for SAD. I bought some and tried it out. I took 1 gram of niacinamide twice a day and strangely it worked! I dont know what it does but it supposidly reduces norepinephrine levels. After taking 1 gram and going outside I noticed it got rid of flushing, blushing and sweating. It felt like a low dose of valium with no side effects. Try it out and look it up online and you’ll read other people stories like mine that it worked!
I am on prozac for social anxiety I have seen no side effects so far. It’s worth a shot I am glad I did. I also can tell you I feel happier and feel more like a whole person it’s a wonderful feeling tell him to try it’s worth it I am 34 and just finally went to the doctor myself.
Medications can give temporary relief but prolong use can give various side effects. Anxiety disorder is a treatable condition and natural remedies for anxiety are getting popular because they have no side effects and proven effective. To get rid of anxiety disorder for good using natural methods visit http://cure-panic-anxiety-attacks.blogspot.com/