Chiaroscuro
Active member
Hey guys!
My real name is Stuart and anyone here can call me Stu or Stew for short. I'm 22 years old. I've been hesitant about whether or not to join with this website cause I'm reluctant to cement my identity as a social phobe etc - but I decided to in the end as it seems to make sense to share my problems with other people who can relate to me.
Having read a few people's posts on the difference between the various anxiety conditions I would have to say that APD is the one that fits with me the most accurately, though I seem to have some traits that fit with the other ones too! I can often behave as if I am calm and layed back without showing obvious signs of distress, but find it incredibly difficult to make myself do something where I might be judged by others. e.g I was at uni for three years and avoided almost all of the seminars and only made friends with a few people who I did not consider socially threatening.
Things I find difficult include; social events; making phone calls; expressing myself; being pressured for an answer; introducing myself; approaching people I don't know; public speaking; judgemental scenarios e.g interviews. talking to Girls full stop! But the main thing for me is that I can do all these things ok with practice - my biggest problem is making myself actually do it. It seems like I can waste literally months or even years whittling away time - and then at the end of it I just make some excuse and avoid it altogether.
On this site I really want to chat to people generally, make friends and work together with people to become more free from social anxiety. 8) But I'm not so interested in getting drawn into anything negative and pessimistic cause if we dwell on how crappy things are for us during the low points I think we just reenforce our burdens and prolong recovery.
BTW I love drawing and painting - dream to be an artist eventually! (hence the name Chiaroscuro). I'm also crazy about rifle shooting, badminton and emotional music!
My real name is Stuart and anyone here can call me Stu or Stew for short. I'm 22 years old. I've been hesitant about whether or not to join with this website cause I'm reluctant to cement my identity as a social phobe etc - but I decided to in the end as it seems to make sense to share my problems with other people who can relate to me.
Having read a few people's posts on the difference between the various anxiety conditions I would have to say that APD is the one that fits with me the most accurately, though I seem to have some traits that fit with the other ones too! I can often behave as if I am calm and layed back without showing obvious signs of distress, but find it incredibly difficult to make myself do something where I might be judged by others. e.g I was at uni for three years and avoided almost all of the seminars and only made friends with a few people who I did not consider socially threatening.
Things I find difficult include; social events; making phone calls; expressing myself; being pressured for an answer; introducing myself; approaching people I don't know; public speaking; judgemental scenarios e.g interviews. talking to Girls full stop! But the main thing for me is that I can do all these things ok with practice - my biggest problem is making myself actually do it. It seems like I can waste literally months or even years whittling away time - and then at the end of it I just make some excuse and avoid it altogether.
On this site I really want to chat to people generally, make friends and work together with people to become more free from social anxiety. 8) But I'm not so interested in getting drawn into anything negative and pessimistic cause if we dwell on how crappy things are for us during the low points I think we just reenforce our burdens and prolong recovery.
BTW I love drawing and painting - dream to be an artist eventually! (hence the name Chiaroscuro). I'm also crazy about rifle shooting, badminton and emotional music!
