Sunday, June 19, 2011

How do I get help for Social Anxiety Disorder?

I saw a counselor at my college this year because I had trouble making friends at my college as a freshman. She said that it seems like I'm on the right track and I don't need to see her anymore. People on here and another forum say I have Social Anxiety Disorder. She never mentioned this to me nor have I ever discussed this with her. She did some cognitive therapy to change some irrational thoughts that I had. But it still seems like I have social anxiety. I did manage to make one friend at the end of my freshman year but that's it. I've been joining clubs and making conversation with people I know but I was never able to take it a step further and become good friends. I'm living in an on-campus apartment next year as a sopre with a few other people I don't know. I'm a little nervous that it will turn out like my freshman year where I can't make friends. I still get nervous talking to people and keep quiet in group conversations and I can't voice my opinion in groups at all or even make simple decisions because I'm afraid I'll make the wrong one and people will think negative of me. I did some research on it and got to really examine myself and realized that I do have a lot of the symptoms. Some of them like the decision making I never really discussed with her. I got a 69 on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Should I get a second opinion by seeing another counselor at my school and ask her? I want to do this because it's free and I don't want to see a psychiatrist unless medication is necessary and I don't want to offend the one I've been seeing by seeing someone else. How can I help myself on my own over the summer? How would I discuss this with the counselor? I just want to have a fun college life and get a girlfriend and be a fun outgoing person. Thank you.

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