So why can't I get used to social anxiety/ panic attacks the same way I get used to porn, food, gore etc. etc. ?
You got used to porn food and gore the same way? What are you doing to the food.
>>17146964
Shit man we aren't scientists. You want some advice on how to deal with it, we got you, but get out of here with this 'why' bullshit.
Bitch.
>>17146972
lol you're right
>>17146980
It just doesn't make any sense
Such a strange way to be
>>17146964
because you're reinforcing the response to the stimulus instead of desensitizing it.
anxiety follows a pattern of avoidance to the distressing situation. the avoidance helps get rid of the feeling of distress and is thus reinforced. i.e., you keep running away because you've found it to be viable. so instead of having your fears realized which would be one big fall, it appears to be too costly. so you deal with the milder feeling of anxiety albeit chronically. it's like having a small pain forever instead of one big pain just once. like when you obsess over getting an injection when it's just a small prick. you feed the fear instead of facing it and that only makes it grow.
desensitization happens when you're actually exposed to the stimulus over and over. in short, you're not actually exposing yourself to the stimulus (anxiety) as you've been with porn and food. you've just been running away the whole time.
here's a tip. just say that embarrassing thing that's stuck in your throat. if you're young, great. now's the best time to find out what you can and can't say and how best to say it. ask for the waiter's recommendation, talk to that person you wanted to say something to, do your report as best as you can even if you stutter. then you just keep doing it and it gets easier. because fucking up isn't that bad. letting it stop you is.
i used to be a bag of nerves. hell, i even understood why and that didn't change anything. then i just started doing stuff.
now i'm practically dead skin. i'm a walking callous.
>>17147011
I'll do it my man, I'll do it.
>>17147011
This is pretty insightful. Thanks anon
>>17147074
here's a bit more on the biological side too.
caffeine gives you anxiety. so does not sleeping. both raise your heartbeat. you might also produce too much cortisol. try drinking decaffeinated tea and getting some decent sleep. maybe try lecithin if you're willing to go a bit further.
then there's stuff that's a bit out there but works. 6g of taurine and 100-200mg niacinamide work. so does microdosing LSD.
this helps ease the learning curve while you're getting it through your skull that being with people isn't that bad.
hell, if you're gonna take my advice all the way, i'd suggest watching Neon Genesis Evangelion for the philosophical approach. has a relevant message on human relationships. being with people actually does hurt but it's up to you to find the value in it. being alone because you're scared gets you nowhere. to seek warmth you must open yourself to pain.
>>17147092
>to seek warmth you must open yourself to pain.
Holy fuck thanks man
I'm gonna read Seneca writings tho.
Do you think CBT and relaxation techniques are worth a shot tho?
Have you tried theanine?
>>17147132
>Do you think CBT and relaxation techniques are worth a shot tho?
They are effective and approved. But the best techniques are what I drew from earlier. Really just exposure therapy, literally exposing yourself to the problem. Could save some money by just handling it yourself. Personally, I'd recommend that as a psych major.
>Theanine
Great stuff. I just drink matcha. You don't get addicted, build a tolerance, or suffer from withdrawal. No anxiety. Helps you feel calm and relaxed without sedating. And combined with caffeine, is better than either alone at improving mental performance. It helps counteract the jitters you get from coffee. You might still get anxious though if you take it with caffeine.
The feeling you get is that your mind wanders. Ideally you should focus on something like your studies but it's fun enough to just explore topics. I can go 8 hours a day just thinking about stuff and talking to myself. Really fleshes out any ideas I come across. Which, I then bring into conversation with people.
I'd recommend soy lecithin because it's cheap and is good at lowering cortisol, while the estrogenic side effects aren't too bad.
On a broader outlook, I'd recommend looking at your anxiety problem as an opportunity to understand your life more. Solving this problem will lead you to understanding other problems. Eventually you get this nice synthesis of things and have solid ground on as a human being.
>>17147132
>I'm gonna read Seneca writings tho.
There is a danger in going into philosophy unguided. Philosophy isn't poetry where you wrap yourself in warm metaphorical blankets for fun. It has rigor and discipline. It's not just letting your mind wander.
Definitely a better idea to have a professor. You might be misunderstanding the text or making it fit your already preconceived notions.
Phenomenology has been good to me. Heidegger's take on death was great, and it's referenced over and over in popular film like Fight Club or American Beauty.
>>17147164
>On a broader outlook, I'd recommend looking at your anxiety problem as an opportunity to understand your life more. Solving this problem will lead you to understanding other problems. Eventually you get this nice synthesis of things and have solid ground on as a human being.
Nice!! I can solve this.
One last question, Im sorry!, I'm on a benzo withdrawal, do you think time will heal me?
I think benzos are ok if you don't take them daily...
>>17147182
Well.. I think Seneca's writing are pretty straightforward... After all they're letters to a friend!
>>17147228
Benzos aren't the best out there. There are better anxiolytics that have less shitty sides. Withdrawal's pretty bad for benzos. Talk to whoever's prescribing you the stuff for a regimen to get off benzos.
>I think benzos are ok if you don't take them daily...
Replace benzos with any addictive drug, and you've got one of the last things people say before they fall to addiction. You've already got withdrawal, which is one of the symptoms needed to make a diagnosis for substance use disorder. Addicts think they're special. The drugs show them they aren't. Talk to your doc now. That they're not even monitoring you isn't a good sign if you actually do have withdrawal symptoms.
You might be better off just drinking beer and matcha for the GABA.
Of course, I don't know the extent to which you can solve your problems on your own. I don't suggest not taking therapy, but the ideal case is that treatment doesn't become something permanent.
>>17147278
I actually tapered them and I hadn't taken them in 10 months, I'm planning to be benzo-free for at least 18-24 months, and then I don't think I'm going to need them.
>You might be better off just drinking beer and matcha for the GABA.
Yes! I want to be free to drink whenever I want.
And yeah SSRI's are useless for anxiety and on top of that they have shit side effects.
> I don't suggest not taking therapy, but the ideal case is that treatment doesn't become something permanent.
I will, I can afford it.
>>17147306
Alright then. Good luck to you. You now have philosophy, therapy, and medication.
Theory is one thing, practice another. Praxis is when you effectively use both. Don't let this exchange fall as useless headspace. Apply yourself and see how reality responds to your discourse with it. That's phenomenology 101.
>>17147323
