Please bear with me... :s

[HereIam]

Hey I realise most my posts at the moment i'm either asking questions or moaning, but I'm new to the whole SA thing and trying to understand my thoughts and feelings!

I just have a one question... then I promise to be quiet! hehehe. Is paranoia down to SA or do I have an extra added wonderful problem?

Examples of my paranoia would be - thinking a lot of people don't like me, or like the other day I was driving in my car and when I looked in the mirror the person in the car behind me was laughing, then I thought they were laughing at me (which yes sounds crazy because why would they be laughing at me - but either way I still thought they were!) Also sometimes like if I sing in my car (yes I sing alone in my car sometimes!) I'll then stop becuase I think what if my phone went off without my realising it hit something and got answered and now someone can hear me. One other... I've not once used my name on here because i'm scared someone reading will know who I am (the chances of that are surely low!?) I realised they may seem a little far out, I haven't told anyone else these thoughts so its good to say them I guess! So Yeah down to SA or another problem?

Thanks x

[MikesP]

Welcome to social anxiety - I guess. It sounds like that to me, I think it is very usual to worry about how people perceive you if you have SA. With me, in my car, if I am queuing at traffic lights for example and have stationary cars by my driver side - I dont like to look over there. I might have a fleeting glance, but thats all it is. I'll look ahead or to my left. Sometimes Ive felt like Ive been busted for enjoying my music a little to much whilst driving!

I also used to think that people were laughing at me when I went about the supermarket - but they were without doubt just enjoying their own conversations since I was often nowhere near them. And sometimes I would check 2 or 3 times that Id ended a mobile call when finishing a conversation.

So yeah, some pretty similar examples I reckon!

[marie1974]

hi i too have experienced what u r going through, i worried wot everyone thought of me all the time and wanted everyone to like me and always tried to hard to make an effort. quite often i would go out drinking with hubby and friends and i would have a drink or 2 for confidence then a few more and b4 i knew it i would be completely gone, silly yes, and all cos i thought it would make me fit in better and id b more confident. i dont do it anymore. my cbt i am having is teaching me to not care wot people think and if people dont like me then its tough. i am much more confident now although at times i do worry have i said the wrong thing to someone, did i look ok etc, but i am much better. its all about learning to like yourself once u start doing that u will not care so much about wot others think and if u was singing in your car and someone was watchin you would just think oh dear embarrasing but mayb carry on and think wot the hell im happy, or u may stop but it wouldnt worry u as much as it does now.