should i be on anti anxiety medication??

[fedup2008]

hi i have suffered from what i believe to be social anxiety for over 5 years im now 19. i no longer have any friends and been like this 4 bout 2 years rarely going out. well i did do a college course last year but now finished and in the same mess as before. im currently on beta blockers for the physical symtoms that i show but this medication isnt helping me. im housebound most of the time due to my extreme nervousness ] no job, no friends, no life i wonder whether i should go on any more in this world.

[fibromama]

Hi fedup2008 you are not alone I also suffer from severe social anxiety and have ever since I was little,,I have recently gotten to the point of not being able to leave my house without freaking out and having bad anxiety.  There is a lot of options im starting to learn that help get us back out in the social world but it takes sometime and starting here is a great irst step.  I would have a good talk with yuor doc and tell him how you really feel (everything) and do some research on the net about certain meds so when you see him you can tell him what information you have and does he think these options could work for you.  I myself hate asking my doc for meds because Im afraid hes going to tell me no,,but come to find out lately when I do ask him he agrees and says lets try the med if it dont work we will go to the next step. I have dealt with so much emotional issues if you would like to talk leave me a msg and we can start a conversation Ill let you know whats helped me ove the years. Hold your head high and your doing the right thing,,your here trying to help yourself.  :)

[RubyWitch]

Hi Sweetie,
What our esteemed Michael has told you is exactly what you need to do! I can't add much to his advice, but I will emphasis his wisdom regarding your feelings of wondering if it's worth "going on" or not. You are experiencing one of the hellish slumps that life throws at some of us. And while it often feels like you will never feel better, or "normal," that feeling is just one of its many symptoms. Many of us on this forum have been exactly where you are now, and we have come out of it............and so will you!
As Michael has suggested, you need to get in to your doctors for a really good medical exam to rule out any organic reasons for your anxiety/depression. (And to also let him know that the beta blockers are not working!) When all the tests come back negative, which I'm sure they will, then it's time to discuss with your doctor about getting into some therapy.
You are so very young to be dealing with this..........are your parents a part of your life? Can you turn to them for help and support? Is there another trusted adult in your life that you can talk to about your feelings?
You said that these feelings began about 5 years ago when you were 14 or so. Right smack dab in the middle of puberty. A rough sea for all of us! (At the ripe old age of 57, I can still remember those times and wouldn't relive them for all the tea in China!)
You have your entire life ahead of you, a life that I'm sure is filled with dreams and goals. I also know how difficult it can be to get yourself motivated when you are feeling the way you are. As Michael has again so wisely put it, "continue to maintain your grasp on hope that things will get better........AND THEY WILL!" But it will take some effort on your part. Just please know and believe that there is help out there for you and what you are going through right now. You just need to reach out and ask for it. What you are dealing with is very "fixable" and you need to hang on to that knowledge with all your might.
If your feelings of suicide become overwhelming, PLEASE get yourself to your local emergency department and tell them what you are feeling. What you are going through is not worth throwing your life away for.........as I said before, there IS help just waiting for you to take it.
Keep writing to us, OK? There are so many folks here who will wrap you in their arms and guide you through this. You will never be alone again because you now have us!
You just hang in there.
Peace
Greenlydia
  

[Jikan]

Namaste,

Those of us with various mental disorders(I have several) always have times when we are fed up with the way things are going. Either our medication is working, our family situation is causing additional stress, my doctor is incompetent and so on an on.

When these things happen, we usually feel hopeless, worthless and filled with guilt that we're not "normal".

I can't give you a miracle cure and no one can. What you need to do, however, is have a thorough psychological evaluation, so that a treatment plan can be put into place. This may include edication(s) and/or counseling or even other adjunct therapy.

Regardless, don't expect changes to take place immediately. It took several years of trying various medications and combinations thereof to find those which seem to work for me. I also attend weekly counseling.

And, even if your symptoms are under control, you'll still have your up and your down days, just like "normal people do.

The last thing you want to think about is suicide. I often suffer from suicidal ideations and have tried it twice, fortunately without success. If you feel your out of control, dial 911 immediately.

Continue to maintain your grasp on hope that things will get better and they will.

This information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional.

Michael(Jikan)