Well here's my story. I am now 18-years-old and think that I have had, what I believe to be, social anxiety - or social phobia, for a few years now. The thing that really gets to me is that I KNOW it's really silly. I could tell myself over and over again, "Ok, just relax yourself this time. You have nothing to be worried about. What's to worry?" Then an interaction will occur and I'll just seem to lose it. I seem to automatically unfocus myself from the a conversation and feel really nervous. It's almost as if the muscles in my mouth just won't work like they should in social situations. Whatever I want to say never comes out right. Whenever I speak it's usually quieter than I had intended. And whenever I want to come out and say something, it seems like a big effort. I feel almost like I've gone crazy now and lost my personality and ability to form relationships with people.

I went to the doctors recently and I felt really dumb explaining it to him. First he tried to give me a suggestion about relaxing by myself, closing my eyes, think of a good situation, etc... but I know these things never work. Like I said, I try talking myself out of the anxiety, but it never works. He suggested a psychiatrist possibility, but I told him that I was convinced it wouldn't be of much help in my situation. He made an appointment this week for my to have a blood test first and gave me some hydroxyzine for now, which doesn't seem to have any effect whatsoever.

Does anybody else feel the same? I was reading and came to the conclusion that I be put on some Xanax, but I'm not sure how to ask him.

What do you think?