Does being housebound mean I have severe SA?

I was just thinking about this, and I realized that being housebound does not necessarily mean I have severe SA. It just means that I'm very avoidment. And since I never had a panic or anxiety attack, it confirms it even more.

There's another post on this site with a link to the list of anxiety symptoms, and I don't seem to have any of them. Maybe it's because I haven't forced myself out of my home, which is what I'm really afraid of, that could trigger some anxiety symptoms. However, when I went out before, and had SA, I had muscle twitches, racing heartbeat, and little things like that, which could just be because I was going against something I feared. Like having a nightmare.

Am I right?

Would you say you're a misanthrope?

What's a misanthrope?

Somebody who dislikes people and social interaction, but they do not necessarily have phobias of people xx

I spend alot of time in my house only go out to see my support workers and my dad,its not that i have panic attacks but the fear of getting out there and feelign the anxiety kick in is enough to keep me in.I have bad/server depression on top of my SA doesnt exactly help in the matter.

Hmm............ I don't know???
I haven't had much face to face interection for such a long time that I'm not really sure. I chat online, and I used to be really outgoing and loved attention... so I don't know if that says anything? But it is true that I love animals more than humans.

You seem indifferent to people perhaps? I can take or leave most people! Some people I do not even make an effort with! This makes me look soooooo good huh?? But it is true :roll:

So, does that mean I don't have severe SA?

I have no idea about that sorry! But I guess it depends how you feel about people? Maybe you just don't like them, rather than having a "fear" of them? I am not sure tho, i am sure other people on here will help with that question. I like your quote

Haha, thanks.

I don't think I have a fear of people, but rather have a fear of people seeing me. I have to have the windows closed and the curtains drawn before I walk past them. I don't want anyone to see me, especially now when my appearance is at an all time low. And when I used to go out, I always had make up on and pretended to be very confident, and pulled it off. I didn't like talking to people as I might have given it away and shown that I was nervous and extremely self concious.

Hellraising said:

Haha, thanks.

And when I used to go out, I always had make up on and pretended to be very confident, and pulled it off. I didn't like talking to people as I might have given it away and shown that I was nervous and extremely self concious.

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..to me this indicates your sp severe enough, i don't get ‘panic or anxiety attacks’ as you mentioned either but i would classify my sp as severe. Also you said “I had muscle twitches, racing heartbeat, and little things like that, which could just be because I was going against something I feared” ….exactly, this is a big part of sp, a fear of the fear itself. I don’t know what defines ‘panic/anxiety attack” is it where you need to sit down and hyperventilate into a paper bag or whatever??? i don't need to do that but I certainly get those symptoms you decribed (muscle twitches, racing heartbeat, and little things like that) and that is probably a form of panic attack anyway only mild? I’m not sure, but I found with my sp that I would often fall into the trap of believing that I was improving or that it wasn’t really that severe, when really it was only that I hadn’t faced any of my fears in a while and had just been avoiding them which gave me the feeling that everything was ok.. this is partly because i'm not housebound and can lead a fairly normal life most of the time, going out shopping etc which gives you a false sense of security, anyway time passes and then BAM! i have an sp incident and eveything comes crashing back to earth. perhaps this is the same with you, i feel it might be? Just a thought. Good day