Anyone Here Have Social Anxiety?

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I will be starting school FINALLY this fall...not NS yet just pre reqs. I was wondering if any of you have an anxiety issue. I haven't been in school for 10 years, been raising my kiddos, and I am scared to death. I have always hated getting in front of the class to do a oral report, my face would get red and i would shake. I am taking a med to help me but still i am so freaked out.

Any one else????

Cheryl

mommy to 4

Specializes in Home health, Med/Surg.

What I would like to pass on to you as the daughter of a person with generalized anxiety disorder is that no one is thinking about you as much as you are!! I am much more pe-occupied thinking about myself than I ever will be with anyone else and that is true of most people. The cold hard fact is that the people that are most critical of others are the people who are the most insecure within themselves. Never let another person stop you from fulfilling your dreams. We are all insecure, but it is only people who are extremely insecure who ridicule and make others feel less valuable than others. Whenever someone tries to make me feel "less than" I feel sorry for them because I know that they are feeling intimidated by me. You are the only person who can keep you from attaining your highest goals and aspirations. I know this from experience.

Best wishes to you !!

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I can relate to how you feel. I prefer working alone, absolutely hate group projects, but I will go to others for help when needed. Lab was a little difficult, but I would seek out the help of others when needed. Most of the time I watched videos and studied on my own, and took really good notes when new skills were being demonstrated. A comment was made on my clinical eval from one of my instructors this past semester said that I seemed to be "the loner of the group," however it went on to say that I had excellent bedside manner. The bottom line is I work alone, will seek help when needed, and don't really care what the others think. I am here to become a nurse and that is what I am going to do.

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YES! I started taking Celexa and it helps. I found that oral presentations were less nerve-wracking than having my instructor hovering over during procedures. Shaky hands.

I have been taking Celexa for a few years now to help control anxiety. It does help!!! What would I do without my Celexa?

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When I read this post and the replies, I thought WOW, I'm obviously not alone! Cdeitrich, I understand you!!! Thank you for having the guts, and putting this up. As well as many people that posted on this too. Most people that don't have some type of anxiety disorder does NOT understand how much we suffer inside our heads. It's a constant struggle. I have had an anxiety "disorder" or whatever you want to call it for about 5 years. You name it, I had depression, PANIC ATTACKS (i hate em), social anxiety--Is my NEW foe. B/c I always thought of myself as a social person, never knew I'd ever develop this such case, but I did. At work, I am very anti-social and nervous...I dread going to work all the time. I will probably go to Nursing School sometime in 2008, or even Fall '07. Things I am really scared of when I envision myself in NS:

in order:

1.) Oral presentations (afraid of acting stiff and frozen due to my fears)

2.) Working w/groups & projects

3.) working in clinical settings and interacting w/patients and demanding clinical instructors.

When I imagine it, I am afraid I'll crumble, and never want to return to school. I know I won't though, because my goals and motivation are way too strong. I don't understand HOW i got to be this way, or what caused it. I go out with my friends, and I'm comfortable, but meeting new people.... I'm very apprehensive.. even when co-workers want to hang out with me. I don't want them to think I'm stuck up... I had taken an anti-depressant 5 years ago, and it totally helped which I stopped maybe 8 months after.... but my issue never FULLY went away. It comes and goes in phases.... right when I think I'm over it... the anxiety transfers elsewhere... into some other aspect of my life. ie, now, where I am experiencing for the first time - SOCIAL ANXIETY. I never REALLy got counseling..

I try to tell myself "mind over matter" just like Zanibo in this blog mentioned.. but it's very hard to overcome such fears. I know I can get over it though, that's for sure (one day), and I know we all can get over it no matter how severe. I feel imprisoned within my own life and I just want to break free from all these waste-of-time worries. These fears are only making my life shorter b/c the time spent on them is just such a waste of time when I could be thinking about other worthwhile things.

I am SO sick of it, and I'm glad this post is up. I feel that medication would be a temporary fix... am I wrong? I would greatly appreciate what has worked for people, especially counseling or anything non-prescriptive. Please feel free to message me ... any feedback would greaaatly be appreciative!!

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I remember when I had to teach a lesson in church a few years ago. I planned it for a month and just before I had to teach, I looked down and I could literally SEE my heart pounding in my chest! My secret? I decided NOT to let my audience know how nervous I was. I pretended that I was completely comfortable talking in front of everyone. You know what? I deserved an Academy Award for that performance, because when I was done about 12 people came up to me afterwards and commented that I had given the best lesson they had ever heard! I'm not kidding, it works. I did the same thing in my speech class over a year ago and got lots of compliments after a big presentation... and it DOES get easier with practice!

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I did not take Celexa during my first year because I felt talking drugs was a crutch. In fact, I never took any of this class of drug, despite having serious issues and learned a lot of coping methods over the years that helped me function on a very high level. But despite all the coping mechanisms, I still felt the anixiety, I just plowed through it or around it or faked that I was fine.

I passed fine in the first year -- although one of my instructors and two RNs I worked with did comment on my shakiness and frowning.

I decided to try the antidepressant/antianxiety med for the second year and I'm glad I did. It wasn't so much that I was so much better during clinicals, but that I enjoyed it more and didn't feel as freaked out as I had previously.

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Specializes in Critical Care: Cardiac, VAD, Transplant.

I was also a SAHM for years and also have this problem. Unfortunately, after 3 years of school so far (and that was just the prereq's) I am still socially inept. People often think I am anti-social and I have a very hard time making friends. I have been able to do most of my oral presentations as long as it doesn't involve talking about myself. To add to the problem, I do not drink, therefore I miss out on the 'after class' or 'after exam' activities. People seem to be uncomfortable around me when I go with and just order a coke, so I stopped going and miss out on alot of social activities. I just am not good at small talk.

bookworm1

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I was also a SAHM for years and also have this problem. Unfortunately, after 3 years of school so far (and that was just the prereq's) I am still socially inept. People often think I am anti-social and I have a very hard time making friends. I have been able to do most of my oral presentations as long as it doesn't involve talking about myself. To add to the problem, I do not drink, therefore I miss out on the 'after class' or 'after exam' activities. People seem to be uncomfortable around me when I go with and just order a coke, so I stopped going and miss out on alot of social activities. I just am not good at small talk.

bookworm1

That is so sad. This could have described me, except that once I get to know someone, even a little bit, out of nervousness, I start to blurt out anything that is on my mind. The weird thing is, people find what I'm thinking HILARIOUS (although I'm almost never actually trying to be funny). First semester I was the outcast and the class weirdo. Now I'm popular and the class clown. Go figure!

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Specializes in Psych Charge RN/ Med Surg/Float Nurse.

I have problems with this as well. I'm sure it will be my greatest obstacle in nursing school. But I'm confident I will be able to meet the challenge. I feel like if I can manage this, I can do anything.

I have it so bad that I even have trouble talking on the phone to people I don't know well. The bad thing is that dh has this problem too so ordering pizza was a huge negotiation at my house until online ordering became available!

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I have problems with this as well. I'm sure it will be my greatest obstacle in nursing school. But I'm confident I will be able to meet the challenge. I feel like if I can manage this, I can do anything.

I have it so bad that I even have trouble talking on the phone to people I don't know well. The bad thing is that dh has this problem too so ordering pizza was a huge negotiation at my house until online ordering became available!

Heh heh. If I go to a restaurant, I tell the person I'm with what I want and pretend I have to go to the bathroom and hope they've ordered for me when I get back. I will also wait in line to use the ATM at the bank rather than walk up to a free teller to make a transaction.

It's really nuts what I will go through to avoid interaction -- even with people I know pretty well. I never answer the phone. I always wait to see who it is and what they want, and then try to return calls when I think they won't be home (leave message on their answering machine).

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Specializes in Psych Charge RN/ Med Surg/Float Nurse.

It's really nuts what I will go through to avoid interaction -- even with people I know pretty well. I never answer the phone. I always wait to see who it is and what they want, and then try to return calls when I think they won't be home (leave message on their answering machine).

I do that too! I only have a very few people that I will actually answer the phone for. I have gotten better over the years though. Having kids makes you have to go outside your comfort zone quite a bit. Having to make dr.s appts. and things like that. I dread having to call the doctors when I'm a nurse! I just know that I'll feel so empowered after I do it though.

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This posting is a little bit old, but it reminded me of a classmate! He had terribly shaky hands whenever he was to do something for the instructor, and a trembly voice. He went to the doctor and got a prescription for propranolol (beta blocker) and the difference was amazing! He said he still felt a little nervous, but the physical symptoms of the nervousness were 99% better! You should try that, if you get this message...

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