i have spent my entire 35 years feeling different. and just yesterday i realized that i have social anxiety. i knew that i was introverted. but i didnt realize i have a disorder causing this. i require what i call, "down time", probably about 3 hours a day at least. i am married with 3 kids ages 4, 1, and newborn. my husband is in the army so we are stationed in a foreign country. he is gone to the field right now (training for a month). hes been gone 10 days. so if you do the math here, you can see that i am getting NO down time. so yesterday i really started to feel like i was losing it. i was questioning my sanity. i got on the computer, typed in my symptoms and BAM, found a site that literally and creepily described my daily existence. i am relieved that i know what is wrong with me. it took me years to accept that it was ok for me to be who i am, til i was about 28 years old. even my family made me feel like i was weird. my oldest daughter has taken after me. in groups she plays alone. my husband without realizing, is making her feel uncomfortable in her own skin. i REFUSE to allow this to happen to my child. there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with wanting to be alone, play alone, live alone!! why force your child be in groups when they are completely happy by themselves? my son didnt take after me, but my youngest we have yet to see. i will embrace all my children and let them know that it is ok to want to be alone or whatever they want in their lives!!
