Hi, i feel very identified with this forum, i of course have social anxiety, since my earliest memory i stayed quiet and didn't talk to anybody, whenever we had any guests in my house i ran to hide anywhere, i spoke quietly too...i was bullied everywhere, i got some OCD, hyperhidrosis and depression too
i have been always geeky and nerdy too, now i'm 21 and have poor social skills, i have trouble making friends and i have trouble especially with girls
I'm Tom. I've played guitar for about 11 years and music is my life. I mostly listen to grunge and doom metal. I'm 25 and I'm going to ITT Tech trying to get a degree but I'm not doing very well. I just lost my job so I guess I'm unemployed right now.
Hi. I'm a 28 y/o male. I've had SA as long as I can remember. Even posting anonymously on the internet makes me uncomfortable, but I'm going to try it here anyway, to expose myself to my phobias. That is all. Cheers!
Joined: Mar 03, 2004 Posts: 210 Location: Australia
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 8:39 pm Post subject:
That's brilliant Coper. Hey man we all suffer from this demon. Let's just here your story. Spit it out....
My story in a nutshell..... Totally normal until I was about 14 . Started being far too introspective. Due to the fact that I was very sensitive to criticism. Went into a major shell. I couldn't even ask a question in a classroom situation. Just hated school (mostly because I couldn't function socially). I was totally scared of teachers and most people. Just wanted to leave that fucken school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in this total fucken shell..... Which is hard to describe.... It's a pyschological shell your in. Anyway that is part of my story.
That's brilliant Coper. Hey man we all suffer from this demon. Let's just here your story. Spit it out....
My story in a nutshell..... Totally normal until I was about 14 . Started being far too introspective. Due to the fact that I was very sensitive to criticism. Went into a major shell. I couldn't even ask a question in a classroom situation. Just hated school (mostly because I couldn't function socially). I was totally scared of teachers and most people. Just wanted to leave that fucken school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in this total fucken shell..... Which is hard to describe.... It's a pyschological shell your in. Anyway that is part of my story.
Thanks, Johno. I'm surprised by how many people on this site only became phobic in their teens. I can remember instances of painful shyness going all the way back to preschool, so I always assumed that that was the norm. Anyway, my story is a very long story. I've been in therapy for 11 years, though it was mainly for depression at first. I feel like I've been mostly over the depression for about 5 years, but my social anxiety is a much more stubborn problem.
In therapy I've learned to do things like drive, go to restaurants and live on my own, by taking them one tiny baby step at a time. I've only really been trying to learn to meet new people and make friends for about 3 years, now, and it seems like the hardest thing of all, by far. I'm not surprised about that. It's been my bête noir for my whole life. The main success I can point to, at this point, is that when I put myself in a social setting and talk to people, I've learned to think of the discomfort that I feel as a positive thing, like the pain of exercise or putting iodine on a cut.
Joined: Mar 03, 2004 Posts: 210 Location: Australia
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 11:14 pm Post subject:
Yes, I also remember instances in preschool. However SP mostly affected my life in early adolescence. That's when it reared its ugly head mostly. That's when it started to control my life. About 14 if I can recall.
Joined: Jun 05, 2008 Posts: 14 Location: New Jersey
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 3:29 am Post subject:
Hello everybody! I just joined this site and its pretty nice here. Its a comforting feeling to know that you are not alone and that there are others out there struggling with the same problem.
I am 17, going to be 18 in July. Ever since mabye freshman year of high school, I have become a totally different person. In middle school, I used to have several friends and really enjoyed school. But, these past couple of years have been so lonely. I haven't maintained any of my friendships because I'm too afraid to pick up the phone and call. Now, I have only one real friend and he doesn't really know me even though we've been friends since first grade. Well anyway, I guess I'm kind of dragging on...
To the point then! Unlike other people my age, I dont go to parties or hang out with friends on weekends. I was never involved in any clubs or ever went on a date because of self imposed isolation. I hid myself from the world because being alone and sad was so much better in my mind than being rejected or embarrassed.
So after some researching, trying to figure out "just what the heck is the matter with me and why I was so afraid", I came upon avoidant personality disorder which further led me to social anxiety disorder. Now, I'm obviously no psyhcologist but I know something is definitely wrong with me. I was looking for answers and I still am.
Thats why I'm here. Life can be such a pain in the butt when you can't feel comfortable around other people. Other people feel the way I feel but I have a tendency to forget that. Now that I joined this website though, I don't have to feel alone anymore. I don't have to fight this battle by myself anymore. Nice to meet you all!
_________________ Masquerade, Paper faces on parade.
Masquerade, hide your face so the world can never find you. -The Phantom of the Opera
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im new here, im 19 and suffer from agoraphobia...i hope to meet some peeps here that can relate to me=)
