Did you have intrusive thoughts (recurrent and obessive thoughts) before you developed social phobia? For example, my intrusive thoughts began when I was 9 when I repeatedly imagined hurting my family members against my will. My SAD didin't develope until I was 13.
Poll on Social Anxiety
- Thread starter Phobologist
- Start date
You dont have obsessive thoughts which randomly strike you or which strike you at particular moments? I havent met anyone with SA who lacks such thoughts. In that case, how does your anxiety manifest itself? Is it just a feeling? With me I have both the feeling of anxiety and an intrusive thought when in social situations. In general I have intrusive thoughts which are often anxious and other times benign.
agoraphobickatie
Well-known member
i don't have intrusive thoughts about hurting people, violent things or actually taking any kind of particular actions.... i guess my 'intrusive thoughts' would be stuff like "ah, i don't feel good! i feel like i'm going to go into this store and puke! bahhh this sucks!" haha, basically thoughts that fill my head during the whole 'fight or flight' thing.. completely irrational thoughts about feeling scared and sick that i have to rationalize myself..
but then, i guess i don't know if my agoraphobia is completely socially/publicly related compared to just me wanting to be at home in my 'safe zone' whenever i feel sick or like i'll puke... i don't know, it's all a mindfukk, lmao!!
but then, i guess i don't know if my agoraphobia is completely socially/publicly related compared to just me wanting to be at home in my 'safe zone' whenever i feel sick or like i'll puke... i don't know, it's all a mindfukk, lmao!!
Last edited:
Harleyq
Well-known member
I think negatively quite often. Right before getting anxious I think about reasons to justify my anxiety i.e. "they'll think I'm stupid. I can't do this. I'm going to look like a fool. I'm not normal. They're going to be watching and judging me" and so on.
But I don't ever recall getting random, intrusive thoughts before acquiring SA.
Maybe I misinterpreted your question. It sounded like you were asking if we got intrusive thoughts before developing SA, but for some reason we couldn't explain what caused those thoughts. Were you suggesting that some of us developed SA because of these thoughts as opposed to getting intrusive thoughts along with SA?
Yes. My theory is that intrusive thought disorder is a prerequisite for Social Phobia. There is some evidencefor this but your case might disprove my hypothesis.
lunarla
Well-known member
When I was probably like 5-8 or so I thought of frightening irrational things like some character in a scary movie being under a cupboard or something and it became sort of an obsession. I think that may have been just a child thing though. I probably shouldn't have watched as many scary movies as I did.
When I was about 10 I had what became a constant nagging habit to say specific things in my head before sleep. Sort of OCD. And even now I feel I have to do that sometimes but in a different format.
More recently though, I've had semi violent intrusive thoughts. Sometimes they are suicidal even though I don't reallyyyy feel like I would carry out something like that. And other times they are along the lines of some sociopath murder/rapist. I don't think of myself being violent, just violent acts being done to me or others. And they always feel like they're completely out of my control which is the scariest part.
When I was about 10 I had what became a constant nagging habit to say specific things in my head before sleep. Sort of OCD. And even now I feel I have to do that sometimes but in a different format.
More recently though, I've had semi violent intrusive thoughts. Sometimes they are suicidal even though I don't reallyyyy feel like I would carry out something like that. And other times they are along the lines of some sociopath murder/rapist. I don't think of myself being violent, just violent acts being done to me or others. And they always feel like they're completely out of my control which is the scariest part.
How do you have SA then Remus, whats the experience like? Do you just have a feeling of anxiety? You dont experience intrusive thoughts precipitating the anxiety?
FountainandFairfax
in a VAN down by the RIVER
It's difficult to say, because I've been shy for as far back as I can remember. But I really don't think I was SP when I was really young.
But I can remember having violent thoughts, morbid thoughts, sexual thoughts that I didn't even understand yet, etc, etc, etc...when I was a kid. I recall that they bothered me a lot and I was too ashamed to talk to anyone about them, which just compounded the whole awesome experience.
But I can remember having violent thoughts, morbid thoughts, sexual thoughts that I didn't even understand yet, etc, etc, etc...when I was a kid. I recall that they bothered me a lot and I was too ashamed to talk to anyone about them, which just compounded the whole awesome experience.
FountainandFairfax
in a VAN down by the RIVER
I agree. The Christian grade school I attended taught us that bad thoughts were a sin. What a thing to tell a introspective, introverted child with a warped imagination. Ha Ha Ha
Realizing that your brain is a sensory organ that just fires off random, crazy ideas that have little or no bearing on who you are or how you choose to act is a revelation I could've stood to have experienced about 10 years sooner.
That's why I've got so much love for the OCD's. It must be torturous to be in their shoes sometimes.
Yea my theory is wrong. Intrusive thought disorder apparently is not a prerequisite for social phobia. Im totaly shocked because I was sure it was. I dont realy understand then how some people have social phobia. I don't get it. Time for a new poll.
It seems to me that theres a host of problems people suffer aswell as SP, not met anyone who has "just SA", it's usually a variety pack of allsorts of disorders
Joolin
Well-known member
I was actually a really happy kid - abnormally optimistic and in love with the world. Even back then I was completely batshit crazy. I thought that if I didn't do certain things, some unspecified entity would do some unspecified horrible thing to me. The things I would do were never the same but were also never in any way rational - not the patterns like you see in OCD. Maybe I'd be opening the fridge to get some food and suddenly I realize that I have to spin in a circle or else... Pressing a button and have to run my finger around the edge of the button or else...... Gotta hold my breath for a couple seconds or else..........
Loooool @ "variety pack"
That sounds like OCPD, do you meet these criteria?
Obsessive?compulsive personality disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
