Dear shygirl,

it doesn't sound to me like you have anxiety as such, maybe more social phobia than anything else. If however in a stressful situation you have any of the following, breathing problems, break out in a sweat, dizziness or blackouts, abdomen cramping, or neck and shoulder pain, etc. Then you would have a reason to believe you are suffering anxiety. Even simple noises that wouldn't normally annoy anyone else but annoy you to a high degree may indicate you have anxiety. Noises such as a loud tv, lots of people in a room all talking at once, the rattling of dishes, noisy children, tapping noises or anything repetitive etc. If you feel as though you are suffering anxiety, then there are anti depressants that can be prescribed by your doctor which will help you deal with it. People with social phobias find it nearly impossible to be in a room of people, whether it be a wedding, a party, a meeting, even everyday situations like going shopping can become a real problem. Low self esteem is usually the main cause of social phobias, causing you to feel as though you are being judged by others, people are watching you, even maybe that you are not as good as everybody else. The only way to tackle a social phobia is by finding ways to boost your self esteem. You may find you are able to do this by finding a job you really enjoy, joining a small group with people who share your interests, or just taking up activities that make you feel great about yourself. Self pampering is important in boosting your self esteem aswell.

Good luck...

Suzy

Well said suzy---i myself had a fear of social activity -- I avoided it as much as I could even at weddings and party and fun things I felt I would just pass out- and my face would turn bright red like everyone was starring at me-- sooooo I (after many years )went to my doctor it took me a while to go see her because I was imbarresed about it--she told me not to worry that there are soooo many people with this condition and she gave me paxil-- well it works now-- it took a while to work but now I feel I have control over it and go to events that I always used to avoid so trust me your not alone

go talk to your doc youll be surprised,
ashley

let me tell people I have beening suffering too I have asked my doctor for help but she said there is nothink for anxiety I still have low days and sucidal thoughts tryed everthink accupunture and hypnosis any more suggestions please

Dear onetube,

i'm very sorry that your doctor has told you there is nothing to treat anxiety. I am not sure why your doctor has told you this, because that is completely untrue. Some doctors still today will not accept anxiety as an illness and continue to tell sufferers it is all in their heads. I myself being a sufferer of severe anxiety find doctors such as these to be very ignorant. I would strongly suggest you go to another doctor who does actually treat and consult patients who have anxiety, a doctor who understands it a little better than the doctor you have been seeing. There are literally hundreds of different anti depressants on the market, and if you can find a doctor who has been treating patients with anxitey, he/she will also have a little experience in judging which type of anti depressant would suit you best, so that you don't have to experiment with all of them, just the ones that will possibly for you. Once you have found a medication that you feel good taking, you will then find you have patience, and a calmer frame of mind so you are better able to deal with stress. Anti depressants are also wonderful for controlling those racing thoughts we have when suffering from anxiety. Please do yourself a favour, and seek medical treatment from a doctor who knows a little about anxiety. You do not need to suffer any longer.

Regards,

suzy

First of all let me say that you are not alone with this condition.
I imagine there are tons of people out there who are scared to speak before a large group of people.
When I was in college, a classmate of mine was very scared of giving a seminar which was a part of our master's program. We used to kid him around and encourage him. It did no good. Eventually he went to a psychiatrist who prescribed something to calm him (dont know what it was). Anyway, he took that and finally gave the seminar.

I am into natural therapy somewhat. I believe herbs and other natural things can help with your situation. Doctor prescribed drugs can mask the symptoms, they will not change your condition.

I think there is a reason for your anxiety. I am not a doctor so I cannot say exactly what it is. However, I would like to suggest a combination of herbs and would like you to try them out.

Go to your natural foods store (like gnc or natures harvest) and ask them for two herbs: valerian root and hawthorn berries. Get them in liquid form and take a dropper full of each before you go to sleep. You can also take them before any social function.

The valerian is good for calming the nerves. The hawthorn is great for blood circulation and for the heart. A combination of these two should work very well for you. These herbs are not addictive, have no side effects and cost very little (about $20 for both)

if this does not work, then I suggest you see a naturopath who will not only understand your situation but suggest some herbs or homeopathic medicine to alleviate the symptoms.

Also, keep in mind that shyness is a virtue. I am sure you are very good at heart.

Best of luck!

I don't know what to tell you except to repeat everything that everyone else has said. I don't know how you feel about medication, but I know that there are some prescripts for that! I'm with you girl, I still feel kind of weird in large groups of people, especially if I don't know most of them. College is helping out with that though. Nothing better to help a person with shyness by living in a dorm with 200 people, and being 950 miles from home!

Good luck, and let us know what's going on!

Sarah