Is that our choice or some illness?

[commenter39]

They say the prevalance is 10%.Is that true.Maybe (of course not for all of us coz some of us are really sick) it s a variant of normal.Maybe we must narrow the definition.How come 10% is sociophobic?Then we can find another diagnosis for the rest.Some of us really prefers not to be that active.They like bgeing on their own.But guess what, one day for some reason they go to a psych and get a diagnosis.I wonder what happens if we send some normal people to the psych, i guess they ll have diagnosis too, no need to be really sick.But of course most of us are really sick and need help, i mean for some of us it s not too bad or worth worrying

 

[stephen]

Yeah I think everyone has some issue that could fit a diagnosis if you look hard enough. It's like everyone who goes to a naturopath gets taken off wheat and dairy. The specialist you pick has a bias to their chosen field and experience so their diagnosis will be coloured by their own history.

 

[Splinter]

Yeah psychiatry is definitely a pseudo-science. I took medication for ten years and when I finally took back control and said no, screw these pills, I feel better 2 years after stopping.

The withdrawal was the worst thing imaginable and psychiatrists use the symptoms associated with withdrawal to justify continuing the medication regimen.

Once my body got used to no medication it was like waking up from a coma.

 

[oryoki]

i dont mind finally having a diagnosis. i have been like this all my life (i am 54) and all this time i just thought i was shy/introverted. in the past couple years my condition really accelerated to the point of a couple suicide attempts. they diagnosed me and i have been seeing a shrink every since. now that i know what i have i am more easily recognizing my symptoms.

 

[PunkRotten]

First of all its not a disease. Its learned behavior and avoidance of life. Its usually out of circumstances. The problem is focusing too much on it and over-analyzing things. Life doesn't have a script. You want to get over SA? Start going out and experience life. Find hobbies, values, interests. Get your priorities straight in life and shut the TV off, stop being a sheep, and stop trying to impress others.

 

[davidecl]

First of all its not a disease. Its learned behavior and avoidance of life. Its usually out of circumstances. The problem is focusing too much on it and over-analyzing things. Life doesn't have a script. You want to get over SA? Start going out and experience life. Find hobbies, values, interests. Get your priorities straight in life and shut the TV off, stop being a sheep, and stop trying to impress others.

I agree its a learned behavior, i learned it from my parents who avoided making friendships of their own and sheltered me (homeschooling, moving to isolated areas, etc) because of their own childhood problems.


I think that the term "schizoid" refers to people who avoid these situations and are happy like that while "social phobia" and "avoidant" are used to describe those who want to be socially successful but have problems with it

 

[Ignace]

Both. I consider it as an illness. I always thought it's better to have this then any other illness or disorder, right now I would prefer everything not too painful instead of this. Please not too much comment on this one.

 

[lurknomore]

I would say it's not an "illness" per se, but it's not something that most of us choose either. Learned behavior based on our circumstances and the environment we grew up in, with some genetic factors/dispositions thrown in as well. It's different for each person though.