I haven't been officially diagnosed with anything concretely. I've always had problems with being sociable I spent most of my time alone and would try to avoid social situations, but a few years ago a myriad of other problems came up and have led me to try to give my problem a name. I was looking at APD and think this may be (at least part of) my problem. I haven't even ruled out hypochondria and being psychosomatic, but I digress.
I realized as I read that I have exhibited many of the symptoms even before I had read about APD. But again with the digressions, I'll get to the questions now.
1. Does anybody make themselves as unapproachable as possible when going out? I've been told that people describe me as 'brooding', when I walk I go at night to avoid being waylaid by anybody who might try to approach me. I wear heavy boots so that people can hear me before they can see me (people are afraid of what they can sense but can't verify). I wear a hat whose brim shades my eyes so that people can't see them until they're within 10 feet of me. Plus I wear a leather jacket that makes my shoulders appear wider and more foreboding. I don't know why I do this, I just don't want to be approached when I walk.
2. Does anybody else spend far more than an acceptable amount of time on the internet? I'm currently at 6-8 hours a day, probably more during weekdays, on weekends I think I only really get up to eat or read something.
3. Does anybody else make aliases for themselves online so that nobody knows who you really are? I'm not talking about user account names, but people with facebook/myspace pages, e-mail addresses, supposed occupations, differing ideas, beliefs, and personalities.
I realized as I read that I have exhibited many of the symptoms even before I had read about APD. But again with the digressions, I'll get to the questions now.
1. Does anybody make themselves as unapproachable as possible when going out? I've been told that people describe me as 'brooding', when I walk I go at night to avoid being waylaid by anybody who might try to approach me. I wear heavy boots so that people can hear me before they can see me (people are afraid of what they can sense but can't verify). I wear a hat whose brim shades my eyes so that people can't see them until they're within 10 feet of me. Plus I wear a leather jacket that makes my shoulders appear wider and more foreboding. I don't know why I do this, I just don't want to be approached when I walk.
2. Does anybody else spend far more than an acceptable amount of time on the internet? I'm currently at 6-8 hours a day, probably more during weekdays, on weekends I think I only really get up to eat or read something.
3. Does anybody else make aliases for themselves online so that nobody knows who you really are? I'm not talking about user account names, but people with facebook/myspace pages, e-mail addresses, supposed occupations, differing ideas, beliefs, and personalities.