Social Anxiety (thing)

I've been suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder for as long as I can remember. My life had been severly restricted by my condition.

• Before this year, I was petrified at the thought of being asked to call in to order a pizza. I would beg my friends to call for me... Once I even invited a friend over solely so he could order pizza for me.
• Junior year of high school, I let an misgraded final exam that should have been an 86 stay at 66 because I was too afraid to confront the teacher and ask her to correct the change.
• My social life basically consisted of hanging out with people who struck up conversations with me - I never could approach anyone, especially not of the opposite sex.
• I often thought people who walked by me in hallways or sat near me in classes were making fun of me, even when I knew they were talking about such mundane topics as schoolwork and parties.
• If it weren't for a very kind admissions officer and my recent entrance into treatment, I would have missed the final application deadline for my college of choice, since I was too shy to call the university to get a clarification on a major.

Many people have laughed at the problems I've had, but just knowing that I am making progress is more than enough to outshine any ridicule. I finally brought myself to enter treatment last year, and for the last couple of months, I have been reaching goals that I before thought were unattainable. Just yesterday, I asked a lovely girl who was sitting next to me in the computer lab (playing Super Bomberman on an emulator, no less) to go out to dinner with me this weekend. She accepted the invitation.

I beg anyone who experiences even a few of the signs of social anxiety disorder to seek a professional opinion from a licensed physchiatrist or other medical professional, and if necessary, enter treatment. You will find that it makes a world of difference, when you can freely return a friendly smile from someone across the room, and find the courage to walk over and start a conversation.