Social Phobia

Hi Energystar,

It sounds like you could use some therapy. Social anxiety is hard to deal with. You have to go really slow. Like be around a couple of people in a social situation and see how you do. Know that you aren't the only one. There are a lot of people suffering from this. I have a hard time with crowds of people. But if I know a few of them, it makes it easier. I hope that you can get some counseling for this. Try a school counselor, maybe they can guide you to some free professional counseling.

I hope that you feel better soon. Just remember that you aren't alone in this. Take care, keep posting.

Hugs, Karen

energystar

Hello and welcome to HealingWell. I am sorry to read you are having problems.

It's natural to feel self-conscious, nervous, or shy in front of others at times. Anyone can have a racing heart, sweaty palms, or fluttering stomach when trying out for chorus, asking someone on a first date, or giving a class presentation. You are not alone in feeling the way you do. Social anxiety typically first appears during early to mid-teens.

Most people manage to get through these moments when they need to. But for some, the anxiety that goes with feeling shy or self-conscious can be extreme. It can seem so unbearable that they might feel too nervous to give answers in class, be unable to make eye contact with classmates in the hallway, or avoid chatting with others at the lunch table.
People with social phobia can usually interact easily with family and a few close friends. But meeting new people, talking in a group, or speaking in public can cause their extreme shyness to kick in. I am not someone who can speak in a group and have had severe anxiety when forced into a situation where I had to do this. I do know how you feel.
With social phobia, a person's extreme shyness, self-consciousness, and fears of embarrassment get in the way of life. Instead of enjoying social activities, people with social phobia might dread them — and avoid some of them altogether.
You can learn to manage fear, develop confidence and coping skills, and stop avoiding things that make you anxious. But it's not always easy. Overcoming social phobia means getting up the courage it takes to go beyond what's comfortable, little by little.
May I kindly suggest you talk about your fears and worries with your parents, and/or a doctor or therapist who has experience treating social phobia. He or she will be able to tell if you have normal social anxiety or if you need treatment.
Behavioral therapy with a trained therapist can help you to identify and change the fearful thinking that makes you anxious in social situations. this is where talking with your parents comes in. If you have medical insurance through your parent policy do discuss the cost of therapy with them.
Again a warm welcome!
Kitt