I've stated in a previous blog (Shy or Social Anxiety? 12/4/2011) that I felt that I am more shy than I am anxious at this time in my life. I said that I felt as though I have more control over the anxiety than the anxiety has over me. All of this is still true. I've made great, maybe even amazing, strides through the decades I have dealt with SAD. Most of what I have learned about how to deal with this devastating disorder has been done on my own through trial and error. I have a beautiful family and have had a successful career which spans 30+ years in Information Technology. I owe a great deal of credit for my successes to the support and understanding from family, friends and coworkers. I could easily be content living out the rest of my life being the person I am today.
Throughout the several weeks in December and January while I was not writing but rather reading about SAD, I realized that I can still move forward from where I am today. In the last decade I have been taking medication to help control my anxiety. When I first learned about SAD 10 years ago I did some research on the web but I did not dig as deeply as I should have. I was under the impression that the intense anxiety was the result of a low serotonin level in the brain. It seemed to me that medication was the best option for me. While digging deeper into SAD I've discovered that neuropathways in the brain affect the serotonin levels and not the other way around. Using CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can change the neuropathways that your brain automatically uses and therefore will change the serotonin level in the brain.
I don't think it is any secret based on the title of this posting, "CBT and Me", that I am planning to use CBT to change my life. "I'll bet there are a few dumb-dumbs out there that couldn't figure that out" interrupts Bill's negative voice. Bill's inner positive voice responds "Hey negative voice, the point Bill is about to make is that you are no longer welcome in his life and he plans to silence you for good". I am going to be using the audio therapy series "Overcoming Social Anxiety: Step by Step" found on the Social Anxiety Institute (SAI) website (you can find a link to this website in the column on the right under the heading "Additional Information About SAD and SM").
