If you've got a minute, please.

[nickinmold]

Hiya, I'm new here. I'm a 41 yr old male married/kids factory worker and could do with some advice.
I recently attended a CBT group to help me with low self esteem, but while there my therapist invited me onto a social anxiety CBT course. Anyway, I got the literature and started to attend the course (overcoming social anxiety and shyness by Gillian Butler) and its blown me away really. Never before have I had so much identification with anything. What with the work books and finding web sites like this, I feel like I'm finally becoming aware of whats always been wrong with me. I seriously thought I was alone!
The workbook mentions clinical depression can go hand in hand with s.a and lists its symptoms.
1) constantly feeling sad,down,depressed or empty. Much of the time yes I do.
2) General lack of interest in whats going on around you. Most of the time, yes.
3) A big increase or decrease in your appetite and weight. Absolutely, I've piled weight on since quitting smoking sept 06.
4) A marked change in your sleep patterns. I've been falling asleep in work.
5)Noticeable speeding up or slowing down in your movements and how you go about things. Slowed down, usually just find myself staring into space!
6) Fatigue and feeling low in energy. Very much so, everything feels like a major effort .
7)An intense sense of guilt or worthlessness. Doesn't feel intense but this is present.
8)Difficulty concentrating and making decisions. 100%, struggle to decide which shoes to wear, then find myself staring into space 5 mins later, can't get anything done.
9)A desire to hurt yourself or a feeling that you might be better off dead. Not so on this one, I do occasionally phantasise about checking out though, just want to switch off my thinking.
I'm super irritable as well and feel overwhelmed when I think about the future. I just feel like its all too much for me.
So thats me, trouble is I'm worried about visiting my GP to get this properly diagnosed. He's a good guy but I feel so judged, like I'm making it up, a hypochondriac an attention seeker, I also feel ashamed to mention all this and that I should just shut up and stop whinging, but at the same time feel so fragile.
Where do I get the courage to speak to my GP?
What treatment is he likely to offer me? I naturally don't want to become addicted to anti depressants, I've been addicted to alcohol before so have reservations about so called crutches. I'm also told you can experience a worsening of your condition when starting a course, what is your experience, where they effective?
Anyway, I'd be really gratefull to hear your thoughts, I don't know who else to discuss this with, so if you've got a minute! Thanks for reading. Nick

[IRIS]

sounds like you are already getting good help, which is more than a lot of us have got, I'm glad you are on the course. Is it through the NHS?

[nickinmold]

Hi, yeh it's through the NHS and the countys mental health team. They run several different group courses, panic, low self esteem etc I think it must be cheaper in a group of six or so than individual therapy. Mine is a twelve week course and the therapist is very good, its just that I think twelve weeks isn't enough. Anyway we'll see, I've only been to two sessions so far. Thanks, Nick.

[png]

Hi Nick, can I ask how long you have been feeling the depression symptoms? Is it something that came on around October/November? Just that some of what you say there (falling asleep during the day, irritabilty, feeling overwhelmed) sounds a lot like seasonal affective disorder.

The first line of treatment from your GP would very probably be anti-depressant medication. Anti-depressants aren't addictive, although some people do suffer side effects when coming off some types. For treatment of depression they have a good success rate, although you might have to try several before finding one that works. The first week or two can be rocky, though this varies a lot from person to person.

Easy to say, but you needn't feel embarrassed about talking to your doctor about this; they see this sort of problem very frequently. If you aren't comfortable talking to your usual doc, maybe ask to see another for this?

[shaggydog]

Hi Nick,
I think the course sounds really promising and a positive thing to do. I have the book by Gillian Butler which seems helpful and gives practical advice.
I hope you get on ok with your GP and they are sympathetic. If you find that they aren't, then try a different one. You need to find someone who will listen to you. Not all doctors seem to be that clued up on S.A unfortunately.
I have also been depressed because of S.A for many years so I can relate to your position. I've tried quite a few different anti depressants with varying degrees of success. It's all a bit trial and error i think but I really believe it's worth giving them a shot to offer some temporary relief and help you to cope.
Good luck