how do i treat my social anxiety and depression?
i take a lot of pharmaceuticals that a terrific team of inpatient and outpatient psychiatrists have put together with me working with them and my treatment team for years to achieve the net result. i trust my MD's to make the decisions about all these chemicals, even how much f*king tylenol i should take, i never pretend to know more than them, especially from reading some bullshit on the internet or seeing one of these crap ass 'how did it pass the FCC advertising bureau' pharmaceutical advertisements in the US on TV, i see a therapist each week, or as often as it takes, he is linked into my treatment team, i have an outreach worker with the Visiting Nurse Service of NY, I have a case worker with the NYS Court System to facilitate any possible incidents with law enforcement, i am registered to be seen in mental health court in the city of New York as a mentally ill citizen in case of situations involving law enforcement and odd behavior out of my control, and i work hard as part of my own treatment team, requesting these resources, participating in them, going to group when necessary for the prescribed amount of time (group was always stupid, until one day, you finally get it, and it works - just keep trying), and I journal my therapy, medications and effects over the course of treatment for analysis by my treatment team.
finally, i sit my butt in front of my laptop and write quite a bit. really about whatever. but whatever is important. so i write, and it always helps. sometimes i even print it and share it with my therapist. which helps too. but just getting it out onto the screen is very therapeutic, so in my case, i always hit 'save'.
only a patient willing to put forth some effort on their behalf as well will succeed, otherwise you will always find something to be miserable about, IMO your lack of participation leaving you feeling helpless and hopeless with no control over your future.
i do not use street drugs. i do not use friends drugs. i do not take more than prescribed. i do not end the month with an excess or a shortage of any of my medications, i follow my dosage schedule whether or not i feel fine or not, as that is critical, and i am honest with my treatment providers, whom prescribe me a seriously large amount of extremely potent drugs, many that are wanted on the street, where they do not go. if i do not need them any more, i do not stock pile and sell, etc, i tell my treatment providers, and they take me off of them. if your going to be prescribed some of the more effective medications, you can't think like a drug addict. that is just a recipe for disaster. every time.
part of wanting to feel better is being honest with yourself, your treatment team and your situation. it does work.
best of luck.
