Adam James
19-09-11, 16:31
I thought as a new member Id just share a little bit about my own expiriences. I suffer from social anxiety really badly so much so it's ruining my life. It's really hard to put a finger on why as i used to be the most confident guy in the world until one day last april i started a course to gain a qualification for my current job (which i passed woop woop) this course was set up for people who have struggled with things such as addicitons (mines was alcohol) so going along on my first day i was really really nervous during the beginning of the course i was right down the front in a classroom packed with people the main lecturer was making his opening speech if you could call it that and made eye contact with me and from some reason my head involuntarily started shaking it was the weirdest thing and during the 3 week introduction in the course this happened frequently but only in the classroom never outside of it until november last year it happened with random people on the street, family friends it became very embarrassing i'd go to the chemist to pick up a prescritption and couldnt look anyone in the eye for fear of it happening. I don't go to the barbers i shave my hair off with a bic razor (a style i quite like) but the option feels like it's been taken away. This happens as you could imagine at the dentists, doctors going on a bus, walking down a street which i also focus on my walking thinking i look silly. The worst part is work meetings with area managers i have to put my hands behind my head and literally hold it it makes me looked constantly relaxed which in a strange way is funny but as i work with vulnerable people it also gives off the impression i dont take these meetings seriously sounds mad but there you go. It really is quite debilitating in a sense going out on dates can be torturous when having to eat or indeed drink from a glass. Infact restraunt settings in general im always thinking people are watching me eat and are going to notice my head shaking if it happens. I try to explain this to my doctor but she never seems interested which is frustrating. I'm 25 i go to the gym i think im a reasonably ok guy but for some reason i struggle with public settings its came to the stage im absolutely furious with it, thought i'd share that would be intersted to see if anyone else suffers from this.