# almost cured



## Mintyfresh (May 27, 2004)

As the subject says, I'm nearly cured of my social anxiety.

The details as to how are ... well, not as complicated as the would seem to be. 

At the ripe old age of 22 I decided to start college, yup live in the dorms with the 18 year olds and all that jazz. I figured i would go there and make zero friends keep to myself etc. , but that totally isn't how it turned out. In fact I would say it was quite the opposite as i am actually a rather popular individual at school and have a ton of friends.

Initially, before going i promised myself that i would force myself into being outgoing and introducing myself to everybody. The first day i grabbed my extremely socially awkward roommate (whom i hate by the way) and went and made 3 friends. A girl from england, a blond hippie chick, and a fat nerdy kid who i had a lot in common with. Through them i made many, many more. Eventually i was accepted into five or six different social circles and did some networking and out of those people i made a couple of really good friends (mostly girls, the school is 80% women).

The social anxiety started to rear it's ugly head a few weeks into the semester and i turned to drinking a little bit of alcohol everyday (and a lot at night) and turned into a social butterfly. The borderline alcoholism wasn't nearly a problem as I managed to stop cold turkey, but the result of it was great. I was the most outgoing person on campus, everybody knows me and I'd say some even respect me. I did some outlandish things like sit in on a class i wasn't enrolled in and blatently talk to the entire room of students about random nonsense (they thought i was crazy and strange, but really it was more fun than embarassing as i had always feared).

All in all, I recovered by simply forcing myself into a life where I would get the chance to make new friends easily and forcing myself to be outgoing. It's not as hard as it sounds. Human beings love social interaction, you just seem to forget the fact after being isolated so long.

Being home is another story.... I have no friends here and the past 5 weeks have been a boring lonely hell.

All in all, get out in the world. Go to college if you haven't. Volunteer overseas. Whatever you can do to meet people and you will be nearly SA free as well. I promise.


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## SADFighter (May 4, 2007)

Good for you! Yeah, college has been a turnaround for me too. Not to the point where you're at though. I know what you mean about being home. I can't wait to go back. 2 days!


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## sadguy (Aug 25, 2007)

So obviously you are an outgoing person who happened to have SA. So after you get pass it...you are yourself again. Congrats!!!

I am jealous of you to have so many girl friends tough..


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## roverred (Dec 23, 2007)

congratulations!

Very inspiring since you have accomplished what I am trying to do right now in college. I think I am a social person underneath. Good to see someone come out after ridding SA.

Grats again. Hope you completely cure yourself.


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