25 years of SAD and counting

[dictatorship]

for the past 10 years it's been 10x worse. i'm so scared of sayihg anything around people and usually just "fake" being normal. i've been traumatized by being myself around people in the past, so that nowadays i very carefully watch everything i want to say............and then mayyyy or may Not say it. so now, i have a hard time relaxing around people, even though i may look "normal". so i get very little joy from being around people........but i AM a somewhat social being, so i Do want to hang around with them in the first place!

life sucks!

[Captain Caveman]

Hi. The past is just that, the past. So no reason why the next 25 years have to suck for you

[dictatorship]

I'm trying!!! it's so hard though. i'm getting aromatherpy, hopefully that'll ease my mind a bit?????? frankincense and lavender. any tips?

[andrew]

Hi and welcome.
Im guessing SAD means social anxiety disorder to you? In the Uk its the term used for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Anyway having struggled with both for roughly the same amount of time I thought I'd try and reply. I do think Ive made some progress with the social anxiety this year.
It is hard, well done for trying. Dont give yourself a hard time when your not perfect or something doesnt work out. Dont stop trying, dont give up hope.
Thoughts and tips. Look at this 'been traumatised' experience of being yourself or your attitudes about it. The more ok I am being myself usually means the more relaxed I feel. And I put fronts up to people all the time, everybody does, it doesnt mean its all fake. Those fronts are a part of you, not everything has to feel extreme to be real. And know what it is that you are actually looking for from other people.
Ive never tried aromatherapy, hopefully you'll be lucky with it.
Take care

[yvonne_uk_98]

Hi dictatorship,

Sorry to hear your having a hard time of it. Well done for sharing . aromatherapy is relaxing and very good. I hope you enjoy it. keep posting in here and you will get support and help. let us know how your doing, and let us know how you did at the aromatherapy.

Yvonne