Are anti-social and social phobia the same?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I don't know. Social phobia, anti social. Difference? I think I am anti social but i really don't know. Lemme tell you a bit about me ok?:

i'm 16 a girl. I used to have 3 friends and now i have none.

I hardly ever go out to do social stuff. I'm going to be a junior next year and i haven't done a single high school event ever.

people always tell me i'm quiet and i don't talk much and i feel scared to talk in school and i hate being in crowds.

i'm scared to make friends because i don't really want to deal with them and i'm scared of rejecction.

i want to ask my family for help but they'll laugh and tell me it's just a phase i'm going through. a phase? please i've been this way my entire life.

in fact i feel like i'm trapped. i want to go out and get a job and drive but i just can't seem to. i feel like my life is screwed.

thank you thank you. thank anyone id they took the time to read some of this. please help!

 

[Anonymous]

quote: Are anti-social and social phobia the same?
I think they're the same thing.
But anyways, I think I have the same problem. I almost never speak in school. And social stuff -> never.
I don't have any friends. And scarcely go out and play.
Fortunately one day I googled about this selective mutism/social anxiety disorder/social phobia thing.
I don't know what I could do to help myself.
I tried to convince my mom but she thought I am crazy too! 8O

 

[Elkapath]

I tell my mum whats rong with me and she tells me to grow up theres nothing rong with you?

 

[Anonymous]

In fact I'm in a worse situation -> I can't speak English properly!!! - I'm an immigrant and when I say something I can't speak loud and afraid that people will laugh at me.

 

[Alternator]

Definitely not. Social Anxiety and social phobia are the same thing, but nowadays most professionals in the field prefer the term Social Anxiety (aty least here in The States), one of the reasons is because Social Phobia is often mistaken for other phobias, but it's something completely different. It's in a class of its own. The main difference between haveing Socail Anxiety/Social Phobia is the presence of anxiety. We crave attention, and we want to do things like everybody else, but the anxiety is too intense. I beliueve an anti-social is someone who for some reason dislikes social activites.

 

[richkid]

Alternator has a point. The difference between the two is SAD people have the desire to be more social but find it diffcult and wonder whats the matter with them and then think they are no good in social situations and so on. Anti-social people are people who don't have that desire even know they have the ability. I think is more to do with the the phisological side of being anxious in social situations. People put the anti-social label on it because they don't understand. Bless them.

 

[greta]

Alternator has a point. The difference between the two is SAD people have the desire to be more social but find it difficult and wonder whats the matter with them and then think they are no good in social situations and so on. Anti-social people are people who don't have that desire even know they have the ability. I think is more to do with the the phisological side of being anxious in social situations. People put the anti-social label on it because they don't understand. Bless them.

Good distinction between the two types. I was wondering what the difference is also.

 

[greta]

Hi, I don't know. Social phobia, anti social. Difference? I think I am anti social but i really don't know. Lemme tell you a bit about me ok?:

I'm 16 a girl. I used to have 3 friends and now i have none.

I hardly ever go out to do social stuff. I'm going to be a junior next year and i haven't done a single high school event ever.

people always tell me I'm quiet and i don't talk much and i feel scared to talk in school and i hate being in crowds.

I'm scared to make friends because i don't really want to deal with them and I'm scared of rejecction.

i want to ask my family for help but they'll laugh and tell me it's just a phase i'm going through. a phase? please i've been this way my entire life.

in fact i feel like i'm trapped. i want to go out and get a job and drive but i just can't seem to. i feel like my life is screwed.

thank you thank you. thank anyone id they took the time to read some of this. please help!

Hey Ginny,

I'm sorry to hear about your problem. Although you may have a problem socially doesn't mean you can't be helped. There are medications out there that really do help people.

If you can't talk to your parents than talk to your DR. He will listen. Start by saying that you feel very sad all the time, and afraid to do certain things that other kids do. This way he will see that YOU recognize that something isn't right and it's not just a phase.

If you can't talk to a DR than maybe a school psychologist, most schools have at least one. They can really help you. But you must be honest, with him/her. Even bring this letter that you posted if you don't want to say it all.

Don't give up...good luck Greta

 

[Helyna]

Antisocial has nothing whatsoever to do with Social phobia/anxiety. The phobia/anxiety is related to Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD), not Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD). "Antisocial" means that someone has no respect for social norms or the feelings of others. We're the exact opposite!

Diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (Wikipedia):
1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest;
2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead;
4. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
5. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
7. Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another.


For you, you should try to find help. Do your parents understand this about you? Try printing out symptoms of SP or Avoidant personality disorder and a diagnostic and highlight the things that apply to you. You can also tell your doctor the next time you visit if you don't want to tell your parents yourself, but a lot of doctors don't understand. You're at the right time right now to work things out, because you can still live at home and you still have time to learn the social skills you need. People are a lot more willing to help teenagers than adults, so please don't wait.

 

[lurknomore]

I had kind of wondered the same thing- because I've sometimes just thought of myself as anti-social. However, I think for a time (like when I was a teen) I made myself believe that I didn't want or need to be social, so I never tried, and didn't care (at least not enough to get anxious about it). Now I feel like I want to be social, but I've never learned (or it's been so long I've forgotten) how, and while my anxiety is mild compared to some others on this forum- for instance, I've never had panic attacks- it's still frustrating that I have no friends, and no one to talk to outside of my family. I guess a good label for me would be socially ignorant- and I'm too ashamed/embarrassed to get out there and learn social skills that I feel should have been innate/intuitive by this point in my life.

 

[Uix]

I think they should of called anti-social pd something alittle different. since the word anti-social pretty much means you're not social which could be anyone who isn't social no? which would be us. but anti social pd is completely different..

 

[lurknomore]

I think they should of called anti-social pd something alittle different. since the word anti-social pretty much means you're not social which could be anyone who isn't social no? which would be us. but anti social pd is completely different..

I think that the term non-social would mean not social- anti-social seems to mean being against anything social- not necessarily the same. Like being not a religious person, but not necessarily being against religion per se.

 

[Lea]

Why antisocial, antisocial means to be against the society. I would rather say asocial.

 

[Reiji Moritsugu]

Hi, I don't know. Social phobia, anti social. Difference? I think I am anti social but i really don't know. Lemme tell you a bit about me ok?:

i'm 16 a girl. I used to have 3 friends and now i have none.

I hardly ever go out to do social stuff. I'm going to be a junior next year and i haven't done a single high school event ever.

people always tell me i'm quiet and i don't talk much and i feel scared to talk in school and i hate being in crowds.

i'm scared to make friends because i don't really want to deal with them and i'm scared of rejecction.

i want to ask my family for help but they'll laugh and tell me it's just a phase i'm going through. a phase? please i've been this way my entire life.

in fact i feel like i'm trapped. i want to go out and get a job and drive but i just can't seem to. i feel like my life is screwed.

thank you thank you. thank anyone id they took the time to read some of this. please help!

Are you sure you´re not my female, younger clone/lost twin/something else and mysterious? bad jokes aside, you´re not antisocial - as lea correctly pointed out, for being antisocial is actually going against society and its norms - nor asocial because you´re asking for help, a clear sign that you don´t accept and/or want to remain in this situation.

As it´s already been said earlier in the thread, asocial people may actually have the best array of social skills; they just don´t want to use them at all because of a complete lack of care about making contact with others - talk about giving bread to those who have no teeth - while people who have social anxiety/phobia or avoidant personality disorder actually want to have friends, be accepted, and just live like anyone else does. The thing is, our total lack of social skills causes us to be rejected by others, pushing us away from what we want to get so desperately. Unless you have somatic symptoms and/or panic attacks, I´d say you have APD...in which case, since your family won´t help you, it would be best, as you´ve already been told, to go visit a psychologist.

The only advice I can give you is go to the psychologist NOW. Or at least as soon as possible...you´re really young, so personally I don´t want you to reach my age - I´m 22 - and think about how you missed the best years of your life.

Hope things improve for you, even if it´s only a little bit

 

[Nervous]

Are you sure you´re not my female, younger clone/lost twin/something else and mysterious? bad jokes aside, you´re not antisocial - as lea correctly pointed out, for being antisocial is actually going against society and its norms - nor asocial because you´re asking for help, a clear sign that you don´t accept and/or want to remain in this situation.

As it´s already been said earlier in the thread, asocial people may actually have the best array of social skills; they just don´t want to use them at all because of a complete lack of care about making contact with others - talk about giving bread to those who have no teeth - while people who have social anxiety/phobia or avoidant personality disorder actually want to have friends, be accepted, and just live like anyone else does. The thing is, our total lack of social skills causes us to be rejected by others, pushing us away from what we want to get so desperately. Unless you have somatic symptoms and/or panic attacks, I´d say you have APD...in which case, since your family won´t help you, it would be best, as you´ve already been told, to go visit a psychologist.

The only advice I can give you is go to the psychologist NOW. Or at least as soon as possible...you´re really young, so personally I don´t want you to reach my age - I´m 22 - and think about how you missed the best years of your life.

Hope things improve for you, even if it´s only a little bit

I doubt the thread starter will read your post. He/she/it hasn't posted in over a year and a half and became a spammer at some point.

 

[Reiji Moritsugu]

I doubt the thread starter will read your post. He/she/it hasn't posted in over a year and a half and became a spammer at some point.

Oh well, that´s what I get for not looking at dates and such the way I should. Thanks anyway for telling me

 

[mariecherrie]

Hi, I don't know. Social phobia, anti social. Difference? I think I am anti social but i really don't know. Lemme tell you a bit about me ok?:

i'm 16 a girl. I used to have 3 friends and now i have none.

I hardly ever go out to do social stuff. I'm going to be a junior next year and i haven't done a single high school event ever.

people always tell me i'm quiet and i don't talk much and i feel scared to talk in school and i hate being in crowds.

i'm scared to make friends because i don't really want to deal with them and i'm scared of rejecction.

i want to ask my family for help but they'll laugh and tell me it's just a phase i'm going through. a phase? please i've been this way my entire life.

in fact i feel like i'm trapped. i want to go out and get a job and drive but i just can't seem to. i feel like my life is screwed.

thank you thank you. thank anyone id they took the time to read some of this. please help!

Do you prefer the term copy cat or originality challenged??
I believe I started the thread to this topic days ago. I'm actually a pro-social person, I just stand up for myself. Internet forums included. Alright well C-ya

 

[mariecherrie]

I think that the term non-social would mean not social- anti-social seems to mean being against anything social- not necessarily the same. Like being not a religious person, but not necessarily being against religion per se.

Well said.

 

[artsychick7]

D: I'm suprised at how many parents aren't willing to listen. My mom and dad were social phobic when young, and me and my twin sister have the same symtoms. My mom ''grew it out'' I guess but my dad still has it. ):

Social Phobia is something that many many people just can't comprehend- I attempted telling 3 friends- but they didn't understand- they tried but it was a failure- and embarrassing.

Try your hardest- force yourself into small situations you would normally not do, and ease your way into harder situations. You could start by smiling to a project partner and small talk- ignore any comments about how they always thought you were quiet- or in that genre-D: its not easy- I would suggest therapy or medication- but I'm afraid to take that step myself >.< but I think itd be the best thing to do. A good idea is when your starting to make a friend or a buddy- offer them to go and join an online chat place if you have less fear chatting online- that way you can get to know eachother better in a way thats not so scary.

So sorry if this isn't helpful ^-^'' Good luck >-<

 

[hippiechild]

They aren't even remotely related... at all...one bit.. other than involving people and distress.

People who are antisocial have no regard for other people, they lack empathy. They are aggressive, violent and confrontational. They can feel sickened by you, stick a knife in your leg and feel nothing. Basically think psychopath with less emphasis on narcissism.



edit*.....thread from 2004 ::