Social Anxiety Disorder for Dummies

Social Anxiety Disorder is an ever-emergent problem in today's society. It infects approximately 7% of the population, myself included, and parasitically drains them of their social lives to varying degrees.

If you are reading this then logic dictates that you must possess at least a modest quantity of general knowledge pertaining to the disorder. However, for other inquiring minds, keep those minds open and allow me to feed you baby birds. Yes, that analogy implies that I will be filling your heads with insects via my mouth. As intimate as that may seem, it would be best not to read too much into that and instead take my explanation to heart.

When you house Social Anxiety Disorder, which I will henceforth refer to as S.A.D., you are enveloped with never-ending apprehension in public. You possess a fear that others are judging you or thinking negatively of you. This anxiety causes you to become acutely aware of your actions and surroundings and it often will push you into limiting what you do as a precaution against the potential onslaught of embarrassment. Many people are unaware of the presence of S.A.D. within them and quietly blend in to their environment while remaining unsure about their social anxiety issues.

It effects and affects people somewhat differently and I can only respectfully write with complete certainty regarding myself. My S.A.D. began developing during to after my childhood phase. Probably well after I was being reprimanded for urinating on the playground during Kindergarten and well before I was planting myself inside a classroom during breaks and munching on my lunch behind the cover of a book with the lights off and no one in sight. The questionably poor parenting I received is no doubt a key benefactor along with the critically selfish and misunderstanding peers(the polite means of labeling them snobs) I was hanging amidst. More concerning to me than the actual illness was the lack of understanding I was engulfed by. Especially as a child and some of when I was a young adult, I had no idea what caused me the uneasy feeling. None of my family knew either, although there was a massive lack of communication, and I was often misdiagnosed.

I would sincerely like to see that change. People in general should have more empathy and be more understanding rather than the mental equivalent of stuffing ones fingers in ones own ears and humming. Although to be fair, I do not notice many persons shouting their problems to others through megaphones. Many people exhaust themselves merely to appear normal and many more people do not realize this enough.

To be honest, life can be a little rough for people with S.A.D., especially if it develops during their school years. Even so, each time I come across one of the many people blessed with the disorder, he or she describes it as being a traumatic, hellish experience. That is most certainly not the case, though. Without S.A.D, I would not be the guy I am today.

My anxiety has allowed me to adapt and survive(imagine a puppy figuring out how to work his doggie door) even with the minor illness and I am a better person for it, stated as a fact and disregarding semantics. I keep cautiously optimistic and hold back my anxiety on a powerful leash known as willpower. If you have S.A.D or anxiety problems in general, I do not suggest falling back on medicinal support immediately. You are the main player in remedying yourself and doing so independently will be a feat worth feeling pride for.

If healthy communication with your friends and/or family and experimenting with your issues yourself to overcome them is out of the question or too difficult(which I well understand can be the case sometimes), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy mediated by a professional is an effective treatment that has proved to produce long-lasting relief. The therapy involves learning to identify anxious thoughts and their causes and replace them with more rational, realistic ideas. Using this method on myself coupled with exposure, I have enjoyed major improvement and will confidently declare that I will reap even more benefits while smiling about the entire ordeal.

Trust me, I know that that puddle of self-pity looks warm and inviting but I assure you that if you lie in it for too long you will get comfortable and have a difficult time removing yourself. Also, your hindquarters will be wet. I am no expert and I approached this topic with the utmost humility despite what the obvious light satire may suggest. Genuinely, I wish you the best.