Social Phobia

I have social phobia too. I have just begun to look for help in dealing with this problem.

You said you have this condition for many years. Have you ever been evaluated by a health care provider and diagnosed to be suffering from social phobia (more appropriately called Social anxiety disorder)? As the name suggests, social anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder involving intense distress to public situations. Patients typically experience symptoms resembling panic (i.e. increased heart rate, sweating, fainting, air hunger, feelings of impending doom and other signs of autonomic arousal) during a social encounter. Further more the condition is not limited to certain people who are looking forward to you visiting them but is generalized to include any kind of social contact. Now there could be particularly valid reasons for you not wanting to visit certain people, and may not have to do with you being socially phobic. In the same context there may be many other people you may like to meet, (despite your social phobia). By the way, social phobia is considered a disorder when it is severe enough to disrupt social or occupational functioning. By this I mean patients with true social phobia have to go to great lengths to avoid social situations, usually to their own detriment. There are medical therapies for such a condition, but you must consult your medical practitioner before using any medicines.

sometimes i feel this way too, especially if i have to meet someone that i don't know or go to an unknown place by myself. i try to get someone to accompany me so that i won't be so afraid or shy. you shouldn't think so lowly of yourself, try to boost your self-esteem, ok? nobody's perfect so don't think that you're ugly or stupid. take care ;)

I am also new at this .Wish to get some friends here.