Anyone have severe social phobia/Avpd?

[flowers]

I guess I am not at all surprised to know that many people who grace the SF have social phobia or Avpd. For me, its a profoundly painful and depressing condition

I am actually looking for an Avpd online support forum. If anyone happens to know of one, I would appreciate hearing about it. I tried two yahoo groups. But the rules, guidelines and instructions are so complicated that I dont think I will ever figure them out. I am not very ept at understanding instructions. Thanks

 

[Emilyz]

I guess I am not at all surprised to know that many people who grace the SF have social phobia or Avpd. For me, its a profoundly painful and depressing condition

I am actually looking for an Avpd online support forum. If anyone happens to know of one, I would appreciate hearing about it. I tried two yahoo groups. But the rules, guidelines and instructions are so complicated that I dont think I will ever figure them out. I am not very ept at understanding instructions. Thanks

Have you tried socialanxietysupport.com? Many of the people there suffer from Avpd, myself being one of them. You'll find a much more concentrated group of people to relate to on specific issues than you will on this forum. It's been very helpful to me. I'm so sorry for the pain you're dealing with, but I can definitely relate to what you're going through.. :hug:

 

[flowers]

Have you tried socialanxietysupport.com? Many of the people there suffer from Avpd, myself being one of them. You'll find a much more concentrated group of people to relate to on specific issues than you will on this forum. It's been very helpful to me. I'm so sorry for the pain you're dealing with, but I can definitely relate to what you're going through.. :hug:

Thank you Emilyz. That was one of the websites I joined at some point before I knew anything about avpd. I think I visited the chat area but not the forum area. I will take your suggestion and begin posting on the forum. I just logged om to there and my username and password still work !!

Emilyz, I am sorry you .. or anyone else.. can relate to what I am "going through". I would not wish it on anyone. And yet way too many expereince it. Thank you again for the suggestion. I really apprieciate it !!!!!

 

[Theseus]

I don't have social phobia as such. But I do have avoidant personality disorder. I am absolutely incapable of forming any kind of lasting interpersonal relationship. The ones I had, have also been steadily declining, even those with my family. It's not like people are nasty to me all the time. People try to be 'friends' with me (well, probably because they want something from me, but all relationships have some self-interest behind them), and I've pretty much not really responded to them very well. I don't know what you're supposed to do to keep any kind of friendship or relation going. I don't call people because I have nothing to say. I don't go to their social functions, because I dislike the jousting for social position that happens in any social group. I find it abhorrent if someone pays for my stuff, it makes me feel useless.
In short, I'm fucked when it comes to forming any kind of social bond.

I'm not afraid to be among people as long as I'm performing a function, for example if I'm there to help set up a Christmas fete, if I'm working or even if I'm giving a talk in front of a thousand people about a particular subject. No problem at all with that.....

.......I've become fond of my solitude, or being an introvert and a hermit, and woe betide anyone who tries to drag me out of my shell saying "It'll do you good". No!

Exactly. That's very similar to my own social problems. Working with other people, discussing work matters etc. is no problem at all for me. It's the "socialization" that I cannot manage.
And I have grown to love my solitude too. It is very, very comforting, like a warm blanket. I get that "come to our party! I promise you'll enjoy it!" line quite a few times too. But I wouldn't dare go to any of them.

I lack to ability to interact normally with other people - engaging in small talk, making eye-contact, displaying emotion etc. - so I come across as cold, aloof, snobbish, even rude. The worst part is I'm fully aware of how I appear to others but am simply unable to change it.

And I have this problem as well. Lacking the ability to make small-talk, can't communicate emotions well, and come across as cold, snobbish and rude. It makes me look like an arsehole, even when I'm not.

 

[bluegrey]

I had been diagnosed with Avpd by my last yet not my current psychiatrist. I was at an Apple store yesterday talking to one of the tech people about problems with my iPod. I walked out of the store dizzy and covered from head to toe in "flop sweat".

When I am talking to someone who is making me nervous (99 out of 100 people) I try pretending they are a close friend. That trick didn't work yesterday.

 

[damage.case]

I have social phobia. I've had it for years and years yet it wasn't until I was hospitalized last week that I was finally diagnosed with it. My previous 6 or 7 doctors never cared about it, yet I feel that it's way more debilitating than my depression or bipolar.

 

[GreyCat]

I have social phobia. The Lexapro I've been taking is making me feel alot better though.

 

[Illusion]

I'm not diagnosed with anything. However I am a major loner. I don't like to leave my house much. When I do, I like to leave at night cause I feel 'less noticed' then as well as in dark rooms. I can't stand being around people, especially crowds. I'm really quiet and keep to myself. My father is the same. As a matter of fact, one of the reasons he was disabled is because of 'failure to participate with the public'. I didn't think that could happen. It did for him though, as well as other health problems though. I'm gonna be just like him probably. I fail to look people in the eyes a lot as well as keep a steady conversation. I'm known to just walk away at a point without warning if it gets to awkward. I never know what to say to people. I don't have that many friends either, but personally I can't handle having a ton of friends. I can't work nowhere cause I lose my temper with the public and end up saying or doing something I regret or gets me fired. Heck I can't even order my own food at a restaurant or tell the doctor whats wrong without having my mother there with me (is 15). They start looking at me like I'm on drugs. I must look like I'm on drugs when talking to people I guess.

 

[gakky1]

I have severe social phobia/Avoidant personality disorder. Had it years and years now and haven't had much of a working life at all. I live very much like a hermit in the family home. I'm wondering if there are any other people out there in a similar position? I'd like to hear your stories please.

PM me anytime if you wish, thanks.

Yeah, count me in too with your problem, along with others here. Look up the definition of hermit, there's my pathetic face.:grr: I don't live at home though, have always lived on my own. Have been like this for too many years to count but it's gotten drastic the last 2+ years, stopped drinking over 2 years ago which took away my only real social life, actually that's okay though stopping the drinking. My phobia has gotten too far gone, quit my job of 14 years back in August, it was just too unbearable the thought of being around others and having to sometimes socialize with them, now I just leave the house at night a few times a week to stock up on some essentials.:mhmm: Hope you don't turn into someone like me, hopefully there have been some good suggestions for you.:cool:

 

[cathyr]

I definately have social anxiety disorder and the more depressed I am the worse it gets. Not so sure about avoidant personality disorder, have never been diagnosed with it nor do I know much about it. I do know that I like to be alone a lot, but I can make conversation with people in public. Working with the public is another matter entirely....much too stressful and even though I did it for a few years I hated it. :thumbdown:

 

[NoMoneyToPlease]

Hi,I am very much a hermit also and I suffer for it in life and love.
Right now I am wearing jeans twice as big as they need be because I have to rely on my elderly mother buying me clothes,they are held up with and old headphone cord acting as a belt.I have to live through takeaways mostly, a pizza will last me for a whole day as I break it up and ration it out because I can't be sure where the next meal is coming from.This is no way to live.
A while ago I pondered signing up to a dating site but I figured what was the point as I could not travel to meet anyone and anyway who would reply to a housebound person,certainly not another housebound person.Where would we go on a date?
They would probably hide if they spotted me approaching in my jeans.

I thought I had found another indoors person the net some last year but it turned to be a cruel joke.

I feel different even while telling you this,different and ashamed.

How are you faring.I am new here and have not noticed you around.
Is it okay if I pm you to ask if you are okay?

 

[Cortez]

I too have social phobia. I am severely quiet at work and at school. It is so bad that I think about dropping out of college all the time. Along with the social phobia comes severe low self esteem, basically I think I am lower than shit.

 

[veronikaelissa]

I can relate. As a child i was always very 'shy' as people called me, which continued into my teens. It wasn't just feeling 'shy' though. I would get so umcomfortable and nervous in social situations that i trembled, my heart would pound and my stomach would cramp up and at worst i became nauseas. (The following is a little background)
My social anxiety resulted in drug problems, and by the time i was 14 i was extremely depressed. For a few awful years i thought that the depression was normal and caused by my drug problems. I stayed like that until i realised it wasnt normal and got the courage to tell my doctor about it. I didnt know that the social anxiety was actually a disorder and could be treated until i did some research. I finally talked to a doctor about it when i was 18. She prescribed me zoloft, which seemed to work for a while. iI relapsed and changed to mirtazon.
Anyway does anyone have any success stories with meds? I am coming off the mirtazon/avanza to try effexor which my doc thinks will work better for my social anxiety. I am going to start seeing a psych soon, i have been too anxious to do it in the past so i am hoping she can help with cbt.
Thankyou you all for sharing your stories, it really helps me to know that i am not alone. And having the courage to post, i had to check this over about 5 times.
by the way im new on this site, this is my first post.