Why is SAD such a difficult concept for "normal" people to grasp?

[Social_Monstrosity]

I've tried talking to some people about it online and the usual rebuttal they have is "Get over it." or "Just go and talk to somebody, be yourself and somebody will like you!" which is completely false.

Why is our plight so foreign to extroverts? Can't they see it from our perspective? Are they really suffering from poor tunnel vision?

 

[Kinetik]

Because people like that perceive it to be a minor condition at best. They figure "well, I get shy too sometimes" and equate it with an average level of anxiety - the functional type of nervousness 'normal' people feel before they have to meet someone new, or do a job interview. It's difficult for them to consider it debilitating because they think they feel what we feel. They're simply not aware that for us, it's on a whole different level and that it drastically affects our quality of life. There's also the chance that they think we're trying to make excuses for ourselves or get out of working a job or going to school. Factor in the possibility of them thinking we're just being attention-seeking (especially for younger people with SA) and there are a lot of reasons why social phobia could be difficult to grasp.

 

[royalx60]

Because people like that perceive it to be a minor condition at best. They figure "well, I get shy too sometimes" and equate it with an average level of anxiety - the functional type of nervousness 'normal' people feel before they have to meet someone new, or do a job interview. It's difficult for them to consider it debilitating because they think they feel what we feel. They're simply not aware that for us, it's on a whole different level and that it drastically affects our quality of life. There's also the chance that they think we're trying to make excuses for ourselves or get out of working a job or going to school. Factor in the possibility of them thinking we're just being attention-seeking (especially for younger people with SA) and there are a lot of reasons why social phobia could be difficult to grasp.

Simply and well put Kinetik.

 

[unsaid_chris]

I know what you mean! I guess many people cannot see how problems affect people if they dont have it themselves...

I suppose all you can do is wait for someone that understands to come along to speak to and ignore those that dont see what you are talking about....

 

[Minty]

Because they can't see it. People fail to recognize that everyone's reality comes from within, not from without. They easily understand the plight of someone in a wheel chair, but if someone is suffering from debilitating depression they just shrug it off, even though the latter is more life threatening.

It's really sad but a lot of people lack empathy. And they're so caught up in their own realities, nothing else exists.

 

[JamesSmith]

Because these people are so full of themselves that they actually think they know what it's like to be every single person on the planet. You don't see me going around saying I know what it's like to be in a wheelchair. What's sad is SAD isn't recognized as a disability, so people treat you like you are the same as them, except they think you are just "weaker." What an intelligent world we live in.....not. The world doesn't care about people who aren't like them.

 

[Social_Monstrosity]

Because people like that perceive it to be a minor condition at best. They figure "well, I get shy too sometimes" and equate it with an average level of anxiety - the functional type of nervousness 'normal' people feel before they have to meet someone new, or do a job interview. It's difficult for them to consider it debilitating because they think they feel what we feel. They're simply not aware that for us, it's on a whole different level and that it drastically affects our quality of life. There's also the chance that they think we're trying to make excuses for ourselves or get out of working a job or going to school. Factor in the possibility of them thinking we're just being attention-seeking (especially for younger people with SA) and there are a lot of reasons why social phobia could be difficult to grasp.

I really enjoy your posts, Kinetik. They never DON'T make sense.