Social Anxiety? I am not sure, please help!

[tweedcoaster]

Hi,

I am new here and just signed up. I am 34 yrs old, with a wife and 2 kids. For years I have been dealing with this social anxiety and I need help with this. I cant go to social gatherings unless I drink alcohol, I cant go to the front of my house with my kids as I feel weird and feel everyones watching me, I literally freeze up when I venture to far in the street, I avoid conversations with the neighbours, I only drive into the house and out of the house. I cant go and play with my kids in the front yard or the road, only at the back where I don't feel anxious. I struggle with taking kids to sports events where I have to deal with too many people. the list goes on and on, but this is a brief description, I could go on for days about whats going on in my head. I cant keep going like this, I have better days where I feel a bit better, sometimes I feel I should live in a area where the neighbours aren't so close where I can live freely and walk outside, i feel locked in living in suburbia where houses are close, but that's not fair on my kids .  I don't know whats wrong with me. I need help or advice what I should do. I do take medication but doesn't help with anxiety. Should I take any other medication that would help this? some advice I would really appreciate. its really getting to me mentally, and its wearing me down to a really low point). please help .

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[francis001]

your social anxiety is quite common. it is really nothing to worry about, your just paying to much attention to the fear feelings anxiety produces. I would suggest a short term sedative to show you it is possible to feel ok in these situations, while at the same time finding a psychologist that can help you for the longer term. remember there is nothing wrong with you, its just the anxiety getting in the way is all. once you have learned how to get on top of that starting with a medication on a short term basis then you will overcome this temporary problem , Francis.:)

[Neil_1]

Hi there Tweed Coaster (love the name by the way – got me figuring you’re up on the coast somewhere, which for me, sounds awesome)

Welcome to Beyond Blue and thanx for providing your post.

I agree with Francis that this kind of anxiety is very common.  And as for playing in the front yard, well, that should be ok, but I would be also very anxious about playing with the kids out on the road.   (sorry, couldn’t help myself there 🙂

I would be getting to your gp and letting them know of all this as I believe yes, there are medications for this kind of thing – or at least, there’s meds that can help to assist with easing the extremes of what you’re experiencing.

I’ve gotta say that you sound like an awesome Dad from what you’ve described – mentioning so many things with regard to your kids, it really shows out I believe, how much they mean to you, by all that you state about them.

So I do hope that things can be put into place for you so you can start to feel a little better with all of this and it’d be great to hear back from you.

Kind regards

Neil