Cure for Social Anxiety?

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I hear that unlike Asperger's this can be cured with therapy or whatever. Well, I just took a test that gave me off-the-charts high social anxiety results (I believe its true IRL too). I know some people with Asperger's are fortunate enough not to have it (all I got say is LUCKY you). I think I got socially anxious as a result of my parents' discouragement when I am socially unsuccessful when I was young. My dad always asked why I can't be normal (I never wanted to be normal). Now they gived up on me but the damage is already done. If I remember correctly in the 1st to 6th grade I actually tried to make social interactions. I gave up during the 9th grade and became somewhat like a mute, although, doing so I inherited many quirks, like being afraid of eating in public & interacting with teachers & other kids, just to name a few. The only place where I feel comfortable to hone my social skills is either on the internet (small talk is actually really easy on the internet) or with REALLY really quiet AS-like kids (and my best friend since before 6th grade). I went through three years of high school and I only attempted to socialize with one classmate.

Anyway, social anxiety is something rarely discussed in this forum. I have vaguely read about taking certain medications to ease the fear of social situations somewhere. IDC, if its only placebo and makes me BELIEVE that I am better, I just want to get better.

I have social anxiety. I took paxil and it worked wonders. I was actually smiling at people instead of looking down at the floor. I wasn't scared to go up to people and didn't have any more apprehensions about being in public or walking into a room. I didn't have a low self esteem, I am naturally shy and my parents made it worse because they never allowed me to socialize with other kids. You should DEFINITELY look into it. The side effects for me was that I was tired all the time, I wanted to take a nap throughout the day. It is also addictive, when I had to come off it when I was pregnant, I started to get dizzy spells, nothing major.

I had the same experience and side effects with Clonzopam. The result was amazing, but the side effects prevented me from concentrating in school so I stopped.

I'm surprised no one addresses social anxiety? Half of my social anxiety comes from knowing I'm an aspie and that I'm liable to do the wrong thing in social circumstances. I thought it was a major part of dealing with Aspergers, but maybe I was wrong...

So do I have talk to a doctor to get those medicines or I can get them at a pharmacy? I haven't explained my situation to my parents (like they care either).

I've read that aspies often respond well to MUCH smaller doses than normal, which also avoids the side effects.

Yes Mapler,

You have to talk to your doctor first. They should have no problem prescribing it if social anxiety interferes with your life. I can honestly say I would never have met my boyfriend if I wasn't on paxil. I feel like I am somewhat of an interesting person, with social anxiety, I was so nervous about letting loose and showing people who I really am.

Btw Mapler,

I think parents fail to understand that social skills do not come naturally to some people. My parents never taught me about how I should talk or how I should treat my friends. I remember giving up on being social at a young age as well. I always had cousins that came to my house, I was being mean to them because I had some girls who I thought were "cool" be mean to me. I guess I thought that was how you were supposed to act. Well my cousins started to shun me and some of my "friends" started to distance themselves from me. I realized that I wasn't being nice and people didn't want to be around me and that hurt a lot. I remember after that, I gave up on making friends. My parents could have easily told me, "that's not how you treat your friends." Or they could have said, "why don't you ask so and so to come over and play?" Instead, they thought having friends and being around "worldly" people is sinful (even though they weren't religious.) They just thought being around other kids would get me into trouble so they liked me not having friends and kept it that way. I never went to school dances or the mall or the movies as a kid, which is fine because I wouldn't even know what to do or how to act.

Right now I have a 5 year old son with asperger's. I am constantly monitoring play dates and making sure he is saying appropriate things so he can develop peer relationships in the future. He also goes to social skills groups and play with other kids, coordinated by an autism specialist. I feel like social skills are tools you need to learn to develop relationships or even get a job. Once you learn those skills you need to get the edge off, and that's what the meds did for me. It takes away the sick feeling in my stomach before going to a place with a lot of people. I didn't care how I walked, I didn't care how I looked or who was watching me. I am really contemplating getting back on paxil because every night before work I feel sick to my stomach and I can't sleep at night. The only reason why I am fighting against it is because it makes me not be able to concentrate like the previous poster said.

I was very much the same way. I sat alone every day at lunch never felt very well around people at school. Noone ever talked to me and I was always quiet and alone. Today I still am mostly alone. I am working on getting a job now though and trying to make some old acquaintances into friends. If they will accept me. I have hope that one day they will want to be my friend.

Yeah most of the medications you have to goto the doctor. There are a few other things that do help with it though that are completely natural. Vitamin B Complex will help a bit with anxiety. Some forms of severe anxiety are actually linked to very low levels of Vitamin B in your system. Drugs mostly only simulate making things better in your body. Which is often why you have to keep taking them for the same effect. Also why some drugs lead to failures of other organs. Not saying all anti anxiety meds do this, but there is plenty of evidence in a whole that some drugs do this. Vitamin B Complex is safe and natural and works with anything you take as well. Could add more foods with Vitamin B to your diet as well.

There is also St. John's Wort. That works really well at removing anxiety for me. Must be careful with it though don't take to many or take it along side any medications it can cause bad side effects if taken along with medications and stuff. Only side effect I have seen from it so far with me is sunlight is little brighter. Nothing sunglasses don't fix though.

The cure for social anxiety is called not giving a s**t. Seriously why let others affect you so? They dont care about YOU. I know realistically for an Aspie this is hard, but sometimes enough is enough isin't it?

I still feel social anxiety, but I just TRY to camly detach myself. Sigh, I guess it is hard aint it?

I'm unable to really adopt that "No one actually cares" mindset. It just doesn't click no matter how hard I try to assure myself it's true.

Also, REAL social anxiety causes severe physical reactions. Once a person's body becomes physically affected by stress, it stops being an issue of whether they can detach themselves or not. People start puking, headbanging, etc, and even people who don't show external symptoms might feel physically sick.

Hi, I'm new to these boards but have been aware of them for about a year now.

Anyway, I get very anxious just trying to call someone on the phone. It's also frustrating whenever i drop "hints" at the fact that I'd do just about anything with anyone and they never seem to get it, no matter how obvious I make it. I don't look down at the floor as much as I used to, but it's still hard for me to socialize and especially asking people to do something with me. I'm very depressed because of that. I was invited on Monday to see Zombieland on Friday, but they were a no-show and no indication that they even remembered. In other words, my life is just a bunch of

Im not sure how to cure social anxiety. Wish I knew how that didnt involve taking meds with lots of side effects. I heard that anti-anxiety meds have worse side effects and are more addictive then anti-depressants. Right now Im on an anti-depressant med that dosent help my anxiety levels. Even before I was aware of my social faux paus, SA has ruined my life in so many ways. It was one of the things that stole my childhood from me. Cant do anything bout that now.

Go to parties, drink a little bit of alcohol, then start talking to new people and saying anything you feel like saying without worrying..

Later on, go to more parties but drink less alcohol. Keep doing this until you can talk to people casually without any alcohol

Yeah, sometimes that can make things worse, especially if you're socially awkward to begin with.

I strongly agree with the general consensus about meds being the best option. I've been on Celexa (combined anti-anxiety/depressant) for two years and went from having absolutely no social life to having a different person hang out with me nearly every day: with zero anxiety at all. My social anxiety was pretty severe too: I found it nerve-wracking to go out of the house, let alone socialize.

My successes happened gradually, but in the long run, going on meds happened to be the best decision of my life.