Has your social anxiety decreased with age?

BlueDays

BlueDays

1
Kiwong said:
An honest question that needs answering? OK, here you go, this is exactly how I have been living. Now someone might complain I am big noting myself. Maybe I need to update my resume.

I have run a marathon, I have run an ultra marathon

I've run in over twenty half marathons best time 87:59, 5 City to Surfs, numerous 10km and 5km race, winning my age group on a regular basis.

In the big city races I usually finish in the top 2 percent of all runners, and I am 51 years old. I've run under 40 minutes for 10km five times.

I run 70-90km a week.

I've beaten panic disorder, I've beaten knee pain and haemochromatosis, I taught myself two swim as an adult, despite a life long fear of water. I did all this on my own.

I've won medals at Australian Masters Athletics, NSW Masters Athletics

I've discovered three new plant species. I 've the mapped the vegetation of three local Government areas.

Last year I spent two weeks last on Lord Howe Island mapping the vegetation. I am working on a paper that will be published scientific literature.

I've raised over $4000 for breast cancer research and beyond blue charities through the Everday Hero charity.

In my work I have contributed to the conservation of biodiversity on the Western Slopes, Tablelands and coast, protecting threatened ecosystems through the purchase and protection of land in a large number of reserves.

I have web pages for landscape and seascape photography.

I am a Professional photographer. A local beachscape gallery has asked to hang my photos, and if they sell them they get a commission.

I've been published in the Botanical literature.

I have had my speculative fiction published in print and online.

I also have a high post count on the Cool Running Australia website and Runners World USA.

I like my own company.

I've lost count of the times I have been happy this last few years. But most often sitting on headland at dusk, finishing a long run or race, photographing wildflowers, enjoying nature.

I've lived, finally there is a story to my life.
Click to expand...
^ Well done, Kiwong. :thumbup:
It is a shame you were made to feel like you had to "prove" that you had "lived". I believed you.:)
 
A

aconite

New member
Changed, developed, mutated - yes. Decreased - I wish.

I'm 35 and I feel I should be better at this by now. I feel I should have more sense of who I am. Instead, I just seem to be more confused. I've just come back from a full-on social experience over the weekend and I feel completely spaced out and haven't managed to get out my pyjamas today. My head is frantically circling around all the hundreds of things I did wrong and I'm a mess.
 
W

w*n*c*a*m

Well-known member
Maybe it decreased... a bit... a tiny bit... or maybe it just evolved?

Before: I was too shy and anxious, my voice was barely a whisper when I order food from the restaurant. People in the counter have to ask me like twice before they understand me. As much as possible I let others do the ordering for me.

Now: I can order food and my voice is now audible except I avoid eye contact most of the time or I'll forget what I've ordered.

------------
Before: You can't make me do phone calls to inquire about service and stuffs

Now: I contact the company by email first but when it's really urgent I make phone calls.

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Before: At the end of the day, I review all the things I did wrong so I then sleep upset or bothered. If it was a major 'failure'... it would bother me for like weeks and months before I get over it.

Now: I just shrug things off most of the time.

----------------------
Only few changes. How about that?
 
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Sea Bass

Sea Bass

Well-known member
For me, there has been a positive correlation between my anxiety and age, but it doesn't mean that one is causing the other to get worse. idk :question:
 
B

bsammy

Well-known member
joule said:
I don't understand this :idontknow:

You are very unhappy in your life, you hold a belief that this will never change.

Kiwong is happy.

You are trying to convince him that he's not really happy just his expectations have lessened.

Consider the possibility that kiwong is not wrong/disillusioned/brainwashed. Consider that Kiwong is happy.

If what you're doing isn't working and what someone else is doing is working, why are you so sure that they are wrong? :idontknow:


EDIT: On reflection I might sound a bit arrogant and self righteous. Allow me to explain; we joined around the same time and I have read a lot of your posts, related to what you were saying. I would just really like things to go in a good direction for you and I'm probably a little pushy disagreeing with you in this thread...but that's just because I'd like to shout at you that all is not lost and life can be very good, you just need to find a new strategy to make it work for you.
Click to expand...

simply NO, i have areas i my life i am unhappy about, others im fine with, hence the reason im here...i doubt anyone that is truly happy and successful is sitting around posting on here..its a forum about a major disorder that affects peoples lives in a very negative way..
 
J

jc972

1
Kiwong said:
An honest question that needs answering? OK, here you go, this is exactly how I have been living. Now someone might complain I am big noting myself. Maybe I need to update my resume.

I have run a marathon, I have run an ultra marathon

I've run in over twenty half marathons best time 87:59, 5 City to Surfs, numerous 10km and 5km race, winning my age group on a regular basis.

In the big city races I usually finish in the top 2 percent of all runners, and I am 51 years old. I've run under 40 minutes for 10km five times.

I run 70-90km a week.

I've beaten panic disorder, I've beaten knee pain and haemochromatosis, I taught myself two swim as an adult, despite a life long fear of water. I did all this on my own.

I've won medals at Australian Masters Athletics, NSW Masters Athletics

I've discovered three new plant species. I 've the mapped the vegetation of three local Government areas.

Last year I spent two weeks last on Lord Howe Island mapping the vegetation. I am working on a paper that will be published scientific literature.

I've raised over $4000 for breast cancer research and beyond blue charities through the Everday Hero charity.

In my work I have contributed to the conservation of biodiversity on the Western Slopes, Tablelands and coast, protecting threatened ecosystems through the purchase and protection of land in a large number of reserves.

I have web pages for landscape and seascape photography.

I am a Professional photographer. A local beachscape gallery has asked to hang my photos, and if they sell them they get a commission.

I've been published in the Botanical literature.

I have had my speculative fiction published in print and online.

I also have a high post count on the Cool Running Australia website and Runners World USA.

I like my own company.

I've lost count of the times I have been happy this last few years. But most often sitting on headland at dusk, finishing a long run or race, photographing wildflowers, enjoying nature.

I've lived, finally there is a story to my life.
Click to expand...

Awesomeness dude! That made me get kinda teary eyed. Dont tell nobody though! Keep on inspiring us, Kiwong :thumbup:
 
F

Fighter86

Well-known member
I won't say my SA has decreased with age, rather I got better at hiding it. Also I have avoided doing things that trigger some of my SA.
 
Entangled

Entangled

Well-known member
Mine has gone down ever since I finished school (AKA: The place with forced presentations and group projects). FYI: The real world doesn't make you do that stuff unless you want to. I also got help during the past couple years which probably contributed as well.
 
E

Earthcircle

Well-known member
I'm 49, and I think the answer is no. I say "I think" because it's hard to remember just what it was like being 25 or being 35. I mean, the moment-to-moment experience of it. I think what happens is that being avoidant starts to seem really normal, and one thinks of it less as a disability, even though it is. I wish I knew how people find a partner. I would love to be able to do that.
 
Ree

Ree

Well-known member
I think it has improved, as I don't worry about makeup etc as much as I did before, and have stopped caring so much of what others think. I think loving myself more has helped heaps :) and I've been trying hypnosis on youtube. So I feel fine going out with a friend or family member, but when it comes to going out on my own... It's bit different. I think I'm progressing though :D
 
akala

akala

Well-known member
I am 21 now, and it's not as bad as when I was 17, it's getting a little better, there's still down days.
 
S

SunnyB

New member
I think to a certain extent my SA has decreased with age. Normal things that used to make me nervous, such as speaking to a stranger over the phone, have certainly lessened. I can go about everyday life without much of a worry.
Situations that normally cause me to become anxious generally are things like small-talk.
My fiance was invited to a wedding of a friend that he hadn't seen since leaving school, and my stomach just churned at the thought of having to go into a situation where I did not know anyone, and make small-talk for hours on end.
Fortunately we did not end up going, but it makes me realise how much I struggle at times.
 
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