I would like some advice from people that know about Anxiety Issues ?

Well let me simply put it I suffer from anxiety issues.


Meaning I've got a hard time keeping my end of the conversation alive, expressing myself, and sounding articulate.





I've suffered from this so called : ';Social Anxiety'; for as long as I can remember. Recently I went to a social worker for help and advice and to be honest she wasn't much of a help.





Now If there's anyone out there who suffers from anxiety issues like myself, I was just curious in wondering how do work it out and get through it ?





I currently have a job lined up and I am required to call the employer, however as you can probably guess it's extremely difficult for me to convey what I want to say in person, let alone talking on the phone. I hate talking on the phone





Advice please ?I would like some advice from people that know about Anxiety Issues ?
before calling them up to talk, practice what you're gonna say by talking to yourself... if needed, write down everything u have to say so that you won't forget in case anxiety sets in... also, calm yourself down... keep reassuring yourself that this is something you can overcome and something you can control.. tell yourself it's not so scary after all.. you need to do plenty of self talk to make yourself strongI would like some advice from people that know about Anxiety Issues ?
First, let me say that I am not a medical professional, just a person who has dealt with anxiety and depression firsthand and has a keen interest in psychological issues. What I am about to say is my own opinion and not to be considered as advice from an expert.





The kind of anxiety you describe is not a character flaw or weakness. It's not your fault. It is a brain chemistry malfunction. The chemical messengers in your brain that control your emotions are sending out distress signals that are way out of proportion to the actual situation. In other words, a situation that would be normal for someone else feels like a crisis to you.





There are anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications that work very well to restore the normal balance of your brain chemicals and relieve your excessive anxiety. What I would advise you is to see a psychiatrist or other MD practitioner who is qualified to prescribe these medications. Some of them have side effects and they don't work equally well for everyone, so you might have to be patient and be willing to try different kinds until you find the one that is right for you.





You may get a lot of responses from people who are against using drugs and who are in favor of more ';natural'; ways to feel better such as meditation, breathing exercises or positive self-talk. That's fine. These things can all be helpful. I'm just saying that my own experience with drugs has been a positive one that has changed my life for the better. My only regret is that I waited so long.





I hope you can find the solution that works for you, whatever that may be. You deserve to live a normal, productive life free of anxiety. Good luck, and I hope the job interview will go well for you.





One thing that might help you with talking on the phone is to first think of the ideas you want to get across to your prospective employer, then write down some phrases in advance that express what you want to say. Then while you are on the phone you can refer to these phrases to prompt yourself if you get ';stuck.';
I have it too and it sucks. I saw a therapist twice and it didn't really help either. People who have this have all of these irrational thoughts that need to be eliminated. I found out about CBT and I did some on my own. I found out about an audio series that helped me out a lot. Its called 'Overcoming Social Anxiety Step-By-Step'. I downloaded it for FREE and listened to the tapes and read the notes that came with it. I noticed my thinking patterns slowly started to change and I gained more and more confidence over time. I am not cured, but I am a lot better, so I higly recommend CBT. You have to want to get better and never give up in order for it to work. I have issues expressing myself and being articulate as well trust me. Its one of the things that causes my anxiety. I always fear that I will sound like an idiot in front of people. I am still a work in progress, so I am thinking of attending group therapy soon. I wasn't ready at first, but now I am. I believe the cognitive therapy trained me to be the way I am today.





As far as talking on the phone...


I think maybe you should practice what you are going to say. Write it down if you want. Read it to yourself slowly and they do it again without looking. Take a deep breathe and keep telling yourself you can do it to counteract the thoughts in your mind. If you keep doing this, you will get better and better, trust me. Good luck with your progress.





Edit: I just looked at your profile and noticed you said you don't know what to do with your life. Well I am in the same boat and I am older than you. Sometimes it takes awhile. Right now, focus on getting better.
I've had anxiety all my life. The best things that ever happened to me, is eating low carb. I know that seems like the dumbest answer. Seriously though, eating carbs makes your heart race a little faster. So will caffiene. So cutting those out as much as possible and instead of regular carbs, try the ones that have lots of protein and fiber(low glycemic ones).





As for if your having an actual attack...a therapist once told me to start looking at something in the room like a picture and go over it in your head. For example it's a picture of a boat. Tell yourself about the boat. Is it a sailboat, a speed boat, what color.





As for the calling. I have that too. Think of reasons to call stores and ask them if they carry such and such. Instead of writing what you want to say, just write down things like price, quantity, etc. and each time you call...try to embellish your questions. Try and think of something funny to say if the person is nice. Another good thing to do is to try and go out to eat alone and talk to the wait staff. This is very hard to do, but my therapist had me do it. Talk yourself through it. What's the worst thing that can happen? Then answer them. So many times we just think what's the worst and then we don't come up with an answer of how we can handle it. That's what makes us stronger. Your such a great looking guy and from your questions it's totally obvious how kind and smart you are. I hope you can work on it and find your strength.
I have social anxiety as well (social phobia)





Talk to your doctor. They have prescriptions called Beta Blockers which I would only recommend if your symptoms are severe: sweating, heart pounding, panic attacks. Actors use them to subdue the physical side effects of anxiety.





You might also try a mild antidepressant.





The only thing that will actually cure you is cognitive behavior therapy which is basically re-training your self to think differently. It involves breathing exercises and monitoring your negative thoughts. I guess alot of people have this problem. It can be overcome. I still have it but I can identify it and know how to cope with it in everyday life. Try going on to different websites and reading about it as much as possible. The more you know the more you'll be able to control it. By the time I went to see my doctor I knew more about it than he did and pretty much told him what to prescribe me. Good luck. And remember, everyone gets nervous. It's natural. Everyone is self concious to some degree.
Quick answer for the phone call:


Instead of ';winging'; the answer when you call. Write out what you want to say. Ask yourself what questions they may ask you and have those answers ready. If they ask you a question and you don't know the answer, be honest and say ';I don't know, but I can find out and get back with you.'; I used the last line during an interview once and three years later my supervisor said I got the job because I was willing to admit I didn't know everything. No one expects you to be perfect.





Working on social anxiety: toastmasters is a great place to start. But if that sounds too overwhelming, try a different therapist. Some are better than others. Check your insurance on the web and type in looking for a therapist who specializes in anxiety. Lastly, try the workbook ';The anxiety and stress management workbook.'; I suggest this alot, but as a therapist and knowing many people are still queasy about going to one, this is a good book to help. It asks you questions and gives you suggestions to use. It can be found in libraries or even on Amazon (at least I am sure it can be)