Question by : Social Anxiety Disorder question? (sorry, very long)?
I’m 15 (female) and soon to be a sophomore. I have always been really shy, but it never really bothered me (except when people pointed out my shyness-that was and still is embarrassing). I blush when talking to people I don’t know well-pretty much anyone besides my family and close friends. When I talk in front of people as the center of attention or alone to my teachers, I go bright red and become sweaty and shaky, and sometimes stutter. It’s weird because I’m not afraid to talk to adults, and I’m not always afraid to talk in a group, but when I am talking I just get that way, which makes me embarassed. When I’m the center of attention of more than a small group of people for any length of time, I get freaked out, & if I know I will be the center of attention (class projects & things) beforehand, I spend hours on end in fearful anticipation of it. I don’t think I have low self esteem, at risk of sounding conceited, I do think I;m pretty and not overweight or anything. I have my flaws, and my days where I don’t feel good about myself, but in general I don’t worry about my looks and things.

Despite those setbacks, I never really worried about being shy until this year. My high school is different than most of my friends’, so there were all new people. I had gone to the same school since preschool, so I never worried about making new friends. I wasn’t worried about it going into it. I did make some friends, but after a few months I realized my shyness was causing me to lag behind a bit in my social life, so I decided to start being more out going. Well, I found out I just couldn’t. I would plan out conversations and everything I’d say, and then just get too scared to metion something stupid about my dog or something like that. On the occasion I’d actually say something, I would spend days analyzing the person’s reaction and wondering if I shouldn’t have said that. Now, the year is over and I have about 3 people’s phone #’s who never text me, and I never text them. I was on Facebook the other day and saw pictures from a party with pretty much everyone in my grade, including my two closest friends, that I wasn’t invited to. There were pics of both the “popular” and the “unpopular” people. I hadn’t even heard about the party, and apparently the invites were sent out a few weeks before school ended.I thought maybe something wasn’t normal, so I looked up shyness on the internet and found that I have many of the “symptoms” of Social Anxiety Disorder. I’m usually a pretty optimistic person, so I figured that if I didn’t make many friends in high school, things would get better in college. I spend tons of time thinking about the future, and how much better it will be. Now I’m wondering if maybe my shyness is actually something that I can’t control, and if college will be as bad as this year has been. I know a website where anyone can answer isn’t a replacement of a professional, but do you think I have Social Anxiety Disorder?

PS: Another detail, is that I have two “main” groups of people in my life, the people at school and the poepl in my dance studio. None of them know each other. I am a little closer to my dance people, but I only ever see them at the studio. Same goes for my school people-only at school. However, in order to avoid seeming like a social outcast, when I do talk (which I do more of at dance, probably because I’ve been there longer), I talk as if I’m close with my school friends & we see each other all the time. When I talk at school, or if I’m on Facebook, I make it seem like I have a life with my dance people, where I’m not a social outcast.

Best answer:

Answer by Dave
You have social anxiety. I can be quite frustrating for people who have to deal with this on a daily basis. Many people have this, even those who appear quite calm may be feeling very anxious inside. You need to develop a close friendship with one or two people at least. Don’t worry about being popular with lots of kids – be good friends with a couple of people who you can trust and accept you for who you are. In a few months of making good friends with a couple of people you will start to feel more relaxed around them and then your true social abilities will come out. I can’t say this enough – you need a couple of close friends to associate with. Being with them and talking to others while your good friends are around will help you not feel so anxious.

I bet you are quite talented talking in certain siutations, while other situations bring on the anxiety. There are no tricks to overcoming the anxiety real fast. It takes time and it will always be with you to a certain extent. Try to relax and not throw yourself all the way into super anxiety situations. Go a little at a time. Also, avoid analyzing and re-analyzing times when you blew it and got all anxious. This sort of thing will not help – it will only make things worse. Remember that everyone feels a little anxious in some social situations – you probably just feel it a little more than others. You are right, social anxiety has nothing to do with self esteem, but ti can diminish it a little if you keep focusing on failures. There are some self-help books on social anxiety.

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Question by No Peace without Emancipating: When did a “midlife crisis or an awakening” become a “bipolar disorder”?
Just quite curious that a psychiatrist would consider this a “bipolar” symptom?

Best answer:

Answer by Caboose
Bipolar disorder is categorized by periods of depression followed by periods of mania. Sufferers may also experience other symptoms, such as voices or hallucinations.

It is a serious mental illness that needs to be treated, as those left untreated are usually at risk of suicide or may harm others.

So if a licensed professional feels you or someone you know may have it, it would be wise to listen.

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Several wonder are they trying to lead their personal faith to self destruction or have they ultimately witnessed the actual truth behind the Bible that lead them to have such behavior.

Greatest answer:

Answer by what is incorrect with you individuals
Are you an atheist??? That would clarify why you do not make any sense.

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