How do I help my husband with social anxiety disorder?

He is on "zoloft" medication. He is trying to find a job.

He has a degree in finance and is a handsome, friendly, and intelligent person.

He has been a substitute teacher for 5 years now, and work has almost dried up. I thought he would have a full time job by now.

I am a full-time teacher and am very tired when I come home. He will sleep until 10-11 o'clock. I threaten to take out t.v. and computer on a daily basis. He says he wants to work and contribute, but he is easily frustrated as his teeth chatter and he sweats during interviews. He will fumble and panic and then sometimes awkward silence. This behavior has worsened in the five years I have known him.

This year, at an Octoberfest event, he had a full blown attack where his hands were shaking and he had to leave a table full of people and friends and left me in an awkward situation. I didn't lie and said he suffers "panic attacks" from time to time. His cousin was there and I hope she didn't think I was shaming him. I didn't know what else to do.

I become frustrated with him at times too, as I do most of the social interaction for both of us. He will see a psychologist soon ( doctor wants him on zoloft for a month to see results).

Please be respectful of my question. If you have been through this, let me know what you have done. I can be mean and cry out of frustration, and I know this is not good for me or him.

My heart goes out to him, but I know and have experienced some of his same symtoms. I am a school teacher and understand the frustration he must be feeling. But let him know he is not alone. Janet Esposito's book entitled "In the Spotlight Overcoming Your Fear of Public Speaking will be very helpful. It has many practical sugestions he will be able to use as well as experiences of real people like himself in every walk of life and profession who suffer from anxiety & panic attacks.

Continue to be patient with him. It will take time to get better, but with your support, it can happen. There is another excellent program as well that is working wonders for me.

In addition, Janet offers private sessions and very affordable workshops.

Hope this helps. Feel free to contact me.

I had the same problem and drugs and doctors only made it worse. I solved it by picking up a part time job as a waiter which forced me to talk to people constantly. After a while you come to realize the world is full of fools and there's no need to worry about what fools think of you.

Find him a job on the computer.Then he could stay home and work through the computer.With his skills,there must be something.Maybe on line tutor.Just a thought.Good Luck.

I think once he starts going to the counseling and the medication kicks in it may help him some...just give it a little bit more time

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I am so sorry and heartfelt to hear about your husband. But truthfully I am concerned about you. I have used the healing circle to help myself emotionally and energically feel better. It helped me focus and get more centered so I can be there for others in my life. Just go to www.seethebestpooftherest.com and try it. For you not him. Then if you are please you can use the same tool to help him. It is free. What could it hurt?

I will think of you and wish you well.

i have panic attacks so i know what he is going through it can be very hard. At first when i went to a doctor for help they did prescribe Zoloft, but didn't actually work very well. Eventually i was put on two different medications that did work well, but i was to dependent on them and i had to have them every time i had a panic attack. You need to tell your husband that he has to force himself to do things that make him overly anxious or cause panic attacks. i finally stopped taking the meds after almost a year and forced myself to stay in situations that caused me to have these attacks, now i have them less often and if one does occur i am usually able to hold myself together. Medication will help because it will let him know he can do the things that he thought he was unable to do because of his attacks but eventually he will probably want to see how he does without them.