Do I have Social Anxiety Disorder?

Question

I know im close to having it, but im not sure if i actually have S.A.D.

I can count like 6 freinds off the top of my head that i talk to to regularly, though i never go out with any of them because i get too nervous. I get anxiety whenever i go out somewhere i dont normally go to.

Im a junior in high school right now, and allthough im into the same things alot of other people my age are, i cant seem to be myself at home. I dont have any anxiety at all when i am at home, yet it seems that my fear of change is worse at home than anywhere else. I'm too scared to talk to my parents, and let them know about things i want to do, go, or get. Not a bad family, love them, hardly ever even argue

I do get depressed, but im more often happy then depressed. ALthough not a day goes by without me hating myself for not being who i truly want to be. Never had an anxiety attack.

Ive tried self-help things, but my motivation is just not there
wish i could write more, not enough...

Although im still trying this self help thing, hoping it works.

I know I have low self-esteem, I'm a little overweight, but I plan on working out over the summer. (if I get enough courage to tell my parents). Im not nearly as open at school as i want to be, but i can usually ask a question, although not without struggling with myself to get it out.

When i think about it, it seems that if i was as open at home as i want to be about change, then i would have less trouble at school. But im not sure. so do i actually have SAD, or do i just fear change too much. btw my parents dont know anything

Answer 1

You sound like you have a lot of the symptoms of social phobia however, this disorder is only diagnosed if it has lasted for 6months. Social anxiety is common (to some degree) in most people but if it is upsetting you then it should be addressed. It would be great if you could talk to a counsellor at school, then you wouldn't have to discuss it with your parents.
you should start with making goals of what you want to achieve, it may help your motivation.
it's also common to have some aspects of depression with social anxiety.
perhaps you could make a scale of things which would make you nervous and try them starting at the least anxiety-provoking...starting with friends and family? and then work up to doing things which are harder for you. all the while combating your anxiety-provoking thoughts. Some of your thinking styles are quite unhelpful-thinking you 'should' be a particular way, will just make you feel worse and really doesn't help in any way. It's one of the most common styles of unhelpful thinking people do. Try to be easier on yourself-would you fully criticise someone else if they were acting the same way? Also, if you're always looking inside yourself when you're interacting with others, most of your thinking resources are being wasted at monitoring your own performance, which leaves you less resources to deal with others. try not to do that either.
you should know that people will be used to acting a particular way, and so they may be surprised if you start acting differently, but they'll get used to it.
you could look up cognitive behavioural therapy for social phobia. it'd be really great if you could see a professional to get more detailed help-it's easier to have someone to guide you all the way.

Answer 2

First of all, your are a junior in high school so you are going to hopefully be graduating in a year and going out into the real world. So this is a really important time to start acting like an adult. You need to let your parents know how you are feeling. and then instead of self healing something that you don't know if you have or not, you need to let people help you, starting with your partents. Then you need to go to a dr. You need to be diagnosed properly. You can't expect everyday people to treat and heal you. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear but its the best advise i can give. and this is coming from someone who has been dealing with anxiety since my junior year in high school. I am now 27, and because i was diagnosed and treated by a doc, i have been able to live quite comfy for the past 11 yrs.

Answer 3

Please tell your parents and ask for counseling. I never had a problem as you do. I was very outgoing when I was young but in my early 30 I developed panic attacks - also called anxiety. I had problems no matter where I was or who I was with or what I was doing. It was worse in meetings or other places where I felt 'cornered'.
You can lick this thing before it causes you to miss out on your youth. You need a counselor or psychologist. Some schools have people qualified to help.
Writing things down does help. It allows us to see things more clearly and come to a more realistic and truthful conclusion.
Please get help, right now. I missed so much. You shouldn't miss anything at your age. It is perhaps the most fun time of your life. Perhaps this is causing you to carry a little extra weight. Stress can do that. So can lack of physical action.
Best of luck.

Answer 4

SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Depression, not Social Anxiety Disorder.

You may have it. If you want to know for sure, you could go to a psychiatrist. But, if you don't feel that is necessary, try and cope with it yourself.

Answer 5

dude your on the same road as me :) Ive put up with it for all my life, i was pretty much born with it. Horrible feeling!! i can say social anxiety is the worse their is as social life is basically life isnt it lol ans its gotta be put to the max i got prescriptions, didnt really help me, helped me a bit but like.. .it was still their, the thing is it isnt really to do with mental health even your doctor may say otherwise, from my experience its just the way your life has been constucted or maybe you were just born with it. But i know the feeling, i can really understand. Sometimes, if the medicine doesnt work, then just say to yourself, "am i gonna let this stupid disorder control what and cannot do and experience" its just a deal with it thing :( :( sometimes it can be linked to the past! i have a friend who actually completely got rid of it. I would strongly recommend you get a prescription, and do as your doctor ses, as my social anxiety was very severe. Depending on yours, ask yourself "Is this affecting my life" "Am i coping" If you have a "no" then i would go and see the doctor, the pills can really settle it for a while. :) I learned to cope with it as i eventually found the pills didnt work and i completely just ignored it and concentrated on something else, its hard but you learn from experience, And yeh, if you want my opinion, the medicine just like helps you chill, it lasts quite a while and you can concentate on what people are saying, the medicine is a good start, and will help you as your talking to people and learning to cope while the disorder is knocked out. But its not a cure :( you have to learn, how did this start, why, and find out what is causing it and eventually you will naturally learn to tackle it. Life is short Dont let this stupid, pointless disorder bring your lifes potential down Best of luck ^_^

Answer 6

It definately sounds like you have some sort of anxiety...a fear of change. I've felt like this before, too. And for a while I didnt hang out with anybody because I just felt like some sort of outside member of my group of friends. But the thing that works the best (if you can't get yourself to talk to your parents about seeing a therapist) is just to throw yourself in the middle of something. Because once you're in the middle, you have to find your way "out". And when you throw yourself into situations more and more, you get used to change and used to being around others. It sounds scary, but once you do it, you get used to it and realize that there's nothing to be afraid of in the first place. I'm not saying to get into trouble or anything, I just mean throw yourself into things that you would not normally do...like going out with friends, or joining some after school activity.

And it might not be any disorder really, just a phase of growing up.

Answer 7

Jeff,

First, pay no attention to the first idiot who posted on here about the "myth" of psychology.

What these other people have said is true, if you feel that you do have some type of disorder (I'm not claiming to know a lot about them), you SHOULD go to a phsycologist or phsyciatrist ASAP.

A lot of us have been there Jeff.... but we all get through it. I am currently a senior in college and ready to graduate,.. I am also currently engaged. I have a great job lined up next year doing exactly what I want to do. None of this has fallen in to place until the last few years.

When I was in High School, particularly my Sophomore to Junior years, I had a lot of the same issues that you are describing. I felt happy, yet I still felt awkard in a lot of social situations and I never wanted to go anwhere or do anything "new." All I can recommend Jeff is that you spend time with your friends and family and lean on the people who care about you and more importantly that you care about. Slowly but surely you'll find that you come out of your shell. I have and I know several other people who have had the same issues as well. It really helps to talk about it, if there is anyone you can talk to. I don't know how your relationship is with your friends or family, but for your own good, talk about it with someone.

Second (and I know this may sound stupid, but believe me, it helps), keep a "file" on your computer in a hidden folder - that way no one else can find it but you, and try to type in it every couple of days on your thoughts and feelings. It really truly helps to get things written down... a lot of times when I'd type something out that I was feeling I'd feel a little better. This way you are still talking about it even if there is no one to talk to.

Meeting new people is good too, but if your too shy to go out and meet people try getting screen names - thats what I did way back then, and those "online relationships" evolved in to meaningful friendships.

Bottom line, don't hate yourself for not being the person you want to be as you said above... like I said, do something about it. Try what I suggested, but if your still feeling like things could be better you really should go talk to someone - these disorders are so easy to treat with the right help.

Good luck.

Answer 8

dont worry, i'm in junior high school too, and everyone is a little awkward. It's just a weird time, when everyone is afraid to be themselves. I can't think of a single person in my school who isn't self concious. Some times i get nervous over the silliest things, like going to school in the morning.. i'd like to think how other people view me doesn't affect me but it really does. I'm glad i can just realize that, and i hope i grow out of it some day and I'm sure you will grow out of all this anxiety too, no worries. and about the overweight thing, don't sweat about that, my brother was the same in junior high then lost all his weight working out and growing,

so smile bud us, and everyone this age, is together in this stupid middle school awkward nervous thing together haha

Answer 9

try having no friends and paranoia. :(