Leading to substance abuse and/or depression

Social Anxiety can really harm someones life if they are not getting the help they need to manage their anxiety. Many people who do make it to social events have to go intoxicated or on drugs to feel comfortable. This leads to alcoholism and drug abuse. Others just do not make it to social events at all and stay home. This can be just as bad. The person will then start to get angry at him/herself for not being able to go and start to feel worthless. This slowly and painfully leads to depression. People need to get help so they can make it to functions without being depressed or on something.

Top ten reasons why social anxiety causes depression. https://socialanxietyinstitute.org/blog/top-10-list-reasons-social-anxiety-causes-depression

Social Anxiety

I have recently been diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder. It took me 16 years to finally get the courage up to go ask for help. Anytime I would try to I would feel like I was on fire and would just tear up in embarrassment. I have been like this ever since I can remember. When I was in preschool and elementary school I would never go to friends houses unless my big brothers came with me. I still would rather them be with me! I would get very very anxious to talk to new people or go to parties. I never knew why, and I was always very frusterated with myself. I did not understand how all my friends could just get up and talk to a big group of people or go to concerts with people because it was so difficult for me to do. I have a lot of trouble at school because I always feel like I'm being judged by not only students but some teachers. Anxiety sometimes takes over my life because I get so anxious I dont go to social events such as concerts, parties, and even school. Now I am aware of what my problem is so I can take steps to try to make it better, but it is really hard and discouraging when people think it is made up and doesn't really matter. This is why I really want more and more people to be educated and raise awareness, and accept it so others can be brave enough to get help.

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Other Social Anxiety Blogs

Social anxiety warps our brains over the years so that we misperceive and misinterpret social situations, other people, and how we are coming across to others. We have been thinking irrationally for many years, and so changing our thinking to a more positive and rational direction can take some time and effort. Getting a handle on how to make our thinking more rational, helps us see the world (and ourselves) more accurately. Most people with social anxiety are surprised when we "prove" out the truth to them. Testing things out or "proving" the truth out to yourself is the only way to switch from an irrational to a rational and accurate viewpoint of social situations that your brain will accept.

Using behavioral therapy, and taking one step at a time, we can do small experiments to prove to ourselves what is actually happening in social situations. Some examples of small experiments include:

Doing something purposely foolish in a public place, like dropping a tray at the food court, and seeing if others react with anger or negatively, or if they generally just ignore or don't notice you at all.

Celebrities with Social Anxiety

Many people suffer from Social Anxiety. Even famous, confident celebrites do! Britney Spears, Adele, Jennifer Lawrence, Beyonce, Barbra Streisand and many, many more celebrities have it! Some of these people have come out and told and explain how Social Anxiety has affected them. Here are some articles on these celebrities about them telling the world. I encourage you to read them. You might have a new found respect for these people.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/18/jennifer-lawrence-anxiety-battle_n_4296600.html?ref=topbar

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1661950/adele-beyonce-rolling-stone.jhtml

http://socialanxietydisorder.about.com/od/celebritieswithsad/p/barbrastreisand.htm

Spreading Awareness.

Social Anxiety can be very crippling to a persons life. It is even more crippling when people don't accept the disorder because it causes more worry and anxiety towards the person. When people accept it, it lets the person be able to take initiative and get help. When people do not, others live in fear of getting help because people could say that they are exaggerating or making it up.

What Social Anxiety Is.

Social Anxiety is a disorder that prevents people from doing normal day to day activities in fear of being humiliated or embarrassed. Some people think it is just people being shy but it is far more serious than shyness. Social Anxiety often times leads to depression and substance abuse. People need to be educated on this disorder because 18% of the United States has it.