Back in 2000 I went out on disability for my social anxiety. I have been on numerous combinations of meds and it doesn't really help. (cureently zoloft 200mg/xanax 1mg daily) I have done the CBT therpy made some changes in my thinking and changing some of the negative ways. what gets me now is I really badly want to go back to work and its so painful for me to be around people. Any suggestions as to what i could do workwise with minimial contact with people. I am so sick of feeling depressed cuz my friends look down on because I don't work - they think ohh shes just lazy - they don't get it. HELP>>>>>>>>>>

wanting to recover is a big help,
keep trying to find an antidepressant that works for you, the xanax will always help and can be relied on but IMO, is best taken only as needed, with a few extra ytablets carried with you when out
a dose of xanax usually only lasts for 2 or 3 hours

I think everyone has anxiety when they have to start a new job with unfamiliar people. I agree with hry33, keep your Xanax with you and take some if you get into an uncomfortable situation, until you get used to it.

As for jobs with little human contact...that's a tough one. Maybe some type of data entry, or working with animals, or piece work at home. I wish I knew some ideas too. I've been a stay-at-home mom for nine years, so I'm a little out of the loop. Hope you get some good suggestions. :)

As for the anti-depressants I have tried practically everything under the sun. I have tried most of the SSRI's out there as well as the tricyclic meds - those kind of meds do not work for me. I stress this to my doc and all he says is bump up the dosage. 6 yrs later I need to get back to work. I just have a hard time being around ppl -- even with a dose of xanax on hand. Panic attack are alot of fun NOT!!! I just don't understand why these meds dont work - dont get me wrong I am not solely relying on that alone - i understand its a combination of that and cbt to help on road to recovery - heck my road to recovery seems like there is obstacles and hurdles every where i turn. It's getting frustrating. Ya think in 6yr I would of made some progress but nada. I just need to get my but to wrk soon. My bank acct over the yrs has depleated and I am seriously at thr risk of losing everything i have. (which is not much but still)

I just want you to know that if your friends are real friends, they will not look down on you and say you are lazy for having a disabling illness. I know how disabling this can be. If you really think you can give up your disability and go back to work, then go for it, but don't do it because you think people think you're lazy. You said you need to work...maybe you could talk to a career counselor to find a job that would suit your needs and talents. Without knowing you or what you are qualified for, it's really tough to come up with ideas. I would start with getting my resume updated and looking to see what type of jobs are available...which ones sound interesting, like I might enjoy them, and go from there.

Hey... I'm in the same situation as you....PLEASE let me know if you find anything! I'm 18...finished with school-- and starting college in the fall.... My anxiety got sooooo bad my junior year that I ended up switching out of school and going to a contract school where you are one on one with the teacher once a week. So now I'm finishd with school- and basically not doing anything until fall(which i hope somehow I recover somewhat before fall or school will be hell) .... I don't know exactly what fueled up my anxiety junior year--i think it was actually multiple things... But now I just can't seem to snap out of it. I was never "like' this before...But after some huge life changes...I developed anxiety and depression. I am currently taking Zoloft buspar (sp?)and clonipin (sp???) .... Seeing a psychiatrist and recieving acupuncture weekly. We've been switching my medications a lot because nothing seems to be working for me. I'm not sure why? Oh well everyones different... BUT :) About the job... hmmmm... There's not much i can think of without much human contact.... I was thinking about working with little kids at a crisis nursery (but haha you can only volunteer) Most things that sounds okay to me are only volunteer positions...like working at the animal shelter... or working with kids from dysfunctional families...ect... What types of things are you interested in?
Jasmine

I returned to work in January of this year (after a 12month period of absence), and can honestly say its the best thing ive ever done.
Whilst im working, i seem to switch off from my anxiety (most of the time) although i still find the travelling to and from work hard.
The voluntary thing sounds a good idea, if only just to get you back into a working routine - you wont be tied, or depending on your skills you could initally try working from home.
maybe you could advertise your services as a dog walker, offer to do peoples laundry, car valleting etc. Something you can do at your own pace sounds good, if only to get yourself occupied.
Good luck
Linds

Update on situation - At the local social services here in WA there is a program called Div Of Vocational Services who help ppl who have disabilties get back to work. They can place you in jobs that accomodates to your disability. They also provide training if you have been out of the work loop. (6 yrs wasted here) I had my apppointment last week all went well but there is a waiting list. This whole process takes 60 days till you get into the program. He also explained if I returned to work my social security wouldn't stop - which was my biggest fear. Phewww - According to him SSD gives you 9 month trial month work periord. You also have to make under a certain amount to keep receiving your SSD. I need to read up more on this on SS site.

Meantime I have been applying for jobs that I think I could do for now till i get into the program. I figure with office cleaning I will be alone so that could work. I hope....anyways thats where I am.

Msteri - I Dont Know How Old You Are But I Am A 57 Yr Old
Female . I Was On Social Security Disbality For Social Anxiety
Disorder For 8 Yrs From Age 30 To 38 Yrs Old I Felt So Guilty For Being On Ss Because I Didnt Look Ill! No One Not Even My
Family Could Understand Why I Wasnt Working That I Was Terrified
Of Being Around People!!! (due To My Childhood History Of Abuse)
I Got Off Of It And Started Doing Home Health Aide Work But I
Felt So Lonely And Isolated That My Desire To Be With People
Was Greater Than The Fear, I Did Get Addicted To Xanax , The
Doc Kept Upping It Till I Was On 4 Mg Day (took Me 4 Yrs To
Taper Down To 6mg Valium) If You Have To Take A Benzo Take
Valium Cause Xanax Is Awful I Would Never Ever Touch A Xanax
Pill Again!!!!!but If You Can Use It Like My Mom When She Would
Get A Panic Attack She Would Take A Small Amount And She Would
Not Take It On A Daily Basis Like I Did So She Never Got Addicted
Like I Did . Now I Have Had A Job In A Call Center Working Around
People For 6 Yrs And Though It Has Been Hard At Times And I Had
To Push Myself To Get In There It Has Been Worth It And I Wish I
Had Done It Earlier In My Life I Actually Had To Push Myself Into
The Situation Over And Over Again Now Even Though I Have Some
Anxiety I Am Living A Normal Life Dont Wait Too Long I Dont Know
How Old You Are But Life Goes Bye Fast. You Have To Have Courage
You Wont Regret It And You'll Discover That Youre Fears Are Not
Valid And That You Can Survive Disapproval It Wont Kill You
You Will Be Happy You Did It!!!!

I

Breanna thx for the words of encouragement and to everyone else here on the boards.

I can totally relate to what you said about the disorder being visable. We look like just like any other person but inside we suffer. I mean ppl understand more of what they can see IE...missing a body limb (sorry to put it like that) but ppl/friends/family understand it more. It doesn't matter how much I try to tell ppl in my life what I go through - point blank they don't get it.

I am 35 yrs old and have been on disability for 6yrs as I said. Unfortunately I have been on benzo's - klonapin for 5 yrs and now xanax (1mg) past yr. I know I am going to have one heck of a time coming off of it. For now I need it - it really helps get me out - I take a 1/2mg when i am anxious about ssomewhere I need to go.

My biggest thing that is bothering me at this point is the fact everyone looks down on me for not working. You don't work you're nothing by most ppl's standards and are lazy. Then I hate say I meet someone and they ask me what kind of work do I do -- makes for some uncomfortable silence as I try and muster up what I am going to say next. Makes me feel so depressed that I can not do something as simple as get a job because I am terrorified being around ppl. I am just saying {REMOVED}it and try and get myself back out there....but you know what I have a hard time with is how do I fill in the gap on my applications with a reason why i didn't work for six yrs...I still haven't figured what to put in there.

Anyways thx for responding :)

Update:

I been turned down for 3 jobs now because of gap in work history. This so sucks. I feel like I being penalized for my illness.

Msteri- If I Were In Your Place And I Were 35 Again I Would
Certainly Get Some Training If You Want To Start With Something
You Might Do Alone - But Also Be Albe To Have Some Social
Contact I Would Chose Something Like Computer Programming
Or Webdesign, A Counselor Could Help You With That And Also
A Counselor Will Help You With How To Explain The Fact That
You Have A Lapse Of 8 Or So Yrs Of Not Working Its Been 20 Ago
For Me So I Dont Remember What I Said On Applications . But
Do Get Some Kind Of Degree And Education Its Makes Life So
Much Easier These Days Its Hard To Get A Decent Job And You
Dont Want To End Up Cleaning Offices!!!! So Do That And Then
Gradually You Will Get Where You Want To Be .... :)

Did they tell you it was because of a gap? What do you tell them about the gap? A lot of women take time off to raise kids and then go back into the work force. There are even organizations that help women back to work, after being out of the workforce. Maybe you could see if something like that exists in your area.

Can you get some kind of a job where you work in a call center? There is little contact with your co-workers..basically, you sit at a desk all day with a headset on and talk to customers all day. Another suggestion might be doing Data entry or reception work at a really small office. There is also jobs - such as work at home jobs - Medical Billing/Coding..but I think you have to take classes for that. Another job with perhaps limited contact with others is stocking shelves at night in a grocery store..if you work the later shift. Another one might be to do inventory work..such as going to places (retail stores, grocery stores) and plugging numbers in to a machine all day..very limited contact with other people.

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I definately need training of some sorts as its been awhile. 1st thing I need to work on is getting my GED. I quit school when I was in 11th grade to go to work and help the family out. So that's what I am trying to do now get the ged 1st and then work on college. I do agree without that piece of paper(s) you can't really get anywhere these days.

I am willing to work about anywhere I can that has little contact with ppl - i thought cleaning heck that easy I do it at home why not get paid for it - but these places see last time i worked was in 2000 - they ask why I say it was medical leave and leave it at that. So I get turned down right there. I mean I agree women take a few yrs off to raise children and rreturn to work. I got sick thats all. I did nothing wrong. I won't let this discourage me by any means I will keep on the hunt just frustrating. I will check and see about those places that help women who haven't worked in awhile see what I can dig up there - thx guys :)

I had a neighbor once that cleaned people's houses when they were at work and she also watered and fed plants at a hotel in town. I don't think she had much contact with people at all. Later, she went on to become a florist.

Msteri- I Can Only Speak From My Own Personal Experience And
What I Would Have Done Differently If I Had It Over To Do Again
You Dont Have To Spend The Rest Of Your Life On Social Security
Disablitily - I Didnt! I Had The Great Desire To Be Independent
And To Live A Normal Life And To Connect With Other People.
I Did Not Want To Spend The Rest Of My Life On Disablility And
Luckily I Had A Great Therapist Who Worked With Me. Its Not
Easy To Get Off Disability And Start Working But It Can Be
Done. And Like I Said The Biggest Thing I Would Do Differently
Would Be To Get Trained For A Job That Would Pay A Decent Salary
You Dont Have To Get A Bachelors Degree But Even Going Back To
Get Your Ged And Than Getting Training In (well The Healthcare
Field Is Now The Biggest Opportunity To Get A Job That Will Support You ) You Can Always Take Something Like Medical Billing
And Coding Which You Can Eventually Make Into A Home Based
Business If You Want . But Never Give Up!!! If I Can Do It
You Can Do It - Honestly!