Question about social anxiety

[Back_again]

Since this has returned and things are different this time I find myself retracing old steps but on a new path. I'm not sure about social anxiety which I'm sure I'm experiencing because I practically shut down in public settings. I lose my thought almost feel paralyzed and get very shaky and nauseated.  I also get very uncomfortable just going out for a walk or being on a teleconference. I zone out , find it hard to articulate and just cant wait for it to be over.....are later 2 related to social anxiety ....they are not social really.....can anyone offer any insight?

I am starting to have those self doubting thoughts about neuro issues or some unknown ailment that is causing me to feel like this . I'm fighting the urge to visit Dr Google ...I know to well where that leads but I seem to go further down the rabbit hole everyday.

[Back_again]

Thanks for all the answers! I went through this before and was un-medicated and successful at working out of it.

I got caught off guard and took a big step back. I have an appt tomorrow with a counselor and started analyzing my diet (food and mental lol) and am going to start back at the gym Friday. Those were all things I had success with the first go round.

i KNOW it can be done, I did it. The mountain just seems steeper to climb this time....

I will trust in God and forge ahead. Thank you all again...this site always helps me find some balance.

[specialmom]

Hi.  Ah, social anxiety is difficult.  A fight or flight feeling in certain social situations where you'd rather hide out in the bathroom than enjoy the party.  Heart racing, brain freezing.  It can be rough and I feel for you.  Therapists and doctors have ways to treat social anxiety separate from generalized anxiety and I agree with anxiousnomore that I'd look into therapy.  Some people need medication too to feel their best self if it is too debilitating.  That's the bottom line===  you want to feel better.  Do what is necessary for that goal.  You won't instantly turn into a social butterfly but you'll be able to maintain and endure without all of the anxiety symptoms crashing in on you.  

I also really commend you for realizing your anxiety is seeping in and making you worried about your health.  

For me, a therapist I can go to is dictated by my insurance company.  So, get a list of those doctors, and then check them out. Your own primary care doctor may have someone they know/like/have heard good things about.  

I haven't taken my son to a therapist yet but your pediatrician has recommended someone that just talks to adolescents without going straight to a diagnosis.  I was really interested in that because I would like to offer help/resources to my son without immediately going to a mental health issue diagnosed.  I'd never have known about this doctor specifically had I not talked about it with our doctor.  So, they are a great resource for finding a right match in therapists.  

Anyway, you sound very smart and savvy--  so get the appropriate help/therapy and hopefully you will feel better soon.  good luck

[Paxiled]

One thing to keep in mind that dividing anxiety into categories, such as social anxiety, is useful for insurance companies and drug companies and for a therapist figuring out how to help you, but isn't useful for you -- anxiety is anxiety.  For all of us who suffer anxiety, whether it's called social or called something else, the root problem is that for whatever reason we begin to focus on anxious and catastrophic thinking and learning how not to do this is what helps.  Don't get bogged down on details.  But as to Google, when you have a diagnosis of something or you've been prescribed a particular drug or a particular form of therapy, it can help then to use Google to see if your treatment makes sense or if you might need a different practitioner to help, whereas Googling when you don't have a specific diagnosis or treatment to research is just asking for useless trouble.  Now, what you describe doesn't sound like social anxiety, but again, it really doesn't matter what you call it.

[AnxiousNoMore]

Since you already know that Google won't help diagnose you then all that is left is to find a professional to help.

Have you tried therapy? A one on one session is far better with a professional than trying to figure it out on a chat line where all anyone can do is offer anecdotal experience which is likely useless since no one can know how another person is feeling.
Anxiety is tough to figure out sometimes. It is possible that you don't even know your own feelings as there may be a complex situation that can be untangled if someone can get to a central issue that the others rely on. I thought I was depressed although I was actually more anxious but because they feed on each other, the vicious circle confuses the sufferer.