Does anybody know about your phobia?
- Thread starter Marvolo
- Start date
Foxglove
Well-known member
Only my parents know about it. For the other people that I know, like my in-laws, my husband's friends -- it's a dirty little secret. I certainly don't talk about it to anyone, and I think my husband is ashamed of me. I have the reputation among acquaintances and the family for being eccentric and weird, because I don't enjoy going to all the parties and celebrations that people are so fond of here in Germany.
DancingDann
Active member
My family and friends know. Never actually told Aunts & Uncles but they know i don't leave the house. If i didn't have my Mother & Sister i wouldn't be able to live. They post my things and if i need anything from the shops they are there for me. I'm very lucky. 
WhiskeyJack
Well-known member
I dont think anyone knows i have this problem....i assume they just think i am quiet and shy......i did tell a freind of mine once but i was drunk at the time and so was he, so it didnt really count. I do talk to someone on MSN that i met through this site about it.
In my opinion, it is an exceptionally hard condition to explain in the first place. If i didnt suffer from it myself, i dont think i could ever understand it.
In my opinion, it is an exceptionally hard condition to explain in the first place. If i didnt suffer from it myself, i dont think i could ever understand it.
I occasionally mention it to people close to me but since they don't seem to take it on board I just think they assume that I'm full of it. They probably think I'm using it as some sort of lame cop-out to explain my anti-social behaviour in general. If people took it more seriously or were able to experience it first-hand themselves somehow, they'd take more notice. It's a shame, because I know my avoidance makes no sense to those not in the know, and yet I do want those near to me to understand the reasons as to why I'm not very forthcoming.
nwsamurai
Member
I'm very selective about who I tell.
I used to be more open about it, but people would always assume they knew how to help me and they would end up making it worse.
It would always be, "Hey I know what would make you feel better, a noisy club packed with people who want absolutley nothing to do with you. Then we can find some girls that wont like you, or maybe you can look at some drunk idiot who will want to fight you for no reason."
Okay... maybe no one ever said those exact words, but you get my point.
I would say less than five people know how bad it is for me. And all five of those people know that I like to keep quiet about it, and respect my privacy on the really bad days.
I don't tell most people, because most people don't understand.
I used to be more open about it, but people would always assume they knew how to help me and they would end up making it worse.
It would always be, "Hey I know what would make you feel better, a noisy club packed with people who want absolutley nothing to do with you. Then we can find some girls that wont like you, or maybe you can look at some drunk idiot who will want to fight you for no reason."
Okay... maybe no one ever said those exact words, but you get my point.
I would say less than five people know how bad it is for me. And all five of those people know that I like to keep quiet about it, and respect my privacy on the really bad days.
I don't tell most people, because most people don't understand.
scatmantom
Well-known member
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mienaino
Well-known member
I normally hide it. Only my family knows. In one-on-one social situations, where I am somewhat forced to participate, I can usually seem relatively normal for the first 30 or so seconds, but after that, there's just so much epinephrine and other odds and ins in my bloodstream that my hands and my voice start to tremor. It's worse still if I've prepared for the situation, because then I'm already chock full of chemicals that I end up hyperventilating within a minute. Then it's pretty hard to hide. And I think sometimes people think I have high-functioning Autism or Aspergers.
garnet
Well-known member
Very few people know about it...my immediate family, and a very very select few friends. I don't want to tell people about it incase they think it's an excuse for getting out of things, and also...they just don't seem to get it. Sometimes I really wish that people did know...because then they would understand just how much effort and energy we put into things which they wouldn't think twice about.
SilentStranger
Well-known member
My family knows, but my uncles/aunts and cousins don't know I have SP specifically but they know I am awkward around people and probably know I don't have many friends etc.
As for the very few friends, I haven't told them either, except once when I was drunk, I told two of them... the bastard thing is I was off my face and was talking lots, I don't know what else I told them. I know one of them had a camera phone & has a video of some of it. Don't know exactly what they got, but when I hassled the other guy the next day he told me that all I talked was about SP.. I hope thats the case.
-SS
As for the very few friends, I haven't told them either, except once when I was drunk, I told two of them... the bastard thing is I was off my face and was talking lots, I don't know what else I told them. I know one of them had a camera phone & has a video of some of it. Don't know exactly what they got, but when I hassled the other guy the next day he told me that all I talked was about SP.. I hope thats the case.
-SS
Chrysta
Well-known member
I don't have a problem telling anyone about my SP. And like Worrydoll said it kinda takes the preasure off and people don't expect too much from you. My parents, sister, next door neighbors, best friend, and a couple ok friends know. But then sometimes people don't understand and think you should get over it or something.
I see that maiority of you had told about it your nearest family. Well, my family'd not understand it, I suppose... They only know that I've some eccentric habits, e. g. I usually avoid picking the phone up and also calling to anyone... I've it since the childhood...
Maybe the SA is more known at you; in Poland it's very rarely spoken about it, nearly not at all.
They only know that I've some eccentric habits, e. g. I usually avoid picking the phone up and also calling to anyone... I've it since the childhood...Maybe the SA is more known at you; in Poland it's very rarely spoken about it, nearly not at all.
fruitbat
Member
My family, but we never discuss it. Except my mother, but that's only during appointments with my doctor.
There is one person, ("friend" I suppose, but we never talk except online) that I've talked about it with, since he asked me if I had it.
On other forums, among my online friends I'm very open about it. So I think if I actually had friends in real life, they'd know about it.
There is one person, ("friend" I suppose, but we never talk except online) that I've talked about it with, since he asked me if I had it.
On other forums, among my online friends I'm very open about it. So I think if I actually had friends in real life, they'd know about it.
LibertadIlusoria
Well-known member
Everyone knows I'm shy, but I haven't actually told anyone about SA, not even my parents.
Katjelique
Active member
I have told everyone in my family that I have contact with, my boyfriend, and a few comrades of mine, mainly because they were confused how I can occansionly speak up in a meeting and be confident and other times not speak for weeks. One of them now sits now with me before any time I have to speak in front of a group and we go through what I can say or how I can response to a question. It was really nice of him, considering he is a very very aggressive and extroverted person and I doubt he understands SA at all.
thequietone
Well-known member
My immediate family knows because it's been with me since I was a kid. I was told to keep it a secret but ended up telling a few friends and later regretting it. People don't get it. Not even your family members can truly understand what it means to be in your shoes. I'm okay with my family knowing, but friends...nah. I don't talk aobut it with them. they think that they can fix me by getting me drunk in Canada or bringing me to loud obnoxious parties. Once it became clear that friends were completely clueless it felt like the gap between us was growing exponentially wider. It's just an awkward subject.
everyone has something, but chances are it doesn't suck as much as SA! :lol: just kidding, there are way worse things.
everyone has something, but chances are it doesn't suck as much as SA! :lol: just kidding, there are way worse things.
coriander1992
Well-known member
I told my sister and 2 of my friends, but they totally don't get it.
When i was explaining the symptoms of it, and how it effects you, one of them wen't "yeah, i'm like that too" :evil: i wanted to hit her soo much !!
nobody i have told understands it, makes me angry :evil:
When i was explaining the symptoms of it, and how it effects you, one of them wen't "yeah, i'm like that too" :evil: i wanted to hit her soo much !!
nobody i have told understands it, makes me angry :evil: