I’ve been doing alot of research, and I think I may have Social Anxiety Disorder, or at least some form of it. I know there’s something more to it than me just being shy. Anyway, I don’t know who to approach. My regular doctor? Or a psychiatrist? I really just don’t know, and also does anyone know how they go about helping you deal with it/ overcoming it? Thanks for any help!
Social anxiety disorder is mostly a psychological problem so I would advise you to go to a psychologist. You can significantly reduce your social anxiety through a variety of interesting strategies without medications. Control Your Reaction to Fear – Overcoming these reactions is as simple as learning relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and self hypnosis; Prepare Yourself Mentally – Rather than let your fear of embarrassment or humiliation overwhelm you in social settings, role play a few scenarios in advance to make sure you are well prepared for any challenging situations. If you are prepared for things that can go wrong and you know what to do and say in those awkward moments, you will have the confidence to keep calm and handle the situation well; Face Your Fears – Sometimes, our social fears does not stem from a lack of social skills, but rather from a sense of insecurity and a lack of esteem. By stepping outside your comfort zone and placing yourself in uncomfortable situations such as speaking in front of your peers or complimenting someone, and doing it repeatedly, the easier it becomes. Soon you will soon realize that there is actually nothing to fear from most people and you may even enjoy and laugh about it; Positive Visualization And Affirmation – The way you think strongly influences the way you feel. The realization that only you can control how you think, and how those thoughts control you, is an important step in overcoming social anxiety. When those thoughts, such as “I’m going to fail” or “they will make fun of me” begin making their way into your mind, challenge those negativity and replace them with more realistic, calmer thoughts. Tell yourself that you are capable, confident, and wonderful to combat those negative thoughts. Positive visualization and affirmation are helpful in motivating you along the road to curing yourself of this problem and improving your self worth. Some people have found reading various Self Help Article to be of benefit in overcoming their Anxiety like this one I posted below.
I recently was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, ptsd, dysthymia, and major depressive disorder. I have also been cutting off and on for 18 yrs. My therapist suggested I attend dbt classes and am just wondering if anyone has done them. What should I expect, did they help? I am scheduled to go to a precommitment class on Oct. 5th and am nervous and any info would be appreciated.
I was in a DBT group for a few months.
The textbook is very helpful. There are all sorts of techniques you can learn to handle stress.
The one that has helped me the most is Distraction.
This is when you choose to do something (an activity) instead of worrying.
Be careful not to get stressed out with the homework.
This was a problem for me at that time.
Good Luck Try it out.
So I’ve read that high intelligence is a risk factor for anxiety/depression, is this true? I had an intelligence test as a child and scored well above average and had major anxiety issues and depression so I’m wondering if being smart is way over rated.
That’s true – having a highly developed cerbral cortex, being intelligent, artisic and sensitive. Watch for suicidal tendencies.
Especially disorders like narcissism and schizoid personality. Do you feel bad for them or are they just jerks?
I think this question is a judgment call. I agree with several of the posts on here. Personality disorders are illnesses as well–most people probably don’t view it that way because they don’t "SEE" anything physically wrong with most sufferers because it’s not like cancer, chicken pox, or leprosy. No one has the right to judge anybody or just throw labels around. Some individuals may indeed use an illness or diagnose their own mental illness to their advantage, but that’s not our call to make. I have bi-polar disorder, and we’re all human beings. Just like if someone who doesn’t have a mental illness has a bad day, we have them, too. Just because you are around people or work with people who have mental illnessness doesn’t mean you know everything about the illness or what they’re going through, nor does it give you the right to judge them…
So my final answer is that you have to wear the hat before you can determine the fit.
What are the most common symptoms in both manic and depressive episodes of bipolar?
Symptoms of mania or a manic episode include: include:
Mood Changes
A long period of feeling "high," or an overly happy or outgoing mood
Extremely irritable mood, agitation, feeling "jumpy" or "wired."
Behavioral Changes
Talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another, having racing thoughts
Being easily distracted
Increasing goal-directed activities, such as taking on new projects
Being restless
Sleeping little
Having an unrealistic belief in one’s abilities
Behaving impulsively and taking part in a lot of pleasurable,
high-risk behaviors, such as spending sprees, impulsive sex, and impulsive business investments.
Symptoms of depression or a depressive episode
Mood Changes
A long period of feeling worried or empty
Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex.
Behavioral Changes
Feeling tired or "slowed down"
Having problems concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
Being restless or irritable
Changing eating, sleeping, or other habits
Thinking of death or suicide, or attempting suicide.
If someone starts having panic attacks and depression after recreational drug use, will the problems go away eventually? Even if this person has stopped the drug use and the anxiety and panic and depression is still there 9 months later?
Maybe your anxiety and depression have absolutely nothing to do with the drug use. If it’s been 9 months since you’ve used, there might be a more severe underlying problem. That actually may be the reason you used in the first place. Many times, people that suffer from emotional problems use drugs to self medicate or escape their feelings. You should go see a psychiatrist, therapist, or counselor to discuss these issues to get to the root of your anxiety and depression.
Best of luck 
I have several mental disorders; bipolar, OCD, paranoia/hallucinations, possible bpd, etc. been on every prescription medication you can possibly think of and none of them have helped. I just started taking st johns wort, and 5 htp. Any other good ones out there that I could take with those? And are there any as needed ones, that do the same thing as ativan?
A good herbal remedy for mental disorder is indian herb Brahmi which is available here in USA
in capsule form as well as in tonic form. You also get it in granulated powder form and you can
mix it with either milk/juice/smoothie etc., take your pick. Good luck and God bless. Cheers! 
)
I suffer from weird mental symptoms of depression and anxiety due to problems i faced and still face since 3 yrs.. some of these symptoms are irrational thoughts and breathing problems.. what i want to know is that when i fix my problems and get out of depression, will these weird symptoms go?? Will i return normal? Please ppl who don’t know don’t answer thx I prefer answers from ppl who experienced these symptoms before.
Yes definitely you will return to your normal self. Anxiety & depression create a lot of weird thoughts, u can get out of the shower and all of a sudden your heart is beating fast, you find you can’t breathe properly, you want someone to help, but .. how will they understand??! The thing is, sometimes you can’t fix things by yourself, sometimes you need help. Sometimes you have to tell someone how you actually feel. Three years is a long time to carry it by yourself, let someone else help you! Think about someone you can trust; email them, text them, write to them. Tell them you need to talk to someone, tell them what you need or don’t need from them (eg lectures about right & worng). It took me awhile to trust, & when I did, I had to choose the right people. They are out there sometimes you just have to let them know. Be brave. Good luck xx
or bipolar? my depression/anxiety is really getting in the way, and i’d like to know how other people have been affected/how they feel about it. do you ever feel like it’s unfair to be graded the same?
I dealt with the same thing throughout high school with my anxiety attacks, and it of course negatively conflicted with my grades.
It’s certainly unfair nowadays that teachers don’t consider students’ psychological difficulties, but then again – their job is merely to teach and be fair to the class as a whole. It is your responsibility to pull together the stress and depression for the benefit of your studies. When this happened to me, I didn’t depend on anyone but myself. I woke up one day and just stopped caring. I stopped caring about failure, what people think, and the outcome of my anxiety – it was only pressure that I didn’t need at all. This in turn boosted my confidence and allowed me to be more relaxed during class and concentrate on the select concepts instead of my anxiety. Remember – you are in control. Not the depression/anxiety. BE in control and do not give up no matter what obstacles come towards you. With each success story comes failure somewhere along the way.
My friend developed an anxiety disorder while working at her current company. They have assistance available, and she is taking advantage of that. However, though her immediate boss is working with her to reduce her stress and anxiety at work, the general manager is overriding these methods and making life at work difficult for my friend. She is beginning to think her days at this job are numbered and that she will be fired soon. Is this legal, or is it covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act?
I’m not sure if it is covered but if your friend has already been working there then I don’t see how she could get fired. If she did, it seems like a discrimination lawsuit could follow. Especially if the place of employment offers help and she is taking full advantage of that. Only in special circumstances could someone be fired for this.