TeenHelp - Anxiety

Firstly, I'm not sure how long you've been on this medication but to be on something like what you're on, and then to be removed from it very abruptly, can actually have the opposite effects of what it's supposed to help. If you can, explain this to your aunt, if you feel it won't or if you feel she'd need more of a professional explanation, see if you can meet with the psychiatrist you'd previously seen, explain the situation to them and go from there.

I've never had social anxiety disorder but I do get socially anxious, especially when there's a lot of people. I'm not so bad with people of a similar or younger age to me, but with people a lot older, I clam up really badly and just start panicking inside with all kinds of different thoughts. The same applies to online when talking to people in real-time. If I don' know anyone or people are all friendly with one another, it often makes me feel like I'd never be able to break into the circle and be equal to them.

Admittedly I have major problems with chatting in chatrooms. It's very rare that I visit this site's chatroom for the sole reason that I'm terribly socially anxious. For the times I'd visited, as much as I may appear chipper on the outside, I'm actually panicking and sitting in cold sweats to the point where I just leave without saying much or if anything at all. However, to combat this issue, I'd visit a little bit at a time, sometimes 5 minutes, 10 minutes or half an hour if I've got the courage. Once I've got to know the people in the room it doesn't become so bad and I'm able to stay there for a while, even if I don't talk very much. This is something you could try too. I'm not sure in which way you get social anxiety, but if it's anything similar to me, try saying one or two words to people, or sit closer to a group of people you feel are better than others whilst at school.

Don't forget that sometimes breathing exercises are also good. When you start feeling anxious or as if you can't talk, try to clear your mind as much as possible, think about something that makes you feel happy, or a nice open space of calm. Breath in gently through your nose and out through your mouth, do this for about 5-6 times and see how you feel. Over-thinking about the situation you're in won't help either and will only add to your anxiety. As much as it's difficult to try and clear your mind of what's going on or whatever negative thoughts may be running through your mind at that moment in time, remember, think of something you find calming. Close your eyes for a short while if it helps and don't think you look silly whilst doing it. If anyone asks why your eyes are closed, say you have eye strain or something similar. :)