Clive05
Member
Hello, i'm Clive, 25 from Norwich. I'm new here, so please be nice!
Anyway, i believe i may have SA. I haven't been diagnosed with it or anything like that, and as you can imagine seeing a doctor isn't my favourite idea in the world, so i was wondering if some of the members of this forum could give me some help... Here goes.
I get nervous about meeting up with new people and feel uncomfortable going out in large groups. I get nervous about phoning people up, even some of my mates. I often feel like i have nothing / very little to contribute in conversations, and when i do i often get in a muddle with my words, and worry too much about how i'm coming across. I always throw myself into social situations i know i'm gonna feel uncomfortable in, but i go ahead with them anyway and end up absolutely shitting myself!
Personal criticism usually gets to me. On forum posts and emails i often sit there carefully thinking about my words and re-arranging them, sometimes for as long as half an hour if it's something important.
I have a full time job, which i've been at since i was 17. It's a small place, only 3 others work there. I don't really engage in social conversations with my colleagues, only work related stuff. I want to, but i find it really difficult. I have difficulty forming friendships in the same way other people form friendships. My closest friends are generally people i talk to online and rarely see, though there are one or two exceptions.
On the positive side, i don't have any trouble going shopping. I dare say i actually enjoy it, and sometimes even get a slight buzz from it. I play guitar in a band, and one of my favourite things to do is performing in front of people. I guess i get a buzz from people watching me do something i feel confident in, though i couldn't do it on my own. That said, i've been playing in bands for 10 years and have never felt at ease enough to be myself around any of my bandmates. Eating in front of people doesn't really phaze me. I used to feel slightly self concious when i was younger but i've overcome that now. I don't have that much trouble looking other people in the eye either. Again i used to, but i'm getting over it.
I've never spoken to anyone about these problems. I'd never even heard of social anxiety until a couple of weeks ago, so finding out there are loads of other people in the world going through the same things as me is an amazing revelation! This is the longest post i have ever written on any forum ever, so thanks for reading, and any help and advice would be appreciated!
Anyway, i believe i may have SA. I haven't been diagnosed with it or anything like that, and as you can imagine seeing a doctor isn't my favourite idea in the world, so i was wondering if some of the members of this forum could give me some help... Here goes.
I get nervous about meeting up with new people and feel uncomfortable going out in large groups. I get nervous about phoning people up, even some of my mates. I often feel like i have nothing / very little to contribute in conversations, and when i do i often get in a muddle with my words, and worry too much about how i'm coming across. I always throw myself into social situations i know i'm gonna feel uncomfortable in, but i go ahead with them anyway and end up absolutely shitting myself!
Personal criticism usually gets to me. On forum posts and emails i often sit there carefully thinking about my words and re-arranging them, sometimes for as long as half an hour if it's something important.
I have a full time job, which i've been at since i was 17. It's a small place, only 3 others work there. I don't really engage in social conversations with my colleagues, only work related stuff. I want to, but i find it really difficult. I have difficulty forming friendships in the same way other people form friendships. My closest friends are generally people i talk to online and rarely see, though there are one or two exceptions.
On the positive side, i don't have any trouble going shopping. I dare say i actually enjoy it, and sometimes even get a slight buzz from it. I play guitar in a band, and one of my favourite things to do is performing in front of people. I guess i get a buzz from people watching me do something i feel confident in, though i couldn't do it on my own. That said, i've been playing in bands for 10 years and have never felt at ease enough to be myself around any of my bandmates. Eating in front of people doesn't really phaze me. I used to feel slightly self concious when i was younger but i've overcome that now. I don't have that much trouble looking other people in the eye either. Again i used to, but i'm getting over it.
I've never spoken to anyone about these problems. I'd never even heard of social anxiety until a couple of weeks ago, so finding out there are loads of other people in the world going through the same things as me is an amazing revelation! This is the longest post i have ever written on any forum ever, so thanks for reading, and any help and advice would be appreciated!
