Whatever your problem is, chances are I have dealt with it- either directly of indirectly- at some point in my life. I've worked as a Social Worker (with issues like mental illness, addiction, disabilities, eating disorders, etc.)
I've also taught school (to teens!)and have experience mentoring them.
In addition to that, I've lived in 4 different countries, many different cities, and worked jobs in all different fields from Software Sales to Fashion Designer.
This diverse life experience has given me knowledge on a wide variety of topics- which I hope I can put to good use here. :-)
So go ahead- ask away!
PS- I do not judge people or speak to them in a condescending way. However, I will be honest and tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear.
Gender: Female
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Age: 34
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DangerNerd
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13/F
I have Avoidance Personality Disorder. This gives me A LOT of anxiety throughout the day at times when I need it the least. I'm kind shy so the anxiety builds up causing me to sweat excessively, become hot, tense, and stiff. I use DrySol for the sweat which helps physically but obviously does not reduce anxiety.
Some things (possibly too many to list) anxiety prevents me from doing are high jump in P.E. (which is sooo embarrassing when I almost refuse to do it), talk to ANYONE I'm interested in, develop relationships with people, be myself, speak my mind, develop my own opinions and not conform to others.
I might ask my mom if I can try therapy, but the results are very slow and I want to be able to start the school year fresh and excited.
Well... I'm guess I'm thinking about anxiety medication. I know that I really want to give it a shot... but I definitely don't think my mom would approve. I don't think she fully realizes that this is a real disorder, not some teen phase. I can recall being this way my entire life and as irrational as these fears are, they're so overpowering I can't do ANYTHING about it.
I have some situations where I can relax, and those will be OK, but for the other 99% of the times...
I feel like medication might be my last chance. I don't know how to go about asking my mom about this. Should I ask her? She might think I sound desperate, and she would think "Oh, they don't work anyways." I long for those moments when someone I like talks to me, I feel like I can respond, instead of feeling a huge weight on my shoulders. Any opinions and advice is welcome. :) (link)
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My first question is how do you know that you have this? Have you been diagnosed by a doctor or are you self-diagnosed?
Secondly, whether you do have this disorder or not is does seem like you are battling SOME kind of anxiety, and perhaps even other issues- maybe confidence, self-esteem, possibly depression, though I can't say without knowing more about your situation. (So please don't take this as a diagnosis!)
In any case, based on what you HAVE said, I agree that you could benefit from counseling. If you think that your mother may hesitate to send you then you need to prepare before you speak with her. Put together you 'case' as if you were a lawyer, get all your facts together.
State specically why you believe that you have this disorder, how (specific examples) it is interfering with your life. Don't just describe the way you 'feel', use actual real-life examples to illustrate your point. This will be more persuasive than just a vague statemtent about feeling nervous, which she could easily dismiss as just normal things that all teenagers go through.
If the talk with your mom doesn't help, talk to your oounselor at school. If you don't want to wait until then, see if there are any counseling centers in your area that you might be able to go to. Or talk to your family doctor about the problem, maybe he / she will help convince your mom to get you some counseling.
NAMI is an organization that helps with mental health cases too and they are all over the country. I believe they also have a hotline and referral service. Check them out at nami.org
hope this helps. :)
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Rating: 4
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I've had this my whole life, you could say 'self-diagnosed'. I did not declare the label upon myself, I was simply doing my research and looking for answers on the internet as to why I feel withdrawn from the world. I've been interested in psychology for a long time now so I like to do my research.
APD can sometimes be misunderstood. I always appear confident or upbeat, but it's more of a defense mechanism on the outside of me. I'm confident in my own skills/intelligence and enjoy myself, nature and having fun, but I am absolutely terrified of being embarrassed. This causes me to withdraw and put up a front.
I'm not sure a school counselor is the best option, as I am afraid of exposure... someone even from my city knowing about this is one of my worst fears. I'm totally afraid and that's part of this disorder.
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