I have pretty severe social anxiety. How do I gain the courage to see a therapist? I am mostly afraid of my parent's reaction.
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posted by anonymous
on Apr 22, 2013 -
19 answers
Due to a mix of laziness, depression, social anxiety and loneliness, I'm not doing too great in school. I really need to get it together, and I just don't know how to do it. I feel tapped out at the end of the day and I'm tired of it. I like art, but going to school for it just isn't very fulfilling. I'm thinking I just need to get through it and I'll be okay, but how do I develop the work ethic that my classmates have?
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posted by malapropist
on Mar 19, 2013 -
23 answers
I'm really interested in learning to code (Python in particular), but my forays into the local community have been frustrating. Is this a typical experience for a woman? What can I do differently? Having this coding experience is crucial to getting where I want to go in my career.
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posted by fantoche
on Feb 25, 2013 -
24 answers
I think I have a personality disorder (not an illness or condition) that few therapists ever deal with. How can I find a therapist up to the challenge of helping me with this?
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posted by anonymous
on Feb 4, 2013 -
15 answers
I am the person at the party or the bar who can win hearts and minds, leave with everybody's contact info without asking for it, introduce like-minded people who are unable to hook up on their own, draw shy people out, etc. I'd like to learn how to do this in other areas of my life, without alcohol. I'd also like to learn how to better deal with some of the negative aspects of this kind of sociability.
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posted by par court
on Feb 3, 2013 -
11 answers
How do you recognize and prevent situations in which attempting to stand up for yourself or for a principle of yours results in embarrassment and making yourself look belligerent, condescending, embittered, and a bit crazy?
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posted by My Famous Mistake
on Nov 8, 2012 -
35 answers
What can I do to manage my stress and anxiety (about being the center of attention, the logistics, and getting married itself) on and leading up to my wedding day? And do you have any other advice to help me enjoy and appreciate my wedding?
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posted by anonymous
on Sep 13, 2012 -
28 answers
Need some advice regarding facing your fears, starting a new life, self confidence, social anxiety and self-loathing
(I will be getting therapy soon)
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posted by frenchfryfrenzy
on Sep 12, 2012 -
8 answers
I can't keep living on disability. I can't go back to school. I'm not good with people. How do I find a part-time job that I can do? Are there no very-part-time CS jobs aside from freelancing?
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posted by mock muppet
on Aug 8, 2012 -
5 answers
I seem to draw aggression from random strangers. I don't know why. I don't know if I'm imagining it (but I don't think I am). And since I don't know why it happens, I don't know what I can do to stop it.
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posted by anonymous
on Aug 4, 2012 -
42 answers
I know intellectually that I shouldn't worry so much about people judging me, yet my mind still goes there. Any advice/tips?
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posted by Team of Scientists
on Jul 31, 2012 -
9 answers
How have you negotiated being frustrated with the culture and experience of young-white-people-in-the-city without alienating friends or becoming a hypocrite/cynic/other mopey monster variant?
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posted by elephantsvanish
on Jul 28, 2012 -
28 answers
I think I have avoidant personality disorder. I've never actually been diagnosed, but when you look at the behaviors and symptoms, there's really no question about it. What is my question is, can I fix it? Can I deal with it? What do I do?
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posted by anonymous
on Jul 27, 2012 -
22 answers
Should I invite friends to our wedding that I'm not that close to and/or haven't really stayed in touch with? Do people think of wedding invitations as obligations to give gifts? Would it be really awkward? Or am I over-thinking this and I should just invite whoever I want to invite?
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posted by anonymous
on Jun 22, 2012 -
33 answers
I have social anxiety that psychs me out about making plans. I moved to a new city about seven months ago and still haven't seen old friends and extended family members that I really should see. Even though I enjoy hanging out with them, thinking about hanging out with them can feel like a stressful chore. I'm trying to get it together to see them and start being social, but a) how do I explain that I DO like them and am not trying to be a dismissive jerk and b) how can I stop having this problem?
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posted by anonymous
on Jun 7, 2012 -
11 answers
I used to be very shy. Through years of pushing myself (I'm 33 now), I've become pretty amazingly functional. But I find myself in an unexpected spot. While I very much want to be around people and I
can now handle it without freezing up, my experience of actually being around people is one of gritted teeth and willpower. There's very little joy in it. In theory, I'd like nothing more than a bushel of friends hanging out in my kitchen on a Sunday night. In practice, I push myself into social situations like dunking my arm in freezing water, pulling it out with a huge sigh of relief as soon as I let myself. That's not a recipe for forging new friendships, which I know take time and certain amount of vulnerability. What can I do to take myself to the next level -- from functional to genuinely friendly? Do people ever make it to the next level? On the phobia scale, it's not enough for me to be able to let a spider crawl on my arm without having a panic attack, I need to be able to lay down in a cave full of spiders and love it. (I've been in therapy for a year, but aside from that, I'd like to hear from you all.)
posted by anonymous
on Jun 7, 2012 -
21 answers
My socially awkward roommate/friend is hampering my social life. I don't know how to kindly set boundaries without really hurting him.
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posted by anonymous
on Mar 24, 2012 -
16 answers
How can I overcome my introversion, social anxiety and supposed language barrier and bond with my SO's friends and family?
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posted by ohmy
on Mar 6, 2012 -
14 answers
There is a pair of twins I interact with socially. I cannot tell them apart. It's awkward and I think probably very rude of me. Help?
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posted by stupidsexyFlanders
on Feb 14, 2012 -
29 answers
Help me get out of having to go to my boyfriend's friend's wife's birthday bowling party that I wasn't even invited to.
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posted by KogeLiz
on Feb 3, 2012 -
47 answers
How do I (someone with social anxiety) overcome my fear of running into certain people after a relationship ends badly? Snowflake details inside.
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posted by anonymous
on Jan 29, 2012 -
9 answers
You're a smart, awesome guy with serious social anxiety. What's the least awful way a friend could let you know they have feelings for you?
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posted by anonymous
on Dec 11, 2011 -
35 answers
Ok, so I've been having this problem lately (and I think it's related to my recent depression) where I meet new people and kind of expect that I'll never develop any friendship with them, but then it actually does happen, and I realize in horror that when they bring up previous conversations we've had, I act completely clueless because I didn't bother to remember it in the first place, and they say something like, "Remember we were talking about how my mom lives literally right next door to you?" (seriously, that happened today) and I remember suddenly, but clearly have already made it obvious that I didn't remember it in the first place... That's been happening a lot lately, and I want to know how to recall what I talked about with people more.
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posted by anonymous
on Dec 1, 2011 -
8 answers
How do I deal with not knowing how to make/change plans due to social anxiety? And the social consequences thereof?
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posted by 3491again
on Nov 29, 2011 -
9 answers
I've been suffering from increasing anxiety for the last year, and much to my embarrassment, my fear manifests itself by making me run to the bathroom! I'd like to see a nice therapist and nip this problem in the bud (or, butt). More details below.
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posted by doodletoo
on Oct 9, 2011 -
3 answers
Looking for experiences with SSRIs prescribed for occasional intense panic attacks and anxiety (some social anxiety too) WITHOUT any pre-existing depression, suicidal, or bipolar symptoms. Xanax hasn't worked well (lowers anxiety but seems to increase irritability). My friend has seen a therapist, who recommended this after several months of sessions, and is going to talk with a doctor about options. He's concerned with doctors' tendency to overprescribe SSRIs and monkeying around with something that's probably not intended for this.
posted by crapmatic
on Sep 28, 2011 -
13 answers
Whenever I don't make friends in a situation, I blame myself and feel bad. How should I approach this?
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posted by anonymous
on Sep 13, 2011 -
17 answers
I've suffered from severe social anxiety for around 7 years. It's not as paralyzing as it once was but I still find it very difficult to talk to people. I never know what to say in social situations so I keep pretty quiet which seems to make people really uncomfortable. I've been told I across as aloof and self involved.
I feel like I should let people know why I'm so quiet but I feel weird telling people that I have social anxiety. Is there a way I can communicate that I have a hard time talking to people without coming across as a weirdo.
posted by Chenko
on Sep 12, 2011 -
18 answers
I'm going to an intake (evaluation/show-and-tell) session at a psychiatric partial hospitalization program, due to severe social anxiety, ADHD and most importantly my current acute bipolar depressive episode. What kinds of questions should I be asking? How should I prepare?
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posted by Fee Phi Faux Phumb I Smell t'Socks o' a Puppetman!
on Aug 28, 2011 -
13 answers
My social anxiety is backwards. I love talking to people in person and speaking in front of crowds, I'm pretty good with phones, but emails, online forums, and paper correspondence are things I approach with extreme reluctance. Does anyone else have this problem? How can I cope?
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posted by fermion
on May 12, 2011 -
14 answers
What's a focus-enhancing ADHD medication that won't cause anxiety or make me feel "out of it" the way caffeine does?
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posted by incandescentman
on Apr 19, 2011 -
21 answers
Did studying a martial art get you in shape (from a very bad starting point) or help improve your confidence and ability to deal with people?
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posted by anonymous
on Mar 26, 2011 -
28 answers
What are some good books and websites for learning how to deal with social anxiety? I'm asking for a friend who is going to a CBT appointment next week, but is interested in learning as much as possible. Are there other resources that would be useful?
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posted by harriet vane
on Nov 15, 2010 -
9 answers
I have this terrible habit of skipping school out of social anxiety or shyness, even for the smallest reasons like not bringing an important book, arriving late or not knowing where the class is. How do I stop this and be a regular?
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posted by Senza Volto
on Aug 22, 2010 -
36 answers
A few months ago, a group of people I'd been hanging out with regularly dumped me without saying anything--they just stopped including me in plans and stopped responding to me. I realized that something was up and didn't push. I've been making new friends since then, but I'm often worried that these new people (or any friends) might also secretly dislike me or be considering friend-dumping me too. What should I do?
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posted by clever anonymous username
on Jul 25, 2010 -
27 answers
I have hyperhidrosis and could use some wardrobe recommendations to help me get through the summer.
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posted by anonymous
on May 18, 2010 -
12 answers
