I’m an 18 year old senior in high school. I’m current on 150 mg of Zoloft a day. I’ve been recieving therapy for several months, but I really haven’t improved at all. I have problems with anxiety and depression.

The Zoloft has really helped with depression, but my anxiety is still very bad (if not worse then before the medicine). I’ve had a few panic attacks since starting the medicine (one very serious one in the middle of class). I also twitch quite a bit, it could just be that I’m so cold though…

My therapist would not diagnosis me with anything because I think she said she was more of a humanist or something. However she said that in order to treat my anxiety we would probably have to get the depression under control and it is pretty much now.

So I was wondering how effective talk therapy was for helping with anxiety? I’ve always thought I had social anxiety disorder, but my therapist is reluctant to diagnosis anything.
Also what other forms of therapy may be more effective?

Description of my anxiety
Well like most highschool guys I get most anxious around girls, but for me it isn’t uncommon for me to have anxiety or panic attacks.
I usually try to flee from conversations because I never have anything to say and I’m worried for some reason. So it will usually come with faster breathing & heart beat… possibly some twitching.

When just being in public I’m told that I look very uncomfotable and even at time that I look like I’m going to pass out.

Just sitting in class I will have problems twitching (mainly hands shaking and mouth doing something similar to shivering).
yes my depression has pretty much subsidded (and only in about a months period with the first medication, everyone was telling me change it and not even to give the zoloft a chance).

I really don’t feel a need to be diagoisnised with a specific disorder, I just feel my anxiety symptoms best first social anxiety disorder for best reference as to what my problems are like and what therapy would be useful in treating it.

I’ve heard a lot about CBT for treating anxiety and I think my therapist may use some.
I don’t see where you got the impression that the therapist does not listen to me. Just because she won’t diagonis me with some medical term doesn’t really mean anything to me. It won’t change how I’m feeling or the symptoms I’m experiencing and it would not change her method.

Isn’t it better to form the therapy to the individual patient instead of just switching because of something like that?

First off, I plan on going to the doctor, however, I’m a student and with my schedule and lack of money, it’s going to be a week or two before I can go. So, I’m just using this as a reference point.

I am an incredibly stressed, and anxious person. I have a ton going on in my life that places a huge burden on me. For the past five months, I’ve been getting what I assume are PVC’s (My mom has them, my dad has them, my sister gets them, I know it’s not an appropriate diagnosis though). Basically, I feel a "flop" in my chest, followed by a moment of breathlessness that usually goes away very quickly. I’ve only had one episode where it’s lasted for I’d say 30 seconds. I’ve noticed they are much worse when I am stressed or when I focus on them. I’m prone to anxiety attacks, which incidentally, the PVC’s prompt me to go into a panic attack, which in turn makes me feel like I’m dying, and makes me scared that I am. Vicious cycle, huh? I’m also a hypochondriac. Since I was little I’ve thought I’ve had every disease or illness from AIDS to cancer, to heart failure…and I just realized how insane this post is making me sound. Haha…

Anyway, the past few days I’ve been exceptionally stressed. Sometimes I get the fluttering in my chest, but it will go down my arm, and I feel weak. Then my heart starts thumping, and I get really hot and sometime I feel nauseated. I believe these are also panic attacks, only they feel different than they used to, but I am under a lot more stress which could be the reason why. If my boyfriend starts talking to me, trying to calm me down, or I focus on my breathing, it tends to go away. But I’m also thinking it could be my thyroid, or something along those lines. I don’t know exactly what my question is, but I suppose it would be nice to hear from people who have had similar symptoms, or have been treated for them, and what it ended up being. I’m placing my money on anxiety, but the hypochondriac in me thinks it’s heart disease, or heart failure, or cancer…you get the idea.

Any input would be helpful. Thank you so much.

Can social anxiety disorder be treated? I’ve just been diagnosed with having this disorder, but have not really been given a solution to take me forward from the diagnosis. Has anyone successfully beaten the anxiety attacks? I’m a 38 year old male if that’s any help.

I’m not asking for the antidepressant run through that talks about a chemical imbalance in the brain, but what are some non-psychological disorders/illnesses that would cause depression and panic attacks? As in, what are some alternative diagnosis? eg. thyroid problems