SilverProteus
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25 Mar 2008, 3:04 pm
Liverbird
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25 Mar 2008, 3:27 pm
25 Mar 2008, 4:49 pm
Melly wrote:
lightening020 wrote:
general anxiety or social anxiety..........is it possible to just do so many things so outrageous that you no longer feel nervous?????
like if you are nervous in class can you literally raise your hand and speak enough times to get rid of the feeling so the next time you raise your hand you wont feel nervous?
like if you are nervous in class can you literally raise your hand and speak enough times to get rid of the feeling so the next time you raise your hand you wont feel nervous?
I have a multiple part answer... but I would say it's possible to cure anxiety rather than kill it. I will never be a public speaker-- my sympathetic nervous system kicks in no matter how much I tell it to chill. But I've been helped quite a bit with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). It doesn't have to be hard-- like, my therapist cured my phone anxiety (I used to panic whenever my phone rang, and wouldn't answer if I didn't know who it was and why they were calling!) by walking me through the logic of what callers could reasonably expect. Now I'm comfortable saying "let me think that over and get back to you" instead of feeling like an idiot if I couldn't answer any question instantaneously and decisively.
CBT also helped with social anxiety somewhat-- kind of talking through the "what are you afraid will happen" and "how would the worst possible outcome be worse than where you are now?" For me the answer was pretty much "I have no friends now, I couldn't have FEWER friends, why not just say something?" I also get really anxious when people ask me to do stuff... I've trained myself to say "sure, when?" instead of "what time? where? who with? when will it be over?" etc. etc.
I take antidepressants and have an ativan prescription for more extreme moments of anxiety. I'm pretty proud that I haven't had to use them in quite a while. I'm getting much better at talking myself down and not obsessing about details (and not imagining that my social life could get LESS dire...)
As for talking in class... my therapist would say "do you think less of other people when they have a question or make a point you don't agree with?" As long as no one is openly mocked, and no one throws stuff at people who ask stupid questions, and the teacher is not some kind of rude moron, nothing bad will happen, and you will become more comfortable. (sure, I mentally mock people who ask stupid questions, but I don't actually hold it against them and I would never say anything to them... and often I'm grateful to them for getting clarification that I might have needed.)
Good luck!
Melly, you need to be careful with that CBT. That stuff can change you who are and you could end up a totally different person. Particularly your personality. Why would you want to do that to yourself?
I'm kidding, of course.
I've read some things on CBT and it sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing.
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