someone sent me an email about meet concerns but I sent a reply and got a mail delivery problem, I'll put my reply up here as I think it explains alot about meets and how to conduct them:
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hiya xxxxxx,
no I'm not offended, some people like quiet meets like you described and usually do them privately and in small groups, I did one the other day which consisted of meeting in starbucks with two other people and going to afflecks palace for a little shop, it was nice and relaxed, I suffer anxiety too from going into pubs/clubs this time last year I could not have done it ,even had trouble leaving the house. I have been facing myself with challenges though, I find the more I do SA challenging things and come through them the more things I can do, my next challlenge is to go back to work, I havent worked for two years and had to drop out due to SA.
anywho...ekk I'm starting to ramble, if you would like to meet up with just a few people in quieter surrounding let me know and even if I wont attend I can put you in touch with those who do, theres a gropu of us that kinda hang out together and do things around manchester and are very good freinds, all with different levels of SA (and avoidance), I even went to the cinema the other day with freinds (oooo very scarey and claustrophobic for me) but it was reassuring that if I couldnt have coped with it, no one would have thought me strange for leaving half way through the film (like has happened in the past with 'normal' freinds)
about the meet though I chose Bar Med as it is usually dead on saturday night, so thats why I chose it, not sure if I will be up to the club myself, though booze does give me abit of liquid confidence.Some people only stay for an hour and then leave, I went to my first BIG meet before christmas but luckily I went with a mate who I knew from little meetings so it was easier, no way could I have done it solo EEEK!
I'm very nervous about this weekend now ,have been for a month :S
because I'm organising it I'll be the center of attention which scares the bejesus out of me
cya soon
Steve
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