Social phobia needs more awareness??

[SeriousJester]

I don’t know how it is with most people, but I only learnt about the existence of social phobia about two years ago while browsing the internet, despite having the disorder my whole life. When I finally told someone that I had it, I think I was asked what it was. I don’t think even the counsellor I went to in college understood it completely.

Do other people here think that social anxiety needs much more attention? In hindsight I really wish I’d known that my shyness was not something I’d just ‘grow out of’ like everyone seemed to think I would when I was younger. Once I arrived at college, I started to fearfully realise just how disabling my anxiety was getting. Since then I’ve found loads of videos and scientific descriptions of S.A., and I think it’s unfair to put it into the exact same category as simple shyness. After all, practically everyone feels shy at some point in their lives, but for me and presumably others here, that feeling is much stronger and more prevalent, such as when I feel intensely paranoid when I try to say something casual to a crowd. Maybe if I’d known that what I’d had was an actual medical condition rather than just some odd adolescent quirk, than maybe I could have gotten proper psychiatric help at an earlier age.

That’s just me anyway, anyone else think that social anxiety needs more attention?

 

[x Will x]

Absoloutley, yes!
I only knew about 3 years ago after having it for 6 years... i didnt even know treatment was available untill about a year ago.
another thing, we get miss-labled as "boring" or "arrogant"... this is because nobody knows what it is:/
We are misunderstood all the time...

 

[JuiceB]

It still new to me too. I only learned about it because of my sister and after a quick search for info on the internet. I think more awareness about social anxiety would not only help those who unknownly have it but will also inform others who see us as being these quiet, lonely, closet psychopaths who are ready to snap at a moments notice. Any time someone shoots up a school or public place, we're the first ones they look at. We're just trying to live just like everyone else.

 

[laure15]

another thing, we get miss-labled as "boring" or "arrogant"... this is because nobody knows what it is:/
We are misunderstood all the time...

I agree that social phobia needs more awareness. People ofte mistaken us for being "antisocial", "sociopathic", "boring", or "arrogant" when in fact, we are afraid of them more than they are of us.

 

[gustavofring]

Yes, but on the same hand I also feel like people shouldn't label themselves too easily. The risk is that once people read into this stuff and label themselves social phobic, it can kind of become a self fulfilling prophecy.

 

[dottie]

that, gustav, or people just using it as an excuse.

 

[A Many Splendored Thing]

I remember freshman year of high school a senior said to me "Freshman year was probably the best year of high school," and I thought to myself "this is going to suck."

...and it did. Every time a presentation type assignment came up, I think my stomach imploded. By sophmore year, I was already avoiding them... Let alone sitting in the front of the class every day... The only thing that made it bearable was the one friend I had.

Then I generally avoided everything for 6 months after high school.

One day I finally felt some urge to try to figure out something, and I typed one thing into google- "Afraid of people."

It fit me... and I'm still suppressing feelings of anger and sadness. Just typing this brought them up.

Nobody should have to go through this... Medication may help but it's still a challenge we have to face head on.

I'm really angry now. :/