Does your family know you have SA?

[Tomasso]

My family hasn't got a clue.

They actually think I'm popular. (LOL)

I have a girlfriend now who I met by complete luck. If I don't marry her, I doubt I'll find anyone else, considering I haven't talked to a woman outside of class for 3 years.

But anyway.

It kind of makes me wonder if my parents would be disappointed if I didn't get married and have kids. "We thought you were cool, what happened?". They'd probably not say anything and feel really bad for me. But then again, they might bring it up constantly.

I have 3 other siblings so it would be weird and I'd feel really depressed if they all did the normal marriage and kids thing and I didn't.

Anybody have similar thoughts?

 

[Boby]

I think you are lucky they don't know.My parents do know and they never stop complaining about it.They think if they remind my every ****ing single day how much of a loser i am i will somehow change.

 

[Feeling_Nothing]

Noone knows how I really feel (hence the avatar I got). I don't have anyone I can talk to besides some people here. I keep up my "happy" face all day untill I'm alone and then I completly break down.

I don't want anyone to know how I really feel either...I'm afraid I'll lose the people I know now.

 

[kilojoule]

.......Nope. They do call me introverted though

 

[User12]

Nobody knows. I don't tell anybody or don't plan on it. I really have trust issues. I wouldn't call them issues, I just don't trust anybody completely.

 

[Gaucho]

my mother knows, but she thinks its because i spent to much time in front of the internet and thats why I'm depressed and have social problems. Maybe its true, because when I was younger I always was outside having fun, although I already had some social problems(fears of not being good enough, etc.). Probably she is somehow right.
all other family member have no clue and the close ones like aunts etc probably think I'm a complete lazy dude.
I wish i could present my father a girlfriend someday and my mother. they have to worry that they never have seen me with a girl. LOL

 

[ohheybbyitscorixx]

Yup, they know. And my family thinks social phobia=being lazy. Actually, sometimes my boyfriend does, too. He calls my anxiety/depression combo "moping around". My mom also slaps me when I do OCD compulsions. =|

 

[MrJones]

My parents and sister know. I used to hide my suicidal thoughts only, I didn't want to worry them, but since they had to take me home from emergencies they know that as well, so I guess I have no more secrets.

 

[montejocarlo]

no. they simply think i'm unapproachable. or maybe they're aware that i'm scared of people, but they don't consider it as a disorder. just a disgusting attitude problem.

 

[lonely_drummer]

Mine don't have a clue and I'm sure they wouldn't even know that something like SA even exists. They just wouldn't get it

 

[Section_31]

my dad knows but simply does not get it. He thinks im just overly shy and the phrase social anxiety is made up by doctors practicing some wierd science (mental health) that didnt exist when he was my age, he basically thinks S/A is just a term for overt shyness and that scientists studying it have enabled people like us to be the way we are instead of facing and dealing with this....hes not mean or harsh about it at all, just ignorant and doesnt get it.

My inlaws on the other hand, ohh man. They dont get it either. They know both me and my hunny are like this. But they try to pray everything away, because we obviously arent "living right". Not bashing religion at all here, i share the same beliefs, but S/A cant be prayed away, its not a spiritual problem. What gets me, is her moms side has a long long history of S/A, her grandmother has always been described as "Flighty" and elusive and antisocial by other members of the family, while my MIL nearly comes apart when having to deal with people.....yet neither my MIL or FIL seem to do the simple math and realize their daughter is just like them, in fact my FIL himself is on the same medications as my wife for PTSD as well as anxiety....so who's to say things cant run in families??

Ive brought this up with a therapist before and it was pointed out alot of parents will subconsciously blind themselves to these issues with their children because they dont want to think their issues can be passed down.

We both know the issues we face, my wife and i, and weve talked about it at length. If we have kids, growing up, from day one their going to know what her and me have, that they may also be that way, and its my hope that an enviroment of understanding, support, and encouragement will help them have an easier time in life, vs an enviroment of criticism, being told to "get with it", ect ect ect.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

It's hard to not notice that I'm agoraphobic. haha
So, yes. Everyone knows I have social anxieties.

 

[Invisibleman]

They just think im overly shy. Well my mom kinda knows but she doesnt believe in SA and thinks its just an excuse.

 

[Iluv]

They know I had some depression problems. But not of my SA.

 

[cosmosis]

I don't think so, but I actually don't really know. They never asked me or talked to me about why I avoid so many people or why I never say anything around others. It's like they just don't want to know.

 

[jonas89]

My family knows and my closest friends know, or they know what I have been through the last few years.

 

[Orion's Hound]

I am around thirty years old and not even had one serious girlfriend so it would be a pretty thick family that didn't notice something was wrong. Unfortunately, many of them suspect I am gay (the situation isn't nearly as hilarious as you might suspect, despite sounding like something from a TV sitcom plot). My mom and sister know me well enough to know that that isn't the case but the grandparents are getting all weird about the relationship stuff.

My family is religious at the fringe ends but in the family I actually see they are pretty hardcore into facts and stuff. Engineers, pharmacists, lawyers, and programmers. Unfortunately, my immediate family doesn't put much stock in psychology - my aunt mentions diet, medications, etc and my whole families basic view of psychology beyond my sis and mom is "What in the hell good it talking to someone going to do you? You can talk to people for free. If you're going to pay a doctor at least have them check to see if there is some mixture of medications that could help you out."

Grand dad is the engineer and thinks psychology is BS but loves psychiatry. If he can't quantify it by hand he doesn't put stock in it and views pills as little lode bearing structures for the psyche or something. He was depressed and had great success with antidepressants though so I can't blame him for his experience. Go figure. Still, at least now the whole family realizes it isn't just basic shyness - shyness doesn't keep you single with no prospects for thirty years. I just wish they'd realize no magic pill or diet change is going to cause me to 180 on this.

 

[Phoenixx]

Well, I always wonder if my mom has a slight idea. I have a feeling she may know that I have anxiety issues, since general anxiety issues do run in her family. As far as actually knowing how terrified of people and social situations I am? Nope, no one in my family has a clue. They only know I'm shy, since I've been shy my whole life. I'm not sure if I'll ever tell them either.

 

[powerfulthoughts]

My family knows and don't give a sh*t really. THere's really nothing they can do, and nothing I expect them to do, other than understand. A couple of my siblings seem to understand and sympathize, the others don't really get it, I don't think. Over all though, whether they know or don't, really doesn't make a big difference for me. The only benefit, I would say, is that if I act a little strange/nervous/uncomfortable when we are out in public places, they know exactly why. That has actually been a good benefit.