i think its annoying when kids say they have social anxiety

[jaded]

my first post here, and im not trying to target anyone, jsut saying.
its annoying when kids 12-15 say their having social anxiety, i mean just cuz theyre not going through puberty well doesnt mean they have it... most of them are probably just faking it, cuz they seem to think its "cool" to have disorders. or mabey their just whining because "nobody loves them", and their overloaded with hormones. anyway i just think its stupid. kids that age dont even know what anxiety is, their just seeking attention.

cheers
jaded

 

[Angie_05]

Teenagers are much smarter than you think.

Also...who thinks its cool to be an SP? I don't think so.

 

[redlady]

Mine started around 13 and all i can say is that i wish i had known a lot earlier what it was - it is not beyond someone so young to have a mental illness. And kids that age don't want to be different or 'weird' - they are highly susceptible to peer pressure at that age and just want to be like everyone else. I like the fact that kids these days are becoming more clued in at an earlier age - it will or may make things easier for them in the long run.

 

[Bexi]

Yea, what "kids" are gona think it is "cool" to have SP?? Also, 12-15 year olds can be very intelligent and articulate how they feel well, and therefore are totally aware of how they fell inside themselves. There's one on this site who is more mature than most people my age (i'm 22)

 

[wutnow]

Re: i think its annoying when kids say they have social anxi

kids that age dont even know what anxiety is, their just seeking attention.

There are plenty of stressed-out, anxious 13-year-olds burdened with adult problems without the maturity or resources to deal with them. In fact, they're all over the place. In meth homes, crack houses, on the street corner, gangster wannabees, runaways, etc.

If your old man is coming home drunk every night and fighting with your mom (or you), man, you're gonna be anxious. Choosing between sleeping outside and going home with some freak, because your father threatened to kill you in a drunken rage, is definitely stress.

I'm all about self-help/ reliance/ get off your ass, but some people are just put into situations not of their making and end up with little or no control of their lives on a day to day basis. Imagine being 12 and having to survive on the street. Or having to make a value decision in a commodity sense as to whether it's worth it or not to get punched by the old man in exchange for a dry place to sleep, or to forgo the blows and sleep behind the convenience store in the cardboard bin (most mature, well-balanced 'adults' freak out when the cable goes out).

I think they can be helped. In fact I know it. Also, I've never met a mixed-up, desperate young person that thought it was 'cool' to be depressed/ withdrawn/ anxious. Most of them felt/ feel like 'outsiders' and 'throw-aways' - I don't think it's anything to aspire to. It's very sad.

I do understand that I am talking about extreme cases.

 

[Hurricane]

I have social anxiety since I was 12 years old...I wish I knew then what it was...I only found out when I was 16, now I'm 19

I really don't think someone is going to fake social anxiety to be cool...that just doesn't make any sence...maybe some younger people get shyness and social anxiety confused...but social anxiety can grow out of shyness, so let them start a journey to bettering themselves at the age they want

 

[Remus]

I've had it all my life, found out recently my mum suffered post natal depression and hit me when I was a baby and toddler,maybe thats why I was such a nervous child and scared of other people, then I was abused at six which also added to it, maybe these 12-13 year olds also have had traumas to trigger it, not everyone is the same, alot of us have causes for SA, judging from a poll we did on SAUK once ,alot is down to bullying and the SA usually starts in the teenage years

and teens going on that "nobody loves me" sounds more like depression than social anxiety

 

[nerdgirl178]

I agree some kids most of the time are going through a phase.

 

[ColdAsIce]

I don't think its right so say anyone could be faking it to be honest, to some, that could be taken as a "kick in the guts" kind of comment if you ask me..... :evil:

 

[fallenfeather]

Can I just say that I think what you wrote isn't the best way to introduce yourself. Your very first post has caused some angry feelings on the forum and perhaps you should think of other peoples feelings before making an assumption that younger SA sufferers are just faking it. There are some younger people on this forum who's posts I've read and I don't believe they are all faking it. We're all part of this forum to try to support each other and make friends. I hope I haven't come across as hostile. Would just like to keep the peace

 

[Silence45]

I wish I had went out seeking loads of attention when I was that age, then I might have been able to get the help I needed. But the reasons I didn’t seek help were:
a)I was too shy
b)I didn’t know I had a recognised disorder and
c)I knew there would be lots of people out there saying what you’re saying
Sorry but it just makes me angry that you think people are actually faking having this for attention when most people with social anxiety hate attention.

Just go back and imagine what it is like to be 12-15 and having to deal with going to school and socialising every day. Imagine having to get up and do presentations in front of the class, answer questions in front of the class, work in groups and keep yourself in a social circle of friends to prevent bullying. I remember going home at nights and crying about what I was going to have to do the next day; I knew exactly what anxiety was. I don’t know how you can say they don’t even know what anxiety is.

 

[racheH]

Re: i think its annoying when kids say they have social anxi

my first post here, and im not trying to target anyone, jsut saying.
its annoying when kids 12-15 say their having social anxiety, i mean just cuz theyre not going through puberty well doesnt mean they have it... most of them are probably just faking it, cuz they seem to think its "cool" to have disorders. or mabey their just whining because "nobody loves them", and their overloaded with hormones. anyway i just think its stupid. kids that age dont even know what anxiety is, their just seeking attention.

cheers
jaded

Kids should surely be the most prone to anxiety. It makes sense that when you are unable to fend for yourself, and depend on others, that you will be more anxious generally, doesn't it? It's thought that everyone mentally blocks out the first few years of their lives (why we never remember them) because they are so traumatic. Yes, just being a baby is the most traumatic experience most people will have, apart from perhaps the birth itself.

If you are one of the lucky ones whose life improved dramatically to exclude all anxiety after this stage, then maybe it is just inconceivable to you that there's such a thing as 'unhappy childhood'.

Now this is a site for people with social phobias, and though many will come here without what would strictly be called a phobia, for whatever reason we all have tended to be anxious around people. Phobias themselves nearly always start in early childhood. Ever heard of Little Albert? And all phobias classed as anxiety disorders. There's one anxiety disorder for you that's known to start in very young children.

And finally my personal experience... Lying in bed for weeks stressing over a 'funny look' from a stranger... Crying at the slightest hint of disapproval from anyone... Considering jumping under a car to avoid having to watch someone get angry...
Feel a heck of lot like anxiety symptoms at the time.

And no, I did not fake it for attention. The only reason I put myself through school instead of cars was to keep my family from finding out anything was wrong. They only knew me as relatively anxiety-free at home, and that's how I wanted it to stay. Plus, many of the people here will tell you that their greatest social fear is people guessing that they're scared. People finding out becomes a phobia in itself. I tolerated the situation for years, with my hair falling out in patches, never running screaming from a room as you would with arachnophobia; for as far as I was concerned, a larger, uglier spider was looming just outside of the door...

 

[ForAllOfThis]

I definitely think that you are wrong saying that young kids are faking SP because they think it's cool. I have had SP as long as I can remember, since I was very little, and there is no way that I was faking it when I was that age. Sometimes going through puberty can make it worse because you just want to be liked and accepted. Kids that age aren't accepting and they can be very cruel making you feel even more like an outsider. SP effects people of all ages and it usually surfaces in the early teen years when social pressures are high. You should think your comments through before posting them next time to ensure that you aren't hurting the feelings of other members.

 

[AlwaysUnknown]

Re: i think its annoying when kids say they have social anxi

my first post here, and im not trying to target anyone, jsut saying.
its annoying when kids 12-15 say their having social anxiety, i mean just cuz theyre not going through puberty well doesnt mean they have it... most of them are probably just faking it, cuz they seem to think its "cool" to have disorders. or mabey their just whining because "nobody loves them", and their overloaded with hormones. anyway i just think its stupid. kids that age dont even know what anxiety is, their just seeking attention.

Aw, you say you're not trying to target anybody, but this is a SA forum, is it not? A large number of people are here to support, or get support from people who have suffered from this phobia.

A lot more people have SA then you think. Me being a teenager, myself I'd just like to say, that it's more then just having anxiety around other people. I don't know about the other people on here, but along with SA comes, the feelings of Self Hate, doubt, and the neverending thoughts that prevent me from sleeping.

It really is a horrible thing, and I somewhat understand where you're coming from. A lot of people have come up to me, and said, "You're faking this, aren't you? You just want attention."

Truthfully, I don't crave the attention that you're speaking of. I tend to hold my head down, and keep away from any stranger that I might see. However I do not see where you get this 'cool' thing from?

I'd give everything to have friends, I'd give anything to go back to school and not have a panic attack. I'd do anything to be what everybody else considers 'normal.' Whatever that is.

I hadn't heard of Social Anxiety, when I went to the doctor. The people on here are right. SOME teenagers are smarter then you think. It just sort of irritates me, to see the things you have written, but it is your opinon.

Oh yeah, this is my first post on here. Just thought I'd jump right in and comment. I'm not really all that great with these forum things. :\

 

[UnbreakableShell]

Hey I'm 17, now lets take a look:

-I gotta go to the library during lunch breaks.
-Can't talk to women.
-Have been called a loner.
-I feel that I forgot how to read when I a teacher calls me to read something infront of the class; like my voice breaks, short pauses inbetween words. I take zeros on presentations.

Do I have social anxiety or am I just a loser with no self-esteem and self-confidence? Maybe both? How people see it, probably both.

 

[wutnow]

I hope thats true. The only thing sadder than a kid with SA, is an adult with SA

OH man .

 

[StereoBull]

The only thing I can say on this topic is based on my own experience. I started around age 13 and it was hard but not impossible to deal with. At a young age you are (in most cases ) supported by a level of structure. You have school to attend but thats about it. There are parents to provide food, clothing & shelter and generally look after your wellbeing.

As an adult you are out in the world to fend for yourself. If I dont leave my house to buy food .. I wont eat .. if I dont keep my job .. I will have no where to live.

I also would have loved to have recieved help from the beggining but I feel that adolesents is such a confusing time that it is tough to really understand what is going on. There are many non conformist people in the world that dont perfer to socialize with the general public but dont nessasarily have SA. It is tough for a young person to self diagnose while living in the unreal world of high school and the social cliques and groups that operate there.

Just my 2 cents ..

 

[Fredscars]

*attempts to keep calm*
Jaded, I'm 15 years old. I've been suffering from mild to moderate social anxiety for the past 3 years at least, but I've always been a nervous and shy kid.
Do you know me? Have you ever met me? No. Tell me, how do you have the right to tell ME that I do not suffer from this problem? I isolate myself from the people in my class, from having a great time because I beleive its cool, do I?
I think maybe its cool to pretend I'm so scared that I have panick attacks which leave me completely unaware as to where I am and who I'm with?
Do you think that makes me look cool at school?
I have to deal with being called a faker a lot at school, and you know what? It maks it worse. I can't trust anyone in my life with what i feel for the fear that they'll think I'm trying to get attention. So I come here. Because here is safe. Or at least it was.
Maybe I'm allowed to legitimately come back when I turn 16? Maybe then its 'okay' for me to suffer from this condition.
You think I like it? You think I dont want to be 'normal' and do things all my 'normal' friends can do? I want to go out and have a good time, but you know what? Most of the time I CANT.
I like to think I'm a well liked/ respected member of this site. I know a lot of people on here, and they appear to like me. I doubt they think I'm some kind of freakish wannabe
If I were you I'd watch how you phrase things. This is meant to be a helpful, comforting site. don't make it a place where people are afraid to talk.

 

[Boundless]

Im with fred on this 1.

 

[IamSAD]

I have been shy ever since I can remember. I think that most people who say they have social anxiety probably have it. I dont know why anyone would want to make that up.