Can anyone spare any tips for my anxiety.

[billy]

When i was 13 i dropped out of highschool due to depression / insecurities and shame of having 2 8th grade classes when i started highschool. I had 4 years of only socializing with one friend and my family. Now that im 17 i missed all the important years for me to learn how to socialize. My friend has invited me out a few times to meet his friends who are incredibly outgoing but all i do is keep my mouth shut because i feel i have nothing to say or will sound stupid. My anxiety has made me develop a studder when i talk ill talk so fast i cant be understood alot of the time. Just wondering if anyone has any tips on how i could learn to socialize/ make a sense of humor since i seem to be as interesting as a wall.

 

[Helyna]

Well, school would be a good idea. I don't know your options or how far you've gotten, but I'm thinking of a community college sort of thing. (How did you drop out when you were 13? Were you homeschooled?) Anyway, since what you were missing is school, I think it would help to get back to it. I think you should see a therapist, but I know that's hard. Keep going places with you're friend. Plan ahead what you'll do. If there's a common topic of conversation, think about that beforehand. Practice is all that really lets you know what to do and how to be relaxed. Once you're relaxed, you will start to have a sense of humor.

 

[Schmoo]

When I look back on my high school/college years, my biggest regret was that I didn't try to hold onto the friends I had. Stick with your friend and force yourself to hang out with his/her crowd. Maybe they can eventually become your good friends as well. Seeing a therapist to support you through those moments is also a good idea. don't know if you've already seen one, but they can give you good advice to handle social situations.

 

[TAMPA-BAY]

advise

To answer your question.

First being in school would not cure your anxiety. Most of us on this site have jobs or attend school and we have anxiety just like you.

Second forceing your self doesnt quite work cause you'll still have the anxiety and you might actualy get worst because you will devolop resentmet for not being able to do the things that the people you are with can do.

My suggestions is to focus on the root causes of anxiety which is your thinking and thoughts. Once you learn how this anxiousness is cause by faulty thinking you automaticly starting behaving diffrently.

In social situation you will find your self not stuttering because your not trying to fit an hour worth of chat into five minutes of chat. You will notice your self aproaching people more frequently and on and on.

If you or any of us dont go after the root cause of anxiety you or any one else with find you self righ back to square one.