Only been on here a couple of days but already it's been great to hear from people with a similar condition to me.
I'm pretty sure I have SAD. In school, teachers would comment to my parents that I was bright but that I wouldn't participate in discussions in class. This behavior was repeated even more in secondary/high school in my teenage years. These years were tough enough and I fell into a behaviour of having a few close friends - I was pretty much initimdated by my peers and avoided social occassions in what should have been my formative years.
At college, I had a few close friends again but avoided group situations and any course-work involving presentations was a complete nightmare and avoided if possible.
Despite my condition, I met and married and have my own family. As life has gone on and I've become busier with everyday things, I've found myself avoiding social occassions like weddings etc. although I do enjoy a night out on rare occassions with my own close group of friends. My SA is always there - I get anxious in certain situations such as in work where there might be a meeting and I might be asked my opinion or to demonstrate something. I actively avoid these kind of situations.
This whole thing has flared up recently due to a speech I have to give at the weekend (a youth club I am involved in). This has been on my mind pretty much since March or April and has grown and grown as the year has gone on and has now grown into a monster. It's put me in a pretty bad mood and irritable and has put some distance between myself and my wife..
Recently, I've got to thinking that I need to tackle this head on and take on things that I would normally avoid and I suppose this will be something of a diary to see how I get on and to concentrate my mind.
I've started listening to 'Overcoming Social Anxiety Step by Step by Thomas A richards' having tried listening to it before but become bored by the programme. I'm going to try and stick to it this time even after I make/avoid my speech at the weekend.
Sorry for my long ramblings!
I'm pretty sure I have SAD. In school, teachers would comment to my parents that I was bright but that I wouldn't participate in discussions in class. This behavior was repeated even more in secondary/high school in my teenage years. These years were tough enough and I fell into a behaviour of having a few close friends - I was pretty much initimdated by my peers and avoided social occassions in what should have been my formative years.
At college, I had a few close friends again but avoided group situations and any course-work involving presentations was a complete nightmare and avoided if possible.
Despite my condition, I met and married and have my own family. As life has gone on and I've become busier with everyday things, I've found myself avoiding social occassions like weddings etc. although I do enjoy a night out on rare occassions with my own close group of friends. My SA is always there - I get anxious in certain situations such as in work where there might be a meeting and I might be asked my opinion or to demonstrate something. I actively avoid these kind of situations.
This whole thing has flared up recently due to a speech I have to give at the weekend (a youth club I am involved in). This has been on my mind pretty much since March or April and has grown and grown as the year has gone on and has now grown into a monster. It's put me in a pretty bad mood and irritable and has put some distance between myself and my wife..
Recently, I've got to thinking that I need to tackle this head on and take on things that I would normally avoid and I suppose this will be something of a diary to see how I get on and to concentrate my mind.
I've started listening to 'Overcoming Social Anxiety Step by Step by Thomas A richards' having tried listening to it before but become bored by the programme. I'm going to try and stick to it this time even after I make/avoid my speech at the weekend.
Sorry for my long ramblings!