Hugs angel,
Life can deal us some tough hands. I have a granddaughter whowith Asperger's dx at age 4 with Asperger's. She is now 16 and I know she has hard times but I always support her and tell her what a great young lady she is.
Although the two groups have several similarties, however, Autism and Social anxiety, are still two very different things. First of all, autism comes at many different levels, Asperger’s Syndrome, PDD-NOS, Williams Syndrome, etc. Autism is a complex developmental disorder. People are born into this way. At least, for now, nobody has found a cure for it. But Social anxiety can be cured. They look the same at the ” social awkwardness” part, whereas, their “social awkwardness” are not triggered by one reason. For Autistic children, they have problems of understanding jokes, physical languages. But it doesn’t mean they don’t like to make friends. Sometimes they want to, but don’t know how. For people with Social anxiety, they will have the social skills intact but will be too anxious to implement them.
Although it may feel like you’re the only one with this problem, social anxiety or social phobia is actually quite common. Many people struggle with these fears. But the situations that trigger the symptoms of social anxiety disorder can be different.
Some people experience anxiety in most social and performance situations, a condition known as generalized social anxiety disorder - that would be me on a bad day. For other people with social phobia, anxiety is connected with specific social situations, such as speaking to strangers, eating at restaurants, or going to parties.
Challenging your negative thoughts, either through therapy or on your own, is one effective way to reduce the symptoms of social anxiety disorder.
One of the most helpful things you can do to overcome social anxiety disorder, or social phobia, is to face the social situations you fear rather than avoid them. Avoidance keeps social anxiety disorder going. Look around you when you are in a group of people and think to yourself, who else here is feeling anxious. You are not alone. Just take one step at a time and no you are never a failure for trying.
You are a wonderful and valued person, just be yourself and believe in who you are.
Kindly,
Kitt