Social Phobia and work?

piggeh

JemmaLouise20 wrote: »

From past experience when my mother rings up too book they will ask who she wants too see and what it is for.

If you have no preference, then tell them it doesn't matter. However if you are more comfortable talking to a male/female doctor then ask for whichever. If you remember a particular doctor in the past you found easy to speak to, maybe ask to see them.

If you are not comfortable in disclosing the true reason to the receptionist, I would imagine depression or stress are pretty common 'ailments' these days and wouldnt raise an eyebrow.

exitroute?

Do you go for regular smear tests? I do and the nurses at my surgery are really good. They have more time to talk and ask about general well being. They take blood pressure, weigh me and ask what exercise I am getting etc ..lots of general things that a GP might not do depending on the GP. They will ask about family history as well such as high blood presure and may arrange blood tests. If you dont go for smear tests, it would be a good idea to arrange one while you are at the surgery. You might find you can talk to one of the nurses but if not, its a worthwhile thing to do anyway.

QueenOfComps

problem solved.

fizzytrinket

what's the block on your telling your mum?

QueenOfComps

I just worry about how too tell her i have social phobia not that i wont tell her.

miamoo

piggeh wrote: »

Well, I was on Citalopram. It really dries your skin and you should take a lot of fluids when you're on it. It also puts you on a little downer before it starts to take effect after 4 or 5 days. However I would take it again despite the side effects (and side effects were short term) as it really helped me at the time to challenge my anxieties. Your GP will go through any side effects really.

Yes thats what I used along with propanalol, it really did work. took around 18 months for me to get right

exitroute?

I lost my Mum when i was your age and this will sound strange but I had all sorts of problems and my GP put me on a low dose contraceptive pill. It was like someone waved a magic wand. Within about 3 months I began to feel better but so many things changed. My hair condition improved, spots disappeared and the freckles I had all my life also disappeared. I blossomed generally and stayed on it for 10 years. I had all sorts of problems when i came off it for a short while with spots and greasy hair again but they soon went and I was working naturally again and well.

fizzytrinket

ok
someone very close to me was diagnosed with sa so i do know a bit.

tell youre mum that youve been investigating on the internet shyness problems and social phobia and anxiety. and that you realise you have got it. you have found out that it can be treated and you want to go this route so that you can get on with your life.

your mum will help you. you will be given tasks to do during cbt and sometimes at first you might want your mum 'around' as a safety net.

exitroute?

Its obvious you are very reliant on your Mum and she sounds supportive and is no doubt protective but in some ways, this may be part of your problem. You are 20 and do need to have some independance. i know you go out a couple of times a month but must be with your Mum alot of the time. Does she work? Does she have a social life or friends of her own? Could you stretch to a taxi to the GP? If you got on a bus and sat in the very front seat, you wouldnt have to mix with anyone and could look out of the window. Do you do any job searching yourself?

piggeh

JemmaLouise20 wrote: »

I just worry about how too tell her i have social phobia not that i wont tell her.

You can approach it in other ways. Tell her you want to overcome your shyness and want to speak to your GP about what help you can get. That way she knows why you're going, yet you don't have to go into the severity of it.

It is a relief to confide though. Your mum is no doubt aware of it given she helps you with shopping, phone calls etc, so it probably wouldnt be much of a shock to her. She will probably be very proud that you are facing up to things and willing to seek help. My life was a wreck when I told my mum, I broke down into tears and that's not something I do every day lol - in fact it's probably the only time she's seen me cry since I was a wee nipper!