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#1
31st July 2021, 22:27
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Hello
Hello.
I have joined the site as I’m trying to make a really big final effort to sort my social anxiety out and I am going to accept as much help as I can get. Briefly, my social anxiety presents itself in two ways; Firstly an intense fear of speaking to people on any more than a one on one basis. This has been going on since early teens. Secondly Phagaphobia which has developed more recently and seems to be getting worse. Interested to know if anyone else suffers with this? Anyway, my message sounds very downbeat 😂 so I would also like to say that I feel that I’m a perfectly normal, reasonably well educated and generally happy person apart from these two issues which are starting to consume me. X 
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#2
31st July 2021, 23:46
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Re: Hello
Hi Sarah
 Welcome to the forum! I still find talking in groups a challenge. I'm fairly ok when it comes to talking on a one on one basis. Although it depends on how confident I'm feeling at the time. I also try my best and give myself a sales pitch as well. Such as: I'm great! You'll do fine! Go get 'em tiger! That sort of thing. But this sales pitch of mine is still very much a work in progress. I'm also sorry to hear about the Phagaphobia. I hope you have, or will, get help and support with what you are experiencing. 
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#4
1st August 2021, 02:44
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Re: Hello
Quote:
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#5
1st August 2021, 02:50
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Re: Hello
Thank you for your message.
Thinking about it, I can also struggle one on one sometimes, especially in a work situation or if anyone else is nearby/able to hear… good to know I’m not alone with these issues! I’ve also tried the pep talks but they don’t seem to have any impact on those physical symptoms, right? Anyway thanks again for message x
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#6
1st August 2021, 02:57
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Re: Hello
Thanks for you message.
Yeah, phagaphobia is a rare one. I typed my symptoms into google once and that’s what it came up with. It started about ten years ago when a cup of coffee went down the wrong way at work and I coughed and spluttered and spat it out all over my work desk… it seems that everyone turned round and stared at me and it had a bad impact on me. I think it’s all related to the social anxiety and fear of looking stupid in front of people x
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#7
1st August 2021, 14:42
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Re: Hello
Hello! I’d be really interested to talk to you more about this. It does have a huge social impact when you can’t eat or drink in front of people. My problem was just with drinking until a few months ago when it suddenly developed to eating too. Like you, I have a lot of tricks to disguise the not drinking but when it’s both it’s almost impossible to hide it. Hope this doesn’t sound rude but it’s a real relief to find someone going through the same thing x
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#9
1st August 2021, 23:13
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Re: Hello
Hi Sarah81
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#11
1st August 2021, 23:36
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Re: Hello
Quote:
 Which is a shame really, as it seemed like a good idea at the time  But what I have found more helpful to me, is to be mindful of negative thinking and trying my best to keep positive when I can. But again, it's still very much hit and miss. Which is why I still occasionally take beta blockers to help with the physical symptoms of SA. That is until I manage to achieve an Oscar winning pep talk performance!
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#12
1st August 2021, 23:58
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Re: Hello
Yeah I think it’s definitely got to be a good think to try and think positive and quash the negatives! I’ve also had some success with beta blockers but only when there is a specific thing to take them for… it’s the ‘every day’ situations that you can’t really prepare for. I hope you get your Oscar!! í*½í¸‚
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