Severe depression/Social Anxiety. Need advise?

Hi...I won't go into detail but i have EXTREME depression and social anxiety. It has bothered me since i was about 6 ( I am a 17 yr. old male)....I was scared of going to Hell when i was about 6-12 years old and i was too afraid to do anything. I have no friends and never have had many at all.......................I try to overcome my social anxiety by forcing myself into social situations but that just makes it WORSE...I tried starting a conversation and i just cannot function socially with other human beings. I stutter, but i don't have a stuttering problem. It just keeps getting WORSE................as for the depression, it's just as bad. When i'm around people I get physically dizzy, disoriented, and scared because of my anxiety........................Are there any medications for what i have? I would appreciate any advise.

Severe depression/Social Anxiety. Need advise?
Yes -- you should try medications! I'm sorry I don;t know specifics, but my brother has been on meds for depression and social anxiety for years. It makes a big difference for him. Talk to your doctor asap.





As far as other stuff -- whatever you feel comfortable with -- keep doing it. Online socializing is great. There are plenty of careers that you can do without dealing with people very much, so at your age you should be thinking about that. Would you want to be a research scientist or a writer? Not that many people stay friends with the people they are friends with when they are in high school, so no worries there either.
Reply:Hi, i am not a doctor, but yeah i do think this could be a minor chemical imbalance that can be easily treated with the right drug...if it is serious enough, which it sounds like...but you should also try to sit down and think about what could be the source of those feelings, get a journal, write your feelings down, it helps.





let your parents know how you feel, and i am sure they would be the best thing to do here and find you the right doctor etc... Good luck!!
Reply:Counseling and medication together are both necessary. I have major depression also, as well as just about all the differenty types of anxiety there are. It's a terrible combination, as you well know.





Seriously - medication and counseling both.
Reply:Your anxiety won't be cured with drugs. Drugs are addictive and very dangerous for people under 18 years old.


Anxiety is caused by thought patterns, nothing more. "Chemical imbalance" is a meaningless term invented to sell billions in drugs.


You can learn to change your thoughts (it takes some time and effort) and by doing so, you can eliminate your anxiety forever. Most people don't believe this, and always get doctors to give then pill$, but the truth is, the "fear" you feel is false - there is nothing to be afraid of. You know you are in no real danger. It makes it worse because you haven't learned the skills to get rid of this anxiety.


Your depression is caused by your feelings of failure, hopelessness, isolation, and feeling like a mental case- you are not any of those things. There is nothing physically or mentally wrong with you. Your brain is stuck and you need to "over-ride" those pathways by practicing certain techniques. Any scientist will agree with me.
Reply:There are medications that will help with some of this, they have a period of adjustment in your system, and side effects that you need to be aware of. You sound like you would also benefit more from some kind of counseling, since you are 17 could a school counselor be an option? It sounds like you have had this long enough and each time you feel it coming on it is worse, it could be triggering panic attacks, You should see a doctor also. They can recommend others who will help you work through this. I would also read the book "The Power of Positive Thinking" It can get better quite quickly with help. I hope you feel better soon.
Reply:Yes there are many meds that can help you.But you will need to see and get diagnosed by a doctor.


Acouple i know of are Zoloft,Prozac,Paxil.These are just a few,but there are many out there.


Just so you know ,there are lots of people out there like yourself.And you may not want to get on meds,or are scared.But it dramatically change your social anxiety,and depression.


It can take alittle while for it level off in your blood,but you will notice,and feel a change.But once again you need a doctor to monitor your level.


Remember getting past that first hurdle of seeing a doctor is the hardest.


Hope this helps friend,and good luck
Reply:i take dramamine for the dizziness, it works great but does make me a little sleepy. antidepressants and benzodiazapines help a lot with the anxiety. benzodiazapines are sedatives. thats what i take because i cant handle anti deprressants. i take clonazepam but there is also xanax and a few others. there are also seritonan uptake inhibitors which are supposed to stop them before they start. i havent tried that yet. if you ever need someone to talk to i'm around on yahoo a lot.... kristeena911
Reply:Sorry to hear of your situation. I am 27 now and was about your age when I finally started recieving mental health help along with medication. It has taken these 10 years to get good and stable. I am one of the lucky ones. So many dont have it so good. The good about your situation and mine is that we both know/knew something was wrong. There is help for you! Praise God! John 3:16 !!!!!!! With Prayer, Medication, Counceling, and Faith in God you can and will get better. I did!!!





p.s In no way can i diagnos you but it sounds like you have post traumatic stress disorder---good luck and God Bless
Reply:yep there is zoloft all kinds of medication for it ...why dont u try breathing techniques first you really dont want to get hooked on meds for ......this breathing technique helped my friend she has the same issue try and do these everday





Place one hand just above your belt line, and the other on your chest, right over the breastbone. You can use your hands as a simple biofeedback device. Your hands will tell you what part of your body, and what muscles, you are using to breathe.


Open your mouth and sigh, as if someone had just told you something really annoying. As you do, let your shoulders and the muscles of your upper body relax down with the exhalation. The point of the sigh is not to completely empty your lungs - it's to relax the muscles of your upper body.


Pause, for a few seconds.


Close your mouth. Inhale SLOWLY through your nose by pushing your stomach out. The movement of your stomach precedes the inhalation by just the tiniest fraction of a second, because it's this motion which is pulling the air in. When you've inhaled as much air as you can comfortably (without throwing your upper body into it), just stop. You're finished with that inhale.


Let Your Hands Be Your Guide!





Your hands will tell you if you're doing this correctly or not. Where is the muscular movement of the breathing? You want it to occur at your stomach; your upper body should be relatively still. If you feel movement in your chest, or notice your head and shoulders moving upwards, start again at Step 1, and practice getting the motion down to your stomach.





Pause. How long? You decide. I'm not going to give you a specific count, because everybody counts at a different rate, and everybody has different size lungs. Pause briefly for whatever time feels comfortable. However, be aware that when you breathe this way, you are taking larger breaths than you're used to. For this reason, it's necessary to breathe more slowly than you are used to. If you breathe at the same rate you use with your small, shallow breaths, you will probably feel a little lightheaded from overbreathing. It's not harmful. If that happens, it's a signal to slow down. Follow it!


Open your mouth. Exhale through your mouth by pulling your stomach in.


Pause.
Reply:Ok....antipressants can be dangerous for young ppl under the age of 17 to take. As for medications that can help with anxiety and depression...I have had success with Effexor XR and Trazodone. Both are used to treat both symptoms you mentioned. I have been diagnosed with Clinical Depression and SAD (Social anxiety disorder). The Effexor and Trazodone have allowed me to function again. I am in sales so having anxiety about being in social situations really wasn't working out real well. It sounds to me like you need to speak to a professional about the issues you are having. Be sure to do a lot of research and get educated about the different medications available on the market right now. Cymbalta is supposed to be good for treating both the emotional %26amp; physical symptoms of depression. Also be active in your treatment and don't be afraid to seek help. You can get help and live a normal life. I am!