This week's Chat MS was about social anxiety with MS - please feel free to copy/paste the questions to your own blog.
Remember to keep the conversation going and have a great Thanksgiving -
Q1 – MS can cause or add to social anxiety. Do you experience Social Anxiety since being diagnosed with MS?
Absolutely. I already have general anxiety disorder, and when I'm having a flare or especially after I was initially diagnosed, I had even more bouts of it.
Q2 – What contributes most to your social anxiety? (A certain symptom, using an assisting device, someone’s actions, etc.)
This biggest thing is that I have MS at all. People don't understand it and I want to educate them, but at the same time I 'don't want to talk about it.' This goes especially with my coworkers and bosses, because having MS makes me an ADA risk. I have lost job opportunities after one of the potential employers found out I had MS and clearly didn't really understand what that meant. I have not missed a day of work because of my MS in over 18 months.
I also struggle with telling people that I'm with about the possibility of my fatiguing quickly. I have a relatively svelte figure, am tall and thin, and otherwise look healthy. When I mention that I'm too tired to do something, I get a lot of eye rolls. I look good on the outside, but on the inside, I'm struggling to stay alert. This is really a hard thing to feel good about.
Q3 – On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the worst), how severe would you say your average anxiety bout is?
7 or 8. I tip to 10 when I have to drive somewhere - but driving is my general anxiety trigger anyway.
Q4 – Are there situations or places you purposely avoid because of your anxiety?
Not necessarily, but I am known to be flaky because I'll feel good about doing something the day before, but when I wake up, I'm just not up for it. This happens a lot. It's the most common issue I struggle with when I'm not having an active flare up. I remember being able to go all day on my feet, working full time in a job where I couldn't sit down, and get up and go the next day with no issue. Pain free. I miss those times.
Q5 – Have you discussed social anxiety with your neuro? What did they say?
Nah - it never really came up and I doubt he can do anything about it. Unfortunately social anxiety is not like GAD and isn't really affected by medication.
Q6 – Do you ever worry or get anxious about things that have not happened and may never happen?
Abso-freaking-lutely. All the time. I am afraid I'll wake up and not be able to move, my baby will be crying, and I won't be able to help. I have this dream a lot, and it makes me think about it all day long. I worry about my ability to get around. I worry I will have a flare that affects my hands and I won't be able to work. I worry I will be out with friends and will have to stop before they're ready to.
Q7 - What do you feel when you experience social anxiety?
I get quiet and I don't want to talk to anyone at all. I'm not an easy crier but it makes me feel like I am about to flood the room. My heart beats quickly and I feel like I might pass out - it's very close to a panic attack.
Q8 – What helps you overcome bouts of social anxiety and what tips would you have for others?
The best thing is to spend time with people who are willing to ask questions. Tell people you don't feel well. But I still really struggle with this because I don't like getting eyes rolled at me - because frankly, people don't believe me.
Love to all - MSloan
No comments:
Post a Comment