hi y'all

[Anonymous]

i'm 29 from NZ and although I would like to socialise more I have severe social anxiety! i've had it since I was a kid. I used to use self medication to cope but AVOIDANCE has become my best friend. I get extremely anxious in everyday interactive situations like at work and sometimes I fixate. I attend church when I can work myself up to, but if I tell people who don't have it they sometimes don't understand. tomorrow I have a family reunion and I'm even scared of attending that. I don't know what to do...

 

[Kiddo]

I'm sorry. It sucks I know. Have you tried counseling? I'm currently in counseling and it DOES help to talk about what you are feeling. As far as going to that fam reunion I think you should at least try and go. It might do your self some good. But at least try. you never know

 

[Anonymous]

i should register but i'm too cowardly and won't be any help

thanks for reply. well i'm not proud of myself to say that in the end after much anticipatory anxiety I didn't attend (- although I nearly worked through the really negative emotions enough to go) - in fact I even kept one family member back with me so that I wasn't the only one not going to it! anyway I don't know of any other sites re. social phobia and I'm not sure if there are. it would be helpful. there must be something I/we can do.