Telling someone

Invisible · #1 19th May 2010, 13:54

Who did you tell & how did you tell them about your SA or that you think you have SA? What was their reaction?

rackha · #2 19th May 2010, 13:58

Half the people i have talked to about panic attacks, have told me they have had them too (some people serverly) and these are people from all ages and backgrounds. It's strange becuase most of them are friends and i had no idea...!

LadyLunaSea · #3 19th May 2010, 14:11

When I told my best friend that I have SA his response was to invite me out loads, even though he knows I turn him down/say yes and then become avoidant if it's not at my house/his house, bless him for trying though. He keeps me believing in the goodness of people

My cousin gave me a 'comfort zone' lecture though:rolleyes:

LonelyG · #4 19th May 2010, 14:22

My parents seemed like they didn't want to believe me when I first told them, but they are very supportive of me now. I haven't really told anyone outside of my immediate family apart from my psychiatrist.

brakesgirl · #5 19th May 2010, 14:27

Because of SA (as well as other things that isolate me) I have no-one to tell. I wouldn't anyway as I don't like to talk about myself (I know people here won't believe me considering the self-obsessed posts I throw up on here).

diplodocus · #6 19th May 2010, 15:10

I told my family. My mums reaction upon me explaining the condition was 'Well everyone gets that don't they?'

We went away on holiday and I'm pretty sure my step dad had been giving instructions to 'include me'. It half drove me up the wall as he wouldn't leave me alone!

Still he meant well

It got annoying that all of sudden were treating me like a some mental invalid, as though I had become a different person overnight. When they started to treat me normally again after quite some time I realised that was because they thought I was over it. It was nice to have some support when I was going through a difficult time but it just cemented in my mind that it really wouldn't be in my best interest sharing this condition with the world. That's just me though, I tend to like to sort out my own problems.

Blumoon · #7 19th May 2010, 15:46

Told my mum once some time last yr.
I felt like my mum treated me like i had something badly wrong with me after i told her aswell, like sa was catching and i was diseased

Then she kept telling me she thought she had some sa symptoms, which really worried me.
She kept referring to the sa forum saying stuff like 'you're always on the computer on that sa site' i was just ugh:rolleyes:
I've only told her though.. didn't think anyone else would ever understand esp not pals cos they can be so immature and then they might treat me like i'm a freak after saying as well, wld rather not risk telling anyone else.
should take it seriously cos she knows it's affected me recently with stuff like when i didn't pay the right amount on the rent >.<

I've not really mentioned depression to anyone except my doctor and social worker and i won't be. My mum said to me yesterday i'd go weird :/ if i didn't take my pills. i just thought...ugh you don't understand ! and should understand too

diplodocus · #8 19th May 2010, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawty

i just thought...ugh you don't understand ! and should understand too

^ It's soo frustrating trying to explain SA to people who don't have it

KarateGirl · #9 19th May 2010, 16:15

My mum has SA and she knows about it so we have really good discussions about it, and how to improve. I'm lucky in that respect, though I think it was also from her that I learnt to be so afraid in the first place.

My boyfriend was always an introvert but he used to be able to make friends and socialize easily when he wanted to. Lately though he's become depressed and often he seems reluctant to go places or speak to people without me there. He also knows and understands about SA which is good, but I worry that he's developing it too.

As for everyone else, they can see at once that I'm really shy, but if I mention social anxiety at all they normally say "I was like you once, but by doing <whatever> I overcame my problems and now I'm confident. You just need to come out of your shell". Ugh, I hate that expression so much. And while it's true that everyone feels shy at times, I doubt very much that all these loud, bubbly people ever had SA themselves, so I just feel patronized. That's why I don't tell anyone any more.

Invisible · #10 19th May 2010, 17:25

Thanks for the replies.
I'm considering telling someone but kind of wondering who. If I tell my parents I'm pretty sure I'll get the "you think you have what?! don't be silly" response. If I tell (one of the very few) friends I'm sure I'll get the *blank stare* not sure what to say response but I'll be invited out more and not actually want to go. If I tell a doc, well, that would pretty much be a miracle cos I have avoided docs for years and years and don't go about things I KNOW I have nevermind something I think I have.