new here....

[overheat]

i'm a 26 year old I.T. Student, live in brighton (born and bred)....

i have come here because i get anxious on buses and when i have to make important calls or even when i meet a mate and its slowly destroying me like tooth decay! (i guess thats a good analogy of how i am feeling). i went to my GP once about it and gave me some pills which i haven't taken and don't plan to. im not being ignorant its just that i would prefer to figure things out than take pills...

i have been experiencing this anxiety for quiet sometime, and i will only usually get anxious when im out or as i said above talking to someone important on the phone and it doesn't matter if its incoming or outgoing the only difference is if its an incoming call you have to make that quick decision to accept the call or ignore it, i haven't as yet ignored a call from anyone and when i have to make that important call, i have put it off or told myself to psych myself up and get the call over with so in my head im like "1,2,3...dial" and i will be as quick as i can, but i usually end up crashing my own voice and get muddled and have to start again, even tho i prepared myself for what i had to say and that i don't miss things out blah blah....


so anyway thats abit about whats going on for me, this is the first real time i have spoke about it and i doubt i will come here much but thanks for listening..

[joey]

I'm awful with phone calls, usually miss out all of the questions I need to ask or when I put the phone down realise I have forgotten everything told to me or not understood but not said as much at the time. Disaster!! I have to phone at work sometimes and I dread it but I force myself to do it and I'm sure I will improve, I'm only 34 I might have mastered the art by the time I'm 60. My only advice is write things down, put people on hold a lot (time to think) and just carry on. Technology is marvellous isn't it!

[Noisy]

Hi Overheat, thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

I can certainly relate to your problems with phones; I even write down my own number and postcode in case I might need them during the course of a phone call! I really like your "123 dial..." approach; It sounds a bit like preparing for a parachute jump but that's what it feels like sometimes.

It's good that you've seen your doctor. Have you ever considered going back and explaining how you feel about medication? You say that you'd rather figure things out before taking any medication; have you ever considered seeking counselling (maybe through your uni/college or doctor)? I've often found it a great help to talk this stuff through with someone.

Anyway, welcome to the forum!
Best wishes,
Martin. 

[overheat]

hi martin,

thanks for your response....i haven't gone out to get counseling 1) because several years ago about 4 years ago, i had other mental issues and since i have gotten out of that network of ppl, i think it is better to stay away from that....i know they do a good job, though i think for me, it would be opening a whole new can of worms and it would feel definitely like i am taking 4 steps back instead of 10 forward .

i had to go see a skin specialist the other week, (and turns out i have eczema), anyway its in those situations i find it most difficult, i walk upto the building, heart starts racing, im in the building and i feel like i could pass out(face flushes) and then im sat in the waiting room...waiting and as soon as my name is called my heart will skip a beat, its so synchronous its unreal....and as much as i like my body to do a dance its not really the best of times ....so i haven't made any plans for visiting a counselling person "yet" i think it takes abit of self psych-ing up to go scenarios and im all out of steam...so maybe soon, just not yet...

and yes its does feel like a preparation to jump out a plane hehe
doing the 1,2,3 dial does work, i don't know if other ppl have tried that?

i do have a college, but i study from home because its a home learning course and so i rarely go out, infact i go out about once every couple of weeks...and the rest is indoors or out taking the dog for a walk.

thanks for listening.

overheat