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Social anxiety
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Just wondering if there were any fellow sufferers/recovered on thesite of this massive but ignored problem. how much do they/did they feel it impinges on their lives. I'm basically getting to the point in my life now where I can't hide behind it and am trying CBT techniques to change the way I view pretty much anything
definitions
http://www.social-anxiety.org.uk/whatis/whatis.htm
http://www.social-anxiety.org.uk/whatis/defapd.htm
definitions
http://www.social-anxiety.org.uk/whatis/whatis.htm
http://www.social-anxiety.org.uk/whatis/defapd.htm
0
Comments
Sometimes if i'm getting a bus I'll get anxious and have a long pause before I go on but it's not too bad
My anxiety has caused many problems, including permanent unemployment and even loss of friendships.
A very good friend of mine said to me once 'we all get nervous, we just deal with it' in a very angry tone (that was the last thing she said to me before I ended our friendship for good). It seems to be a very difficult problem for non-sufferers to understand and a lot of people think we're 'making it up' or are making a fuss out of ordinary nervousness.
What they don't seem to understand is that our anxiety isn't 'ordinary' - it affects our day to day lives, to such a degree that it stops us having one altogether. (a life, that is.)
I'm yet to talk to my GP about my anxiety, for fear of being laughed at. - Says it all really.
Ilora x
Hmm, this sounds a lot like me... Definitely not APD though.
I'm a fellow sufferer too - due to being diagnosed with OCD, depression and anxiety. I haven't really socialised much at all in the last 13 years or so - until I met my boyfriend and some other like minded people on an OCD website I go to. I started to make inroads to socialise at the start of the year then had a shockingly bad setback which has knocked me back to square one.
I'm unable atm to do stuff like going to pubs/clubs/restaurants - don't like being in crowded places, shops etc and find it really difficult to associate with people in groups.
I might be starting CBT in the next few months. Hope you're doing ok with everything.
Love cavegirl
xx
Thank you all for being sympathetic xx
Personally, I get very nervous at 'unwanted social interactions' - I get incredibly tense and nervous if a stranger with a clipboard approaches me in the street and I tend to leave them after making my excuses to be left alone, feeling anxious, sweaty, panic-y and upset. I also feel that I'm being watched and somedays sometimes if I notice a few more people looking at me...I get really quite upset inside, regardless of why they are looking at me really.
About 2 years ago, for around 6 months I found it hard to interact or leave my home because I just lost everything - as was my mindframe of the time. I'd just split with the boyfriend that picked up a lot of pieces for me and I just lost every ounce of confidence. That was a frightening time.
Tis odd for me because, I find the way I feel hinders a number of aspects of my life - but I've kinda, learnt to overcome them, taught myself to think correctly - I still find stupid things like catching a bus, a train, a taxi - incredibly difficult on my own just because I KNOW that I HAVE to speak to a stranger, and it throws me. But I don't feel it to a degree where I won't push myself to do it, or feel that I can't...which I suppose seperates me from it being a diagnosed problem.
That doesn't help a bit...but venting is good...
Yup, I am. Do you post on the SA-UK messageboard? I've been taking cipralex but am coming off it because it has done nothing for me other than make me tired :no:
In my own experience, I tend to find, if I'm on my own in large crowds, I begin to think everyones talking about me, looking at me and judging me. This tends to lead to irratic behaviour, nothing to obvious, just darting eyes, couple of nervous twitches. Recently though, I have been trying to get over it by myself. I've been forcing myself to go out in public. Making sure I sign up for college and other outdoorsy type things. Although it makes me feel like curling up in a little ball in a corner somewhere. So perhaps it's not the best option :P
Does anyone else get this?
I also have a huge problem with blushing, excessive sweating and shaking. - And having all those symptoms in the middle of a shopping centre just makes it 10 times worse, (because you feel everyone's looking at you at thinking bad things about you because you're in such a state). Like, I physically shake when I have to pay for something at the checkout. I'm 19yrs old for christ's sake :grump:
I've tried talking to my family about it, but they just seem exasperated with me, and find it difficult to understand. They just want me to 'get a job' and 'get out there and live'
Ilora x
http://www.thesite.org.uk/community/reallife/truestories/socialanxietydisorder
I have to admit that since I done the article my anxiety has gotten worse. I no longer leave the house. only for doctors appointments and for an Anxiety Management class that my Mental Health nurse reccommended. It's aim is to get people who suffer badly from anxiety to learn how to manage with panic/anxiety attacks. I thought this would benefit me greatly but it has not. I expected it to be the miracle cure. I have slowly came to terms that I will more than likely always have Social Anxiety but I am still hopeful that I will be able to cope with it better and get a job or at least be able to go out my front door without breaking down.
I think the only comforting thought is that I am not alone and that there are many people out there who also go through the same feelings that I do.
I still feel shy sometimes but I have definately gained confidence over the past few years/months .. it's just the way you improve is too slow to notice so a lot of the time u just think nothing is getting better and set ureself back.
I'm off to uni v soon and all the new ppl and leaving old friends is a scary thought, I think it's just a case of really really pushing ureself and getting on with it
Anyway good luck with coping etc i'm sure one day you will feel much better
Eating In Public is one of my downfalls...I can't do that, especially if it involves having to eat with males. I used to be really bad with my best-mates if we went out to a public food court I wouldn't eat, but that has gotten better in the past 18 months (I've been friends with them for 10yrs).
Yea, its just my extreme shyness that causes the problems. I've always been very shy, the last few years its completely destroyed me, didn't leave the house at all at one point. I'm very unhappy and uncomfortable with the way I am, so leads to a lot of paranoid thoughts when you catch people looking at you. When all my friends started going out to pubs and clubs, I couldn't face it so pretty much lost all my friends, lost out on a lot of experiences.
People just don't understand how you can feel SO uncomfortable and anxious just walking down the street, going to a shop, using the phone, walking in room full of people. That feeling is just so horrible. The relief after you've been to the shop or whatever and just close your bedroom door behind you. My family just think i'm slack and lazy for not getting a job, not going out, not just 'popping' down the shop to get a pint of milk..
I thought i had improved over the last year but can now see how much its affected me and sucked the life out of me now i'm at uni. I'm 20 for fuck sake and I can't go in the kitchen if theres people there, i just get very nervous, panick about what to say, shake and just start sweating...(not a nice image..) Don't like getting the lift incase theres poeple in it and I have to stand there trying to look relxed. Its horrible, it really does stop you living your life. Its makes things very hard indeed.