Hi everyone,

I just want to know whether anyone on ATRL has Social Anxiety Disorder/Social Phobia and how do you deal with it?
I went to my doctor, she said that I could have it, she's going to refer me to my local mental health team and I've self-referred myself to a counsellor for CBT therapy and Bereavement counselling as well.

I just wish I could be f**king normal for once.

I would post this in the Blogs, but I can't, due to the section being closed.

*raises hand*

I don't actually deal with it in any effective way. I've already accepted that I'm forever going to be an outcast and there's no point in trying to be more social.

I don't have a big social phobia, but it's rather small. I'm just an introvert I guess
I'm used to being alone. It's not too bad. I get to know myself better in my bedroom

I wish I could give you any advice, but I'm still dealing with it myself.

my psychologist (I haven't seen her in like three years) told me it was probably because I was bullied for 7 years when I was in school.

i do and deal with it very poorly
you're doing more than me by going to counseling, good luck

i have pretty bad social anxiety and just general anxiety. i never used to but this group of girls in middle school were OBSESSED with me and absolutely made me just shut down socially. i have never been the same after them, tbh.

Are we allowed to promote other forums here? There are some good resources out there.

!!! I was bullied in middle school, and after that I feel very uncomfortable around my peers
I tend to freeze and be quiet at my university, but feel confident among older people and outside of university

The same is true for me. For some reason, I just feel much more comfortable talking to older people than people my age.

I remember being a lot more social when I was an elementary school aged kid. I wish I could go back to that.

I think what dumbed my social skills down was... 1) I had an aunt who lived with us for 10 years and she continuously screwed us over. I was never asked if I wanted her to live with us. I was thrown into it. No 9 year old should have to be. And whenever she pissed me off, I bottled it up when really I wanted to beat the crap out of her. 2) My grandmother's death traumatized my social skills. I had zero cares in the world when I was around her. We were like best friends. There is probably a concrete answer as to why I'm like this. But, this is mine.

I wish had the power to just walk up to someone and start running my mouth. But I can't.

I believe I'm the only anti-socialist in my family.

I can't discern whether I am extremely shy, have SAD, or I am just an introvert. Either way, I get you

Yes, Sometimes I Do Have Social Anxiety.

If your bullied in Middle School It kind of effects you the most, That's when your the most vulnerable and don't really know who you are...

I do and I've done nothing about it. I always avoid social events and I literally only have two friends.

Yes!

I'm going to Therapy this Monday to cure me

THIS!

Be bullied changed me forever

I think a lot of people on ATRL have this problem tbh.

Mine is more/less severe depending on my general state. Whenever depression hits, I tend to isolate myself to the maximum, but when I'm happy, I can be quite social.

You're perfectly normal

Yes, extremely so. I started taking medication(Parnate an MAOI) and while the side effects were VERY intense, they really helped me to be able to go out and face my fears.