Social Anxiety Syndrome (sas)

[intheprocess]

I took the Liebowitz test and found out that I have severe social anxiety syndrome. This in addition to clinical depression, PTSD, slight OCD and as I found out last week an eating disorder. I feel like a big worthless mess-up. Just venting.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I just took the test. I don't know why researchers don't come up with better psychological tests! Divided into only 4 categories? How can you HONESTLY answer "never" if something has happened even once in your life? And then the scale goes from 1-30% (or abouts)? That's a huge range!

(This is why I "fail" all of these psychological tests, LOL I really over think them!)

Oh, and the test is biased against introverts. FYI. I'm an introvert and I don't like parties. Just not my thing. But because I'm an introvert, I now have social anxiety symptoms?

Did you take the test with a professional? Of course, if the professional knows you, then the results will be more accurate.

 

[Friday]

I know you're venting... But one thing to keep in mind is that the DSM has a category in every single condition & disorder that I know of "Unless better explained by _____" worded 12 different ways, depending on which disorder you're looking at. It's Criterion H in PTSD. It's in other places in other conditions and disorders.

Criterion H: exclusion
Disturbance is not due to medication, substance use, or other illness.

The reason for this is that disorders share symptoms, and symptoms also present on their own with absolutely no other diagnosis needed. Anxiety, for example, exists on its own (GAD), and exists within several different disorders (including PTSD). As, all/most the symptoms of both both GAD & SAS (and several other disorders, including the ones you listed) can be found under PTSD? It's more likely that you're trying to break a disorder down into its component parts. Although you could have both PTSD & ______.Comorbid happens. It really depends on what the cause is.

Crit D-G listed below. Pay particular attention to G... Social &/or occupational

Criterion D: negative alterations in cognitions and mood
Negative alterations in cognitions and mood that began or worsened after the traumatic event: (two required)

1. Inability to recall key features of the traumatic event (usually dissociative amnesia; not due to head injury, alcohol, or drugs).
2. Persistent (and often distorted) negative beliefs and expectations about oneself or the world (e.g., "I am bad," "The world is completely dangerous").
3. Persistent distorted blame of self or others for causing the traumatic event or for resulting consequences.
4. Persistent negative trauma-related emotions (e.g., fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame).
5. Markedly diminished interest in (pre-traumatic) significant activities.
6. Feeling alienated from others (e.g., detachment or estrangement).
7. Constricted affect: persistent inability to experience positive emotions.

Criterion E: alterations in arousal and reactivity
Trauma-related alterations in arousal and reactivity that began or worsened after the traumatic event: (two required)

1. Irritable or aggressive behavior
2. Self-destructive or reckless behavior
3. Hypervigilance
4. Exaggerated startle response
5. Problems in concentration
6. Sleep disturbance

Criterion F: duration
Persistence of symptoms (in Criteria B, C, D, and E) for more than one month.

Criterion G: functional significance
Significant symptom-related distress or functional impairment (e.g., social, occupational).

I'm not saying you don't have the alphabet of disorders. You may indeed have thing comorbidly. It's unlikely, however that all your symptoms are uniques disorders, & is why proper diagnosis is so important.

 

[intheprocess]

Yeah, I had this on other sites and the jist of it is to leave it to the professionals and also know it all traces back to the trauma so work from there. Labels aren't good. I probably am dissecting and sorting. The test is funny in a way. Thanks again!

 

[iwannadeletethis]

You're not worthless!! Oh my stars <3 please don't feel that way. I have a lot of those things!! I barely function in society and I think I'm pretty awesome..

 

[Ptsd2015]

I've dealt with social anxiety my whole life, and I can live a totally normal life now. I had a hard time communicating with people until I was 17. It suddenly got a lot better when I dealt with some of the other stressors in my life. So maybe dealing with other things stressing you out can help lesson your overall anxiety?

 

[ground crew]

Lets see the DSM separate out the SAS from the techy nerd in my case. I love working as a techy because we get to be colorful, causally dressed and allowed to flaunt social norms in the pursuit of our jobs. I know a lot of techy's who fit this description as I do, but did they all get into the same kinda messes I found myself in? Unlikely. But I am aware of my discomfort in social situations, I got most of the stuff for the criterion. (If you have disturbing dreams but cant remember the content is it a flashback dream?) I think I chose techy to avoid social situations, so my career is an avoidance strategy? It had the added benefit of not needing to spell often, that advantage went away with computers, thank god for spell check!