Did you think that something else was wrong before SA?

[Zarrix]

Before you found out about it? I used to notice I would get tense around large crowds of people, I thought it was claustrophobia or something like that, but then I realised that I was perfectly fine surrounded by walls or some other non living object. Other than that, I thought It was paranoia, because I was obsessed with other peoples motives and how they viewed me. I still think I have paranoia, but it stems from my SP, rather than a stand alone disorder.

Since I first started school, I always wondered why everyone else (except the one 'nerd' of course) could make friends easy. I couldn't make any in my early primary years, I finally made some after 3 years, but I fell out with them. I moved, made some friends again, 6 months later, they backstabbed me too. Repeated the next year, and the year after that. At least I have a couple of friends that I have kept for a couple of years. I however am still obsessed with their motives and I always have the feeling its all going to go pear-shaped one day.

 

[sabbath92002]

I spent years thinking it was just depression and trying all kinds of anti-depressants. Finally around 1999 I saw a paxil commercial about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and knew that's what I had. None of the shrinks I had been to had even mentioned it.

 

[Generical]

I think the first signs of it coulda been near the end of primary school, i remember refusing to go on residential trips, being absolutely terrified of swimming lessons and going to football (i played for a team)......i used to worry about them for days before they happened.

It freaking sucks actually as before then i was excited about everything, hell i was a complete pimp lol.......and then suddenly anything i did i didn't even enjoy, everything was just an effort etc. :?

A kid's supposed to be care free and generally happy about everything, all i wanted to do was stay at home....

 

[sketchy24]

Umm maybe just depression. The rest I thought was just my personality. Forgot how I actually figured out it was SA though. I think someone mentioned it and I did a google search on it and realized that was exactly what was wrong.

 

[IWouldPreferNotTo]

No, I was always shy. It got worse as I got older since that's when you start going to parties and stuff.

 

[recluse]

I was very introverted throughout my chidhood. I remember being different to the other kids in school because i was so quiet and hardly said a word unless spoken too. At the age of 15 i had annorexia which i got over after almost a year thanks to counselling (i still feel guilty whenether i've eaten too much junk). Another way i got over it was by taking up cycling as a sport, the energy i needed meant i had to eat, and cycling was an obsession of mine and whilst my peers were starting to get into the partying scene, i was too busy into my cycling which i turn made me feel like an outcast, because i never went through this rebellious partying stage of life.

 

[**removed**]

Lol.. rebellious.. Most of these kids think they're so hardcore when in fact they're nothing more than a bunch of self obcessed pussies.