Yeah... I probably have AvPD... It sucks, earlier I couldn't talk even to shop clerks, bureaucrats, bus drivers... Now I'm not so anxious with people I don't know, but I still can't rely on my friends, and feel incompetent and unworthy all the time, because my feelings of incompetence I can't concentrate and it makes me avoid the things I should be doing... I tried to change my attitude, but I only get more depressed because it didn't relieve the anxiety and pain, so I feel like I have no more options...
I made a few new friends in a last year, and I like all those people, but I really feel like there's something wrong, like they're gonna hurt me sooner or later, so I started avoiding them as much as I can, I talk to them only to stay polite... :sad:
Yes, you sound like you're decribing
me. I don't know about your specific mental history, but in my own case this anxiety disorder was passed onto me genetically ( a gift from my father :dry: ). In a very real sense I am physically programmed to experience super high levels of anxiety.
Cognitive methods may work for some of us ( you mentioned trying to change you
attitude ) but IMHO, unless your anxiety was caused
by a stressfull environment or circumstances, your success with cognitive therapy will be limited.
I'm only speaking from my personal experiences with different approaches but my perception is that changing your thoughts works effectively for those people who anxiety originated through stressful
circumstances. For people like myself, and possibly you too, whose anxiety was passed onto us
in our genes the solution requires actually correcting the problem
organically. In short, that means that we can only experience relief
if our brain chemistry itself is artificially corrected.
I am not encouraging you to abandon using techniques that involve changing your thought patterns ( your attitudes ). I am only suggesting that you also try to find a pharmaceutical method that could offer you immediate relief. That way you may actually have enough emotional energy to devote to correcting your thoughts.
Now, as long as I'm being honest with you, I must tell you that I have yet to find
any medication that has given
me succesful results
but I have spoken to scores of other people who seem to get fabulous results from various prescriptions. The only substance that has ever been truly effective
in alleviating my symptoms is marijuana...but there are some special ( ie, legal ) considerations in going that route....if you know what I mean :whistling