By Tanya Ruckstuhl-Valenti LICSW, MSW
Image by benchilada via Flickr
I’m writing a book, tentatively titled “From Misfit to Ms Wit” about social anxiety disorder because in my work with people with PTSD, depression and ADHD I’ve noticed that social anxiety disorder is like a backpack condition: it often comes along with other mental health conditions and it slows healing down.
Why? Because without a tribe of people to check out our experiences and perceptions with, we are left trying to figure everything out on our own, or trying to solve issues with the limited perspective of immediate family members, so the effect of social anxiety disorder is greater than mere loneliness: it decreases functioning.
Additionally, because we humans experience ourselves relationally (meaning we form our identities based upon the qualities we are told we contain) limited social connections amputate a major venue for self awareness.
I belong to no less than three consult groups and on top of that have weekly lunch dates with various therapist friends. I tell folks that I do this so that I can appear more intelligent than I really am, but it really does make me better at what I do. Hearing what trainings my friends are attending, the outcomes of research they are reading and creative interventions they have successfully used allows me to expand my knowledge and abilities.
My goal is to try to post excerpts of the book on this blog every two weeks as a way to help me stay productive because it’s amazing how appealing doing laundry is when I have time I could spend writing.
Any comments, questions, disagreements etc… are welcome!
Related articles
- What is social anxiety disorder? (zocdoc.com)
- Blog for Mental Health 2012 (gypsy116.wordpress.com)
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I’m looking forward to reading your book; I went through social anxiety for a portion of my life and it was no fun, to say the least. I wrote a self-help autobiography and I touch on certain examples of when the anxiety took over me. I then go into how I mitigated the issues. Great post and I look forward to sharing more with you:))
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Hello Tanya,
Very interesting, I am a freshmen in school this calendar year and I am rather certain I have social stress condition. I don’t undoubtedly want to discuss to my mom and dad about seeing a psychiatrist to get medication. I do not have insurance policies or nearly anything but I would be willing to devote some moolah to go to a psychiatrist and get meds. How will ideally i procedure this predicament and how a lot of would it cost to see a psychiatrist and get antidepressants?
I look forward to your next post
Hi Angela: if you are a freshman in college, I would encourage you to see your school medical clinic for therapy and possible medication. If you are a highschool freshman I would suggest you see your medical doctor and ask for a referral to a local theapist. Start with therapy before resorting to medication as often times symptoms can resolve with mental health services alone and not require psychotropic medication. Best of luck to you and let me know how you are doing!
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Hi Tanya,
Social anxiety affects so many people yet most are unwilling to seek treatment because they see themselves are defective. Your book sounds like it will be great.
Stress and anxiety, regarding many people, can happen with no forewarning therefore it may take a great deal of physical and emotional symptoms by it. Just how the body responds on the panicky…Anxiety
I feel guilty that every time I have to go to a social event I suffer through a panic attack. My heart begins to race, my head light, and I just feel nauseous. I hate feeling so horrible each time I want to try to go out somewhere. I am battling to overcome this anxiety and I think sites like http://onlineceucredit.com/edu/social-work-ceus-tpa are helpful because I am finding ways to help myself not feel so overwhelmed before leaving my house. I definitely think it’s making a difference in my life and I encourage you to take a look!
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