How to Tackle Severe Social Phobias without Medication?

Severus Snape · 23-02-2014, 03:29 AM

I'm not medicated for my anxiety and it's very debilitating. I live with my parents and most the time I don't leave my room unless I know I won't have to make idle chit chat while simply trying to get food. I rarely ever leave the house.

I don't want to live this way but everyday I feel like I get worse. Anyone have any tips on handling severe social phobia without medication? Currently, I wear headphones everywhere I go and just listen to music as loud as I can. I find drowning out the world helps. But this doesn't feel like a solution; more just avoiding the issue.

I don't want to wait to do something till I'm 100% unable to leave my room. With no insurance, I ccan't get professional help anymore tho.

Greyscale · 23-02-2014, 06:22 AM

Hi,

I can't speak to its effectiveness, but at my last session, my therapist recommended purchasing The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J Bourne in order to help with my anxiety, and I know it has stuff relating to social anxiety and phobia in it, so I thought I would mention it to you.

I don't have any groundbreaking advice on how to fix it without professional help, but I wanted to let you know that I used to struggle badly with social anxiety and agoraphobia, and although I'm still not perfect, I can now hold a conversation with people and make some eye contact. It was honestly just a lot of having to force myself to go out and talk to people, although I did and do have professional support.

I do hope maybe the book will help, I'm sure there are other self-help books out there for anxiety and social phobias.

Severus Snape · 23-02-2014, 01:40 PM

I'll have to look for that. There are times I can "get out there" but the meeting people is where I fail. My boyfriend thought that by frequenting my favorite bookstore, I might eventually meet another frequent customer and become friends. It's an intimidating thought so maybe the book will help. I'm hoping I can master the eye contact because I'm terrible at that!

I appreciate the help

sherlock holmes · 23-02-2014, 05:58 PM

I have that workbook and it's very helpful.

I'd also suggest to you to look up Mindfulness and practicing it. It's a bit like meditation in a way, and if you practice it every day you'll become good at clearing your mind of thoughts and focusing only one one thing. It's good for when you have lots of anxious thoughts and you need to clear your mind.

Also have a look for progressive muscle relaxation tutorials. If you do those daily then you'll feel much more relaxed generally.

With wanting to overcoming your anxiety it works quite well using a graded exposure approach. Write a list of the things that scare you with the things you think are easiest first.

For instance you could start with leaving your bedroom for a few minutes, then going back. Repeat until your anxiety has dropped to about 2/10. Then do the next thing which might be leaving your bedroom for 10 minutes. Then go to another room and ask someone what time it is and so on until you've worked up to doing more and more things.

Breathing exercises are very good for helping you to relax when you feel anxious.

Severus Snape · 25-02-2014, 01:58 AM

I'll work on getting the books but in the mean time I'll try to leave my room everyday for a few minutes and just try getting used to that.

Thank you, Sherlock Holmes

Severus Snape · 26-02-2014, 09:19 AM

Thanks so much

I'm not close to my family unfortunately. My boyfriend lives in another country. We only see each other once every 3 months or so. I'll have to practice with him the next time we go out. If I can plan it out, I'm sure I can handle it better.

Also, I'm female. When I do make short lived friends they tend to be guys. I think that's because my interests and hobbies tend to be more favorable to guys rather than girls. I've never once met a girl that liked Star Trek and I frequent comic con and the like.

I suppose I could always try the Harry Potter bit, specifically when I'm at the library or book store.

Honestly, reminding me that Snape had Dumbledore, made me feel a bit better.

Severus Snape · 26-02-2014, 09:39 AM

I've been to a few yes. I build my own costumes as well. I also go on the last day, when there are fewer people. It's my double-up day for sure (when I would take twice my meds dose to make it through) This year if I go, it'll be unmedicated which makes my T-600 feel ominous now... hmm

I also go with someone who basically walks me through like a child so I don't have to vvisually bother with the crowds. It's a wonderful mess of anxiety.