Social anxiety! Do your parents know???

I was just wondering how many people have told their parents about their social anxiety. I have never told mine. I dont know why. i guess i must be a little embarrased and anxious about telling them. In fact noone knows other than my boyfriend and i still find it difficult to talk to him about it.

So i was just wondering who knows about your sa??

love and hugs
lucylou..xx

Close Family and friends for me

well it doesn't need a label for me, they just know I have social difficulties.

I told them as soon as I realised something dodgepot was going on, and, after I'd looked into it, what I believed it was.

I don't feel embarrassed about something over which I haven't had much control; all my immediate family know, all my best mates, all my other acquaintances... and a bunch of strangers I've briefly bundled it into conversation with when I've been out and about. And drunk.

I told my mum a couple of years ago when i'd reached the end of my tether with it all and sought help, come out of employment and started to rebuild my life.
She said that knowing this had now explained a lot for her about the way i'd been over the years.

I've not actually discussed it with my dad, simply because we get on, but don't have the type of relationship where i'd sit down and discuss this with him unless he came out and asked me directly. I'm not sure he'd be able to understand that much. He knows i'm out of work, so i assume my mum has told him why, but i can't be sure.

A few friends know, my whole college class know, my partner knows, but after that i'm selective with who i tell.
I'm not embarrassed about my SA at all, but i just pick and choose who i tell by their personalities and how open they are to things they may not have much understanding of.

i told my mum n sister last year and it was one of the hardest things ive ever done but im really glad i did it. [1 edits; Last edit by markimark72 at 15:15:58 Fri Jun 17 2005]

They know have have probs with depression, they obviously know i'm very shy, they know I cuT myself, they know I have zero self esteem, but as for the term , social anxiety, they have never heard of it.

My parents knew because I was at home and obviously not going out to socialise like most people, but neither they nor I knew of the term social anxiety. I think only a small proportion of the people who have SA actually know the condition exists - I only discovered it and this site by accident while surfing for information on shyness, which isn't quite the same thing.

Only my mum knows about it. It all came out when I had a really bad day and she could see I was 'suicidly' depressed. Then I blurted out all my problems to her - although she doesn't understand my problems thoroughly she's very supportive to me.

Wouldn't dream of telling anyone else close to me though.

Everyone and their dog know about my SA....it's never been a secret as I've always been shy and my problems started when I was 12 so it's not something I was capable of hiding.

My parents sort of know, but they don't really understand it.
How can you unless you have to live with it?
Apart from them no one else knows.
People occasionally say things like, "you're very shy aren't you!" As if I didn't know. (Emote: rolleyes)

People recognise me as shy or quiet but my parents won't acknowledge that I have a problem because they are old-fashioned and will just say that I'm shy and nervous. They will say that everyone feels like it sometimes.
I've only just found the term social anxiety because I just didn’t know what to do next.
I was sure that it wasn't just shyness that drove me into depression and on the verge of suicide. I knew something wasn’t right, but when I found help things turned around fast and I'm sure I have reduced my problem hugely without the support of parents or friends. I wish I had their support but I know by telling them I would have felt worse as I know what their reaction would be, they would call me a hypochondriac.

My mum knows about it (which means all the rest of my family do too, she's not very good at keeping a secret). It doesn't bother me that people know. I don't work and I'm not trying to hide my problems. No one ever tries to talk about it and my family don't really understand it (as said before, if you don't have it how can you understand it?).

ren

Quote: Lucylou at 13***58;04***58;20 Fri Jun 17 2005
I was just wondering how many people have told their parents about their social anxiety. I have never told mine. I dont know why. i guess i must be a little embarrased and anxious about telling them. In fact noone knows other than my boyfriend and i still find it difficult to talk to him about it.

So i was just wondering who knows about your sa??

I have not told my parents, for any number of differing reasons. It's a curious circumvent, in many ways. I feel very awkward talking to my parents -- or any of my immediate family for that matter, about anything which is about myself. I always have. I assume most people do as well -- whether this is SA-related or not is unclear to me. But telling someone close to you how you feel is always a... tentative, if not poignant thing to do. In doing so, you're bestilling a sense of trust into that person.

It's very difficult of people that do not suffer from SA to truely understand what it is like -- and that's acceptable to me. No one can understand what this is like unless they themselves suffer from it. Not that it belittles the effect in telling them -- far from it, but I know I am not ready to tell my parents (predominantly my Mother and step-father -- my real father probably wouldn't understand.)

That's not to say that they might not know already, of course. I would imagine that if you spend a lot of time around your parents -- especially more so if you had social issues during the times you lived with them, they might already realise you have social "issues". I know my mother knows I am shy -- I have been since I was very very young indeed, but I believe that's all she is aware of.

In many ways, I can't burden her with it -- she has enough to worry about, without my own concerns over the matter. And believe me, she would worry. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me, if she herself is somewhat socially anxious, given her past tendencies, and interactional behaviour that I have observed. But it's not something I am willing to entertain. Besides, if your parents are anything like mine, the news that I had SA, would be far reaching, and I'd have everyone and their dog offering support -- and that's the _last_ thing I want. In many respects, I'd want to be left alone....

I find it much easier talking to people whom are my friends about such things -- and it has always been that way. Generally, I suppose it's because of the age-range. As odd as that might seem, I find it more comforting talking about a situation with my friends, because of it.

-- Thomas.

No, my parents don't know about it although they know I had depression a couple of years ago but as far as they know, that's all over. Now I don't live with them, it's easier to hide although obviously I've never been outgoing etc.

Told my mum. I wouldn't even bother to tell my dad because I don't even think I would get a reaction positive or negative so what's the point?

My mum is understanding but she's not really supportive in any sense of the word. I suspect she herself suffers from it or at least shyness but perhaps would be embarrassed to admit it.

Two other people who know are my stepdad and my brother. My stepdad has started being nicer toward me generally whereas before he took my quietness as arrogance or dislike toward him.

My brother well he doesn't seem to understand fully I guess because he feels I am just 'difficult' generally and thinks of me as socially competent but anti-social because that's all he's seen of me in social situations.

I see no point in telling any of my family- the don't seem to understand depression or SA at all. I am talking more to my mum nowadays about shyness and anxiety so i think she is starting to understand where I am coming from.

My parents know that I used to have depression as a teenager, but I dont think they are aware that I still have it.

Havent managed to tell anyone about it, sometimes wish i could open up and tell my parents but i dont think they would understand and i'm not sure what this would change anyway?
I think most people would realise that i have some sort of social problems as soon as they meet me.

(Emote: shake) Not told anyone apart from my partner. Unfortunately, I don`t speak to my parents but even if I did then I know they wouldn`t understand. I would feel awkward if I told anyone else close to me as I think I put this front on and I don`t want to let people see the real me sometimes. It would make me feel uncomfortable thinking that people are looking at me in a different way or thinking the worst of me because of what I had told them. I suppose this reflects my mistrust of people. But then again it`s hardly suprising what I have been through in life.