I no longer want to make friends

[Hoss]

I think I have suffered with social anxiety for so long that I now don't want to make the effort to forge new friendships.

Don't get me wrong, I worked 31 years and people would not think of me as having social anxiety; perhaps quite the opposite. But I lived it inside and it was painful all those years. Now that I'm in a position to be more or less alone (with family) I don't really want to go outside this orb. I started Paxil 6 weeks ago which is supposed to help with this, but to no avail. It's good for my mood and some anxiety, but not the social aspects.

Hoss

 

[David Baxter PhD]

First, 6 weeks is long enough to start to feel some benefits of an SSRI like Paxil but it's too soon to conclude that you have derived the maximum potential benefits. You can expect additional benefits in the weeks and months to come.

Second, with social anxiety people tend to create a comfort zone or safety zone around them, shielding themselves from anxiety. If fully successful, this means that the individual may not experience the social anxiety at all. It sounds like this has been what you've been doing of late.

Be aware that medication alone cannot entirely manage your social anxiety, especially if you're isolating in your comfort zone. In effect, your biggest obstacle has become fear of feeling anxiety rather than fear of being with or around people.

 

[SilentNinja]

"If fully successful, this means that the individual may not experience the social anxiety at all." thats exactly what my Psych said to me when i said i didnt feel anxious, Hoss, your post is kinda like me right now, Id rather be alone than have to deal with people. All i can say is give the meds time.. i never thought mines was working but over the months i really felt a difference, not cured.. far from it.. but the confidence to do things i wouldnt usually do.