Social Phobics Anonymous

[philmsa]

Hi,

I just wanted to share information about something that has been a huge help with my Social Anxiety (has reduced it by 75% for over a year now.)

It's a free network of free support groups for people with Social Phobia and other Social Anxiety problems.

The name of the organization is-- Social Phobics Anonymous

SPAs' web address is:

www.healsocialanxiety.com
.
Social Phobics Anonymous (also called S.P.A.) uses a 12 step recovery approach, adapted from A.A. and O.C.A. to recover from our Social Anxiety Problems.

In addition to the 12 steps, we also use the principles for healing fear developed by Rhonda Britton in her book "Fearless Living".

**S.P.A. is not opposed to other recovery approaches and a good percentage of SPAs members use our approach in combination with other therapies-- like medication, behavior therapy, exposure therapy, ect with good results.

SPAs' phone number(if needed) is (303) 404-3747 (based in USA although SPA provides help to Social Phobics/Social Anxiety sufferers anywhere)

Again-- SPAs support groups are free. SPA is a volunteer run organization.

Please feel free to list this on webpages, share with friends, or print out and pass on.

Many Thanks,

Phil, Social Phobics Anonymous

P.S. Feel free to post your questions here (or your frustrations, triumphs, progress or other therapies or apporaches that have worked for you. Lets make this thread a sanctuary for Socially anxious people who wish to find healing!

[Depressed1104]

i've never drank in my life, would the 12 step program still work for me?

[philmsa]

Depressed,

Thanks for your question. Here is what SPA says about it:

Yes the 12 steps can be a very great help with your anxiety whether you ever drank or not.

Here is why (taken from the Social Phobics Anonymous website)--

"Q. If the 12 Steps are taken from Alcoholics Anonymous-- then how can they also help social anxiety (or related problems like social phobia or shyness or avoidant peronality disorder or APD or paruresis)?

A. When Alcoholics stop drinking, they suffer from a great deal of anxiety. When a drunk tries to stop drinking by him or herself, they quickly find themselves plagued by chronic and sometimes even crippling fears and obsessions. Without a recovery program like the 12 steps, this alcoholic anxiety syndrome can literally go on for years.

Consequently, when the 12 steps were first created 60 years ago, they were designed specifically to reduce or eliminate the anxiety and obsessions that plagued recovering Alcoholics.

So what does this have to do with people who are Socially Phobic? **Well-- 17 years ago, some people who were NOT alcoholics but who HAD anxiety disorders began applying the A.A. 12 steps to other (nonalcoholic) anxiety problems (like OCD) with excellent results.

These people discovered that the 12 steps were just as effective for other anxiety disorders as they were for alcoholic anxiety syndrome!

Soon anxiety 12 step programs (like OCA) had spread to nearly 30 states, Canada and Europe. And anxiety recovery stories started coming in from around the world.

More recently, some people decided to try applying the 12 steps specifically to Social Anxiety problems and it was found that yet again-- the 12 steps were very effective in helping people to reduce their social anxiety!"

( From the Social Phobics Anonymous website at www.healsocialanxiety.com ).

Best,

Phil

[plantapagina]

Hello Phil. I am Carlos and I live in Bogotá-Colombia. Im very interested in SPA, because I suffer from SAD and Im in another twelve step program. Unfortunately there is no help in my country for people with our disorder, so I would like to travel in search for the help I want. I have been exploring the SPA web page and I wrote to the mails of the different groups in the States a few weeks ago, but some of them doesnt exist or I havent get an answer, except from the group of Indiana. But Marty, the guy who hosts the group told me that he didnt know if he was going to keep on this year. Anyway, Id like you to tell me if your group in Colorado is still working or if you could give me more info from the other groups in the States. If so, please write to my e-mail:



Thank you very much.

Carlos.

[historyteach]

Carlos,

Please note that the thread you pulled up was from 5 years ago.
We have no idea if the originator, philmsa, is still with the linked group - social phobics anonymos - or not. In other words, you may not get an answer to your question. I'm sorry.

However, we do have an anxiety forum here on SR. Here's the link to it:
Anxiety Disorders - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
I hope you'll find your way over and meet some of our members there who share your concerns. On the top of the forums are some stickies too, that you may find of interest.

Welcome to SR!

Shalom!