Why do you guys tell everyone that you have social phobia?

[Klaus]

I can't see any advantage telling people you have social phobia, depression, OCD and etc. I deeply regret the times I told other people about my conditions.

1- People will not understand you and see those conditions as not serious.

2- Or they will think you are crazy.

3- They will tell other people about your conditions and they all will see you as an outcast.

4- Or they you tell other people about your conditions and they all will feel pity for you.

5- They will see you as crippled person and will not count on you for nothing.

All options will make you feel bad.


Why tell other people about your conditions???

 

[WearyChild]

I think telling people can help you. Yes others may act weird once they know but in reality telling them is saying your not ashamed of who you are. I think that is an important step to getting through life.

 

[Klaus]

I think telling people can help you. Yes others may act weird once they know but in reality telling them is saying your not ashamed of who you are. I think that is an important step to getting through life.

Ok, I understand your point of view. It's good to open up to people sometimes.

But for me it was the opposite, telling people about mine social phobia made it harder for me to go to College or work, or even talk to people in general. They were different towards me and I became even more aware of myself.

 

[Luke1993]

I think I use it as an excuse. I don't like admitting that. Possibly attention seeking as well?

 

[lyricalliaisons]

I've told people because I think honesty is the best policy & I can't lie. I've told people because it was my only way of explaining my behavior to them. Even though most people don't understand, it's still worth it, for me anyway. I don't like lying & hiding & I always feel best when people know who I really am & where I'm coming from. But I only tell people if I feel they need to know & I try to be careful about who I tell.

 

[Phil_i]

Why do you assume people tell everyone? :S I've never told anyone I properly know...

 

[AimeeSP]

If i'm meeting someone new i feel the need to tell them that i have social phobia so that if i have a random panic attack they will understand why and not think, what's that freak over there doing lol?

If i tell someone and they ignore me and never speak again, then good riddance! If they stick around and accept me with my social phobia, then that's great, because i feel social phobia is part of me now, it's who i am. If they can't accept me for who i am then i don't need people like that in my life.

 

[illuminationSP]

I only tell certain people. But to others, it's probably evident.

 

[hippiechild]

I'd never tell anyone... it doesn't change anything, giving people a label. If anything, it makes the problem seem more real and serious than necessary, thus driving away potential friends. Sure, maybe it is serious, crippling, whatever.. but to tell relative strangers about it is unfair to them (what do you expect from them?!) and an abuse of the term "social anxiety", using it to explain away unwanted behaviors, distancing yourself from your own actions. That's not to mention how unfair it is to yourself, giving yourself over to a cop out like that. To reinforce "I have social anxiety" as an escapism is, while gratifying in the present, counterproductive overall, excusing and reinforcing social withdrawal. Social anxiety should not define who you are, in your eyes or the eyes of others... pleh

 

[apollo]

I think that letting your immediate family know and some close friends is important. But telling everyone else that you have this condition is absolutely pointless. Put yourself in their shoes. They probably won't sympathize. Telling too many people will act as a constant reminder of your SA and this will only make matters worse.

 

[Lea]

It's a faultless answer Hippiechild and I completely agree. I unfortunately have problem not to tell people. Even if make promise to myself I am not going to tell anything, I usually can't hold it for long. I feel the urge to be honest, so that they don't think my weirdness is some moral fault or something. Yes it is probably escapism... wanting them to accept you with your faults so that you don't have to try and improve them. But, I have been like this my whole life, I have tried but I don't think I'll ever be able to be different .

 

[Hellhound]

Well no, I don't tell everyone. Only a few people know me THAT much. I've talked about it with them because they are understanding and I know for sure they won't treat me differently or anything. It's always good to have someone to talk to (Although, sometimes I don't talk much about problems because I fear I'll bother them)... and there's times I act really weird and crazy, I think it's fair if they know why. In some cases, hidding things only caused me more troubles...

 

[phil91]

I've never told anyone.

 

[spider04]

Not really, I once told a girl and she's been nice to me since then

 

[Emily_G]

Why tell other people about your conditions???

I have mixed feelings about this. I've told people, or had hubby tell people, in the past thinking I may feel more comfortable stuttering around them. But I found this isn't really the case. I really want to get to the point in my life where I can just stutter, talk normally around anyone and not care what they think. Oh and ask people, politely, not to finish my sentences for me. Maybe someday.....

 

[mrb]

the whole planet knows about my sa , my work mates , my boss , my family , my dog , the way i see it is if there is some big do i dont want to attend they will under stand and not get all funny about me not going ..... iv told the planet lol

 

[dooby-duck]

I've never told anyone any of my anxiety problems. I've never got a diagnosis for any of it though so I can only guess what my problems are. I don't think some people can be trusted, mental disorders to some people make them think of people who push people under trains or they think you are a bit slow in the head.

The main reason I don't tell anyone is that I don't really want the attention. I don't really want people to mark me out as a special case. I suppose for some reason Ithink it would be like putting myself under a microscope.

 

[LadyWench]

Well, personally, I don't think everyone with mental/emotional conditions go around telling everybody about it. A lot of people in my life know I have panic disorder, OCD, depression, etc., but I don't make a big deal out of it. I tell people I'm comfortable telling, and that's about it. If someone asks me, I'm not going to lie. It's a part of who I am, unfortunately. But you're right, most people don't understand it...and that's a real shame.

 

[SpLynx]

I dont tell but I would want to. Anyway no one wants to stay around me after meeting. Maybe someone would out of the pity or smth lol

Most people just dont understand, they are fearful of strange people. I cant believe how much ignorance there is in the world.

 

[agoraphobickatie]

anyone who would do any of those things you mentioned, just because i told them about my agoraphobia.. if they came to those conclusions and did those things, then they are just the type of person i don't care to know anyway, lol.. it's easy for me to not care what people i don't care about think.

i tell my friends and some people just because it makes me feel better that they know what is happening to me if i'm freaking out... if i'm with my friends and feel panicky, i'll just be like "ahhh i'm having a panic attack, get my mind off it!" and they'll laugh and start talking about something else or doing silly things to get my attention elsewhere..

like i said, if anyone thinks negatively of me because i'm anxious/agoraphobic, then i don't care enough about them to give a sh!t