Can anyone give more info on social anxiety?

Social Anxiety is simply the presence of anxiety during social situations. Nearly everyone has experienced various levels of social anxiety in their past, and/or present. Usually Social Anxiety is only diagnosed, recorded, and possibly treated in cases of Severe Social Anxiety, in which an individuals anxiety is so high that it either cases uncontrollable or physically crippling reaction in simple, daily, environments.

A big part of how to deal with these situations is understanding how severe your anxiety is in social sectors.

 

Well for me I sometimes freak out at people because of the pressure to talk perfectly for them.

 

As someone who has been diagnosed with severe social anxiety, my advice is to just tell your doctor how you feel, and what impact these feelings have had on your life. Are they holding you back from things you'd like to do, such as making friends or participating in activities you enjoy? Do you have trouble running errands, going to school, or holding down a job because of them? Do you avoid certain situations out of fear that you'll be judged negatively or experience unpleasant physical symptoms (panic attacks)? If you think it'd help, write down some notes before your appointment so you don't forget to mention anything you feel is important. Instead of reciting a list of symptoms you found on Google, I would recommend focusing on how your problem, whether it's social anxiety or not, impairs your ability to function on a daily basis.

Remember that many primary care physicians aren't educated in mental health issues, so if your doctor doesn't seem to take your concerns seriously, don't be afraid to seek a second opinion, preferably from a psychologist.

 

I have major issues with it... but I don't react well to meds. Or therapists for that matter. I saw various shrinks and was on meds from 7 to 17 and I only ever got worse. I refused treatment when I realized I was almost 18 anyway. Fast forward a few years ago, I tried meds again and I got so mad, I broke my hand while beating on the steering wheel while driving down the road at 55mph over some crap that happened at a salvage yard I had just left. I quit the meds shortly after that. I went back to the dr I was seeing, who was very nice by the way (I had nothing against her), and explained why I wouldn't be taking the meds anymore or coming to see her since she was just a psychiatrist (pill dr).

Thankfully I am in the position of being on disability so I can cope with it fairly well by staying to myself most of the time.

It really puts a damper on my dating life though which is really depressing at times.

I'm gonna be settling up in Seattle eventually. (Maybe sooner than later..) and I found out by checking around online, there is actually a mental health clinic there for LGBT people. That was a road block I had in therapy as a teenager living in the South. I had to keep myself closeted from the therapists, or so I felt anyway. They labeled me just about everything in the book. The last thing I wanted to be labeled was a "fag" by people I had to face on a regular basis.

I knew I was gay from about 12 or 13 but was in denial until I was 17, which coincided with when I quit the meds and first started getting online. Up until then, I told myself it was just a phase.

Once I started getting online, I was finally able to read about and see positive images of gay men. I read people's coming out stories and so on. This was also right about when Matthew Sheppard was murdered, which didn't help being closeted much. It drove me further in for fear of being killed.

It was another 6 to 8 months before I came out to my mom.

We ended up homeless and living out of her car out in California (but that's a whole other story why). I was still closeted but where we were, I was seeing gay people expressing public affection (lesbians more than anything, that I noticed anyway.. which is kind of funny) and it started eating at me badly.

Besides the stress of being homeless, I was closeted and by this time, had additted to myself I was gay and I was seeing others being "openly gay" in public (holding hands when walking together, namely). I ended up with an ulcer from the stress of it all and had to down half a bottle or more of liquid antacid a day as the symptoms came up (uncontrollable hiccups that were so bad I was in pain from them). I could barely eat, barely sleep, so on.

Anyhow, I came out to my mom finally and things went fine with it. She was shocked by it but fully accepting.

I see I got way off topic with my coming out story... but anyhow, I know I have serious social and anxiety problems. Anger issues too. I am willing to give the place in Seattle I mentioned a shot once I get up there to settle down. It's going to be like a whole different planet from here.

I did live in Sacramento for about 5 years and became more accepting of my sexuality in that time but I never did any dating due to not driving at the time. Kind of puts a damper on your dating life when you're over 18 and your mom has to drive you around.

Since we ended up moving back to the South, I learned to drive but now there's slim pickings and you can get your head smashed in a lot easier for being gay down here. Sadly, things really haven't changed much since 1998 in many parts of the country, except perhaps for the worse.

I'm not stereotypically "gay" so I haven't ever had any problems with being bullied or harassed as an adult thankfully. I never really did as a kid either, besides the generic "fag" insults that gets hurled at anyone the jerks don't like. If I had, I'd be a lot more messed up than I already am.

I don't have much family but the closest bit knows. A few friends know too. I don't shout it from the mountain tops due to the dangerous area I live in for gay people... and I look forward to getting the eff out of here soon.

Sorry, after all that there's really no advice I can give... I just had to get that off my chest.

 

Signs can be as simple as

- Finding yourself spending more time at home (rather than going out to a party, or to meeting people)
- Staying in your room rather than mixing with family.
- Fear of speaking in a group or being asked a question in a group.

And you avoid scenarios where interactions with other people are likely to take place

And if you can catch it early, by pushing yourself in to social situations, the easier it will be to get over it.

Meds can help in severe cases. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) also. Your doctor will discuss.

Good luck.

 

My mother was a harsh judge. If she thought I was constantly messing up what must other people be thinking? It took a while for me to believe that many people were less judgmental than my mom.