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Social Anxiety Disorder

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Hi Chrisleier,

First of all, good for you for making your sons health a priority. You clearly want the very best for him and you clearly are putting a lot of thought and effort into helping him. I have read that anxiety disorders in children can cause disruptive behaviour. Anxiety disorders are also very commonly co-occuring with ADHD. It sounds like you have already voiced your concerns to medical professionals - keep voicing your concerns. Make notes of his symptoms and arm yourself with as much information as you can. If you feel something doesn't feel right or sound right then you have every right to continue to look into it and to continue to ask professionals to look into it. If nothing else, you may want to ask his doctor or therapist to consider treatment for anxiety for him. If he learns how to control anxiety and how to calm himself when he is overwhelmed this will help whether he has anxiety or ADHD. What do you think?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Hi shorttspa,

First of all, I think it is amazing how persistent you are in sharing information with your daughter and trying to help her. She is very lucky to have such a resourcesful and supportive mother. I feel you have nothing to feel guilty about - you are clearly doing your best and you clearly care about her very much. If she is not ready for treatment that is ok. Keeping lines of communication open is a great foundation to begin with. It sounds like you are doing everything you can. I think leading by example and focusing on your own health may be benficial for both you and her. I am curious to know if any members have any other suggestions for shorttspa?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1

I have a 13 year old son who has been diagnosed with ADHD. I have a feeling he has been misdiagnosed due to several things, including the fact he does have the ability to concentrate and get his work school work done, about 50% of the time when he's at school and 90% at home. He's very good in small groups or one-on-one. When he was in grade 5 he was tested at a 12.8 reading level, the highest possible level they could test him at! He has the ability to be calm, and he does recognize that he has the ability.

From what I've observed over the years, his issues are social. When he gets into larger groups, it's as though he doesn't know how to handle himself, so he acts out. He tries to get all the attention for himself, good or bad, usually something to bring on negative attention. (I should mention he is an only child)

I know Social Anxiety is usually described as people who keep to them selves, but I was wondering if it could cause someone to go to the complete other end of the scale and cause them to act inappropriately in social settings because they are uncomfortable. These behaviors seems to be a big part of his diagnosis of ADHD, and my wife and I have asked repeatedly about the social issues he seems to have, but no one has ever attempted to address them. We tried him on some ADHD medications, but they didn't seem to work very well for him, and they caused him some pretty severe side effects like thoughts of suicide, extreme mood swings and violent outbursts, so we took him off the medications.
Any thoughts?

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 3

Hi! Yes, social anxiety is, and always has been, a challenge for me.

When I was a toddler, I remember the feeling of being looked at, laughed at, and when I cried, I got in trouble for being rude to people. (Yes, I am in therapy!)

It was called "painfully shy" back then, and nobody seemed to know about it, and it was definitely seen as a weakness of character.

Looking back, I think my dad may have had it. He wouldn't go out to socialize, only did so when my mother threatened him, then sat quietly all night until he came home. He spend most of his time at home, alone. he didn't drink.

Now, sadly, my 17 year old daughter is also showing signs, and has since puberty. I am worried about her because this is the time for making choices about her future. She refuses counseling, won't read any books I bring home, and won't talk to us unless she brings it up. She is now taking a low-dose of celexa, and seems a bit happier and more outgoing. So, there is hope.

I feel guilt, that this is something she "caught" from me, and also that my very quiet and introverted life has been a detriment to her.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Social anxiety disorder is a strong fear of being judged or humiliated in social situations. This fear interferes with day-to-day life and must be present for longer than six months. Sometimes the fear characteristic of social anxiety disorder is so intense that individuals avoid certain social situations in order to avoid the accompanying anxiety.

Did you know social anxiety is the most common anxiety disorder? One study showed it effects 8.1% of Canadians in their life time and another showed it effected 13.3% of Americans in their lifetime. Social anxiety is known as the "disorder of lost opportunities". Due to the fear and avoidance that characterizes social anxiety disorder; individuals miss out on optimal educational attainment, employment opportunities and social support.They also report lower levels of life satisfaction and poorer health then the general population. Many people with social anxiety disorder also suffer from depression. Usually it is the social anxiety that appears first and the depression comes later. This could be related to the average onset of the disorder or it could me the social anxiety may have contributed to the onset of depression. There is hope though. Social anxiety disorder can be treated.

If you feel you suffer from social anxiety disorder it would be great to hear from you. What is your experience? What are your challenges? What has been working for you?

If we have a lot of members posting we can start some themed threads on the topic.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

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Social Anxiety Disorder