Age and Experience

[Hamble]

Just out of interest, how old is everyone?

When did you first develop symptoms of SP? If you're well over 35 (which is the age when people generally begin to lose all the inhibitions they had in their youth) do you feel you've learnt by now to overcome most aspects of your SP or are you still as affected as when you were young (teens/twenties)?

 

[PisceanWisdom]

I first developed SP in kindergarten. I didn't know what it was, of course, I was just shy and didn't have any friends. I guess I started to be more nervous in first grade, that would be 6/7 years. I'm not 35 or older, but I think overcoming SP deals with experience, and of course, the more time you have, the more affecting events.

 

[LilMissTragic]

I'm nearly 32 and have been SP since I was 13. I can now cope with my SP but I still get my 'Bad' days. Its been a lot worse lately though due to stress. How about you, Hamble?

 

[JWH]

22 here. I feel I'm learning, that's for sure. It's been a slow process, but I feel that I'm at a point where I can finally go on and do more with life. It's had a lot to do with the awareness brought about by this site and my own willingness to change. I would say I first had SP going back to when I was in kindergarten too. I've always been the shy one.

 

[Hamble]

I'm nearly 32 and have been SP since I was 13. I can now cope with my SP but I still get my 'Bad' days. Its been a lot worse lately though due to stress. How about you, Hamble?

I'm 24 and since I hit 12 and went to high school I've suffered with SP. However over the past year I have improved quite a bit. I moved away from home and have grown up a hell of alot. I'm hoping as I get even older and more expereinced in life it'll disappear altogether. :roll:

 

[Chilling__Echo]

i turn 19 in three weeks (woo)

mine started when i was 11. it's so weird, i can distinctly remember when i started feeling different. and realised it made no sense. anyone else get that feeling when it first started if you were old enough to remember?

 

[PisceanWisdom]

It's had a lot to do with the awareness brought about by this site and my own willingness to change. I would say I first had SP going back to when I was in kindergarten too. I've always been the shy one.

yeah, if i hadn't found out i had SP i would've probably gone on not doing anything, not knowing what the problem was. this site helped alot, too. and no one ever suspects people can have sp when they're that age.

 

[GettingThere]

I'm middle-aged and in my case it least, it definitely did get easier with age. You seem to become less shy and the blushing also seemed to go away/deminish at some point.

Experience teaches you to be increasingly philosophical too and that helps with SP also.

 

[Fredscars]

15. always been an overly shy kid, but didnt start with the sa symptoms until i was 12 and then the panick attacks started when i was 13/14

 

[LA323]

when i was 16, im 18 now, turning 19 pretty soon

 

[kallinite]

I'm 19, now. I guess the symptoms started when I was 10. They weren't as bad as they are now, though. I guess they really started getting bad when I was 14. They've been getting worse ever since.

 

[AlliGoLighlty]

I'm 27 and heard of sp in october for the first time but now that I know the signs and symptoms I can see it in me since my first memories at 3 or 4. I feel it has gradually gotten worse. But now that I can identify I thinnk I will be able to control it instead of it controling me.

 

[Chrisfishes]

That was my message above. My gf got a username for herself just so she can get more info about sp.a nd maybe get some advice from other partners.

 

[Tris]

Im 20- Im not sure when my SP started, i cant remember, ive ALWAYS been very shy, but im finding out that the older i get the less somethings bother me, so im hoping by late 30's ill be alright...loooong wait ahead

 

[Nital]

I think it started for me when I was 13 in eighth grade and it went up and down in high school. Im 18 now, and i can cope with it fine, but sometimes i feel like i missed a lot by being too shy in high school.

 

[Secret_Smile]

I'm 18, My SP symtoms started showing towards the end of year 8 at Secondary school (when I was 13.
They got bad in year 11 (Was 15/16)

I found out I had SP when I was in year 12 at college (so just turned 17)

 

[Lucy40]

I was 13/14 when it started and i felt i was going mad, im 41 now and still suffer from it. Sometimes its bad, sometimes i manage to control it but it always affects me, stops me doing what id like to do, never go to parties, avoid anything social. I think i will always suffer from it, but sometimes its manageable.

 

[Alexia]

On 19 September I shall be 27 y.o and I'm dealing with SA for 12 years , long and heavy years !

 

[CrazeeTrain]

32 here, have had SA since I was 13. The SA has become more pronounced as I have aged, but hopefully it will take a turn in the other direction soon!