Telling Others about SA

[AGlife]

Ay just wondering if you guys have told others (excluding family) about your SA? Are you glad you did, or do you regret it? At this point I would really just like to open up to someone.

 

[Krista]

I told my best friend and while she tried her best to understand it, she didn't. She's not mature enough to though either, couldn't really wrap her brain around the idea and her best advice to give was that I just needed to suck it up and stop being so anti social. Easier said than done.

 

[garry29]

I'd say there probably isn't much point in telling anyone unless you're very good at hiding it. If they hadn't guessed already then they probably don't understand or care to understand SA. I would only open up to someone if I felt they were sympathetic to the fact that you're a bit different from other people. :-/

 

[socalledemo]

For me, I regret telling them. It always turns out to be them saying something along the lines of 'just talk to people'. They say they understand but they really don't. Then, they started treating me like I had some kind of disease. Not fun.

 

[Shift]

Um... I've told all of my friends (which I only have three of) and it's been alright. The twins don't really acknowledge my SA. They treat me the same as always and I'm very thankful for that. My best friend is constantly trying to help me get better. Which I appreciate, but sometimes it's too much for me to handle and I just want him to stop and accept me the way I am. But if he did, I would never change or get better. He just wants me to be happy.

 

[nicknamehere]

I do to a good friend, but it was really my fault. I did trust her but it was all too much and just went the other way sadly.

 

[Liberty]

I wouldn't recommend telling anyone. No one besides trained doctors can understand. It just freaks everyone else out. I told one friend and he doesn't understand at all and just thinks I'm crazy.

Most of my co-workers have figured out that people scare me although they don't know why. They think it's silly or freaky. They even mock me by saying "Booooooo" lol. They think it's funny.

I never told them officially that I have SA though.

 

[Spike Lee]

they look at you like you're crazy

 

[Hellhound]

Only close friends know me that much... and I've told a teacher once. They are understanding.

 

[Kat]

There’s a lack of understanding from both parties, If we don’t know the answers ourselves, then you can’t give the people that reach out to you, well dir, I knew that! They are only trying to help. It’s frustrating for everyone and there will be lots of trial and error, but try not to turn down attempts at support, that mentality is just as ignorant.

 

[SnowWolf]

I've casually mentioned that I have social phobia to some new friends I've met on the net because I was hoping they'd expect less of me when we actually meet in person. But now this thread is making me wish I hadn't.

 

[LadyWench]

I've told plenty of people. Most people that know me, know I have issues and that I'm socially awkward and retarded. It's kind of obvious, anyway. However, I don't volunteer that information. If someone asks, I won't lie or put on a front. I am who I am, no matter how pathetic it may be. I'm ashamed of myself, but I won't lie about it. However, sadly, most people are too stupid and ignorant to understand mental disorders. Or anything involving "abnormalities". They just...don't get it. Which is sad because it's honestly not that difficult to comprehend.

 

[AGlife]

Ok, I guess i should keep it my own little secret for now.
I always visualized that the first time I would tell people is when I would be back to my normal, outgoing self and telling it when thanking people who have helped me get through it. Or even tell it to other quiet people that I use to be like that...
sigh...I cant wait for that day.

 

[coyote]

I've talked to my girlfriend about it - but haven't made it a big deal, because she has enough things going on to deal with herself. Mainly, I just want her to know why I behave in such strange ways sometimes - but I'm not sure she really understands.

I also told my one friend who has been helping me the last couple of years getting my life together - she also suffers from some anxiety problems of her own.

I don't really have anyone else I'd want to tell.

 

[PhillyFlyersGrl]

My Mom and her husband know and at first they treated me different, but now I get the impression they don't think there's anything wrong, or they think I seem normal enough..so in their eyes my S.A. isn't a real problem. The same thing with my fiance' he doesn't understand, and he prob doesn't think its a problem either. I try to show when Im freaking out, or say stuff, like my anxiety is bad right now, because otherwise people have no clue. I think If you hide your S.A., people will have a hard time believing you, because they have never seen you..walk out of a place, or notice your nervousness etc..they have never witnessed it for themselves.
I have gotten urges to tell people, like someone at work, or a mutual friend of me and my fiance' but I havent worked up the nerve, Im afraid I would regret it....but its like I so want people to understand why I am the way I am, I don't want people to just think "im weird" or whatever. And in a way people would miss out on something you are going through, thats if they really care about you, they would feel like they missed out on a piece of you, and your life.

 

[Fighter86]

Some family and an ex-friend sort of know about my situation but they don't quite understand it. In anyway, I haven't talked about it for a long time now so they have forgotten it exists, I just let things remain as they are now.

 

[Blaze]

I haven't told anybody about my SA except for my one true friend. He accepts it but doesn't make any effort to help really. He just tells me I am the way I am for a reason and I shouldn't spend all my time worrying about it. Which is good enough I suppose.

I constantly do wonder though, do I come off as crazy to other people? Or just rude?

 

[Ignace]

Nobody I know in real life knows, only you guys and some other people from another forum.