Sydney - regular meeting / self-help group startup

SydGuy79

New member
Hi everyone,

My name's Tony, I haven't posted much on this site, I'm an SA sufferer although these days it has little impact on me and from time to time it has no real bearing on my life at all. I would be lying though if I said I didn't have the odd bad day, but still a bad day now is much better than it used to be :)

The reason I'm posting is to see who in Sydney would be interested in a regular meet-up (every week or fortnight), and possibly in the format of a self-help group? Please note, when I say self-help group I don't mean therapy, I'm not qualified for such things, but really a place where people can meet without judgement, talk about SA (if they wish to), work on getting better, but only to the extent they wish to - and nothing would be compulsory, I believe the key to getting better with SA is everyone at their own pace and what they feel comfortable with.

Having had good progress myself in overcoming SA, I feel that I'd like to be able to give back and create a space where this could be possible, I feel comfortable enough to take a lead in doing this. During my time when I lived in the UK I went to such a group run by a guy who used to have SA and did a great job in running a self-help group. It was very helpful to me and to many others who went, to start with it was hard to go and I was nervous, but I benefited enormously from my time there and made good progress, it was so good to meet other people who understood what I was going through exactly. Their website is Social Anxiety Self-Help Group (SASH) London , I was thinking something very similar.

It would be somewhere central (around Central Station or CBD), as cheap as possible (only cover cost of a room hire / materials) and only for people with Social Anxiety to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible. Somewhere to meet other sufferers and work within your own pace/comfort on Social Anxiety. Again, there would be no pressure to 'do' anything, just being there and being able to meet other SA sufferers can be very beneficial in itself. It can also be fun!

But for this to happen, there would need to be enough interest out there for it. So I need to know if this could be possible and anyone would be interested, if you are please do respond to this thread or send me a private message, the only way I'll know is if people respond to this. I think it would be great to make a reality :D

Tony.
 

hoddesdon

Well-known member
If I lived in Sydney I would be interested now. That is where I come from originally. I stayed in Sydney for three months last year. Perhaps if I am visiting for a few weeks, as has happened on a number of occasions. Good you are showing progress is possible, even if some people doubt it, including myself in the past.
 

ForthDimension

Active member
Hey Tony... There are a few people from the group who may be keen and benefit from something like this.

You might also wanna try meetup.com, can email u the exact links if you cant find the right section.
 

red_dove

New member
I was just wondering whether this ended up happening?

I'm in the Nth West of Sydney, so the CBD is a long way, but I'd so love to meet up with other people who have social anxiety.
 

Littlewing13

Active member
I also would be keen. There is a social anxiety group on meetup.com too that meets once a month. I am working up the courage to go haha.
 

MikeyC

Well-known member
I live closer to Wollongong so a meet-up, if I chose to do it, would require me to drive there and back (hell no to the trains).
 
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