# sexual abuse/assault and social anxiety?



## forbidden (Oct 25, 2011)

Is there any correlation between early childhood sexual abuse or even later sexual assault and social anxiety? 
I have experience with both and am now wondering if it might be a contributing factor...


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## nork123 (Oct 22, 2009)

I think so, I once had a friend who took sexual advantage of my social anxiety and submissive nature and made me do things I didn't really want to do and it definitely has had effects on my self esteem and sense of self worth. I think any kind of trauma particularly during childhood can have long lasting effects, and I think particularly sexual abuse more than violent abuse tends to stay with you because of the nature of it


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## Double Indemnity (Aug 15, 2011)

I think sexual abuse or assault can trigger social anxiety. If you already have/had SA, I believe it would make it far worse. These are just my opinions. Fortunately I have not experienced sexual abuse or assault. I am very sorry to those that have.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

I was sexually abused as a kid. I have a dissociative disorder because of it and most likely it's the reason why I developed social anxiety. I isolated myself in social situations that I felt uncomfortable that were related to the actual abuse, like staying inside a van by myself for over 1 hour in a camp so I would have to avoid swimming with everybody else, i didnt feel comfortable taking off my shirt, etc... It just lowered my self esteem, less confident about myself, not talking in groups etc..


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

Any kind of abuse can change a person, abuse is fear fear is anxiety


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## CityLights89 (Dec 10, 2011)

I think that there may be a connection. I feel this had had an effect on me, as well, and makes me feel scared of people around me, hinder my confidence, and make me reluctant to enter intimate relationships. It doesn't help that the person was verbally abusive, too, and made me feel like crap all the time. I think _they_ were the one with the mental issues. Messed me up.


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## ermor90 (Oct 22, 2011)

ShinAkuma said:


> I was sexually abused as a kid. I have a dissociative disorder because of it and most likely it's the reason why I developed social anxiety. I isolated myself in social situations that I felt uncomfortable that were related to the actual abuse, like staying inside a van by myself for over 1 hour in a camp so I would have to avoid swimming with everybody else, i didnt feel comfortable taking off my shirt, etc... It just lowered my self esteem, less confident about myself, not talking in groups etc..


Im so sorry. I can relate to you becouse I was the same when I was in my early teens. But for me it did not only feel like some kind of connection to bad memories, it was also some kind of hate towards running around and playing like that. 
Like playing around without a shirt on was the symbol of ultimate comfort.

I feel sorry for all of you... becouse I am the same. Its so sad, but we all can become stronger from this in some way. I hope that.


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## James_Russell (Aug 26, 2011)

I don't know if it is why I have SA. I can't remember what I was like before it happened and if I changed much after. I just blanked what happened out for years. I think I had SA anyway but it certainly didn't help with my trust issues.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

It can and does have detrimental effects - especially with trying to build intimacy.


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## melissa75 (Feb 16, 2010)

I believe it causes serious low self-esteem issues, feelings of low self-worth. And....if someone you really loved and trusted sexually abused you, then left you, you can feel like you are unworthy in everything you do...nothing is good enough. And, when trying to build relationships, it's hard to trust that anyone would like you/want to be around you or won't leave you at some point. So, these issues could possibly manifest in a form of social anxiety....or even more disorders.... 

But, there are so many different experiences of abuse and so many people react differently, but I wouldn't be surprised if social anxiety is one effect of it.


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## Bethy (Jun 23, 2011)

ShinAkuma said:


> I was sexually abused as a kid. I have a dissociative disorder because of it and most likely it's the reason why I developed social anxiety. I isolated myself in social situations that I felt uncomfortable that were related to the actual abuse, like staying inside a van by myself for over 1 hour in a camp so I would have to avoid swimming with everybody else, i didnt feel comfortable taking off my shirt, etc... It just lowered my self esteem, less confident about myself, not talking in groups etc..


This.


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## JenN2791 (Aug 21, 2011)

I believe so. I already had SA before I was sexually abused 2-3 yrs ago. It only made me worse it seems...


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## Phoenix Rising (Jul 7, 2011)

Another survivor here--yes I think it can have a big impact since it typically shoots your self worth in the foot. Add in more trust issues, etc.


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## humourless (Sep 27, 2011)

I have absolutely nothing to moan about after reading threads like these.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

Survivor only means you weren't killed during the process of the actual abuse. It's just another way of saying " I'm still alive." It takes a word like victim and changes it to something more positive, as if you're a remarkable, unique person for what you went through, like others couldn't go through what you did, well, all you had to do was stay alive and you become a survivor. Only time it would be hard if your life is threatened if you don't comply. Mine wasn't.


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## Luka92 (Dec 13, 2011)

Yes, definitely. Any kind of abuse can be a contributing factor.


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## SunaHana (Dec 18, 2011)

Chiming in here to agree with other posters - yes, abuse of any kind can contribute to someone developing social anxiety. Before I was abused, my anxiety was manageable. Afterwards it went completely through the roof.


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## Ohnoes2191 (Aug 26, 2011)

I've always asked myself this question as well. When I was younger I remember a moment that a young child should probably not experience, and I don't remember ever having anxiety before then. I've experienced abuse not only sexually while growing up, but other types as well (verbal, physical, emotional). I strongly believe there is a correlation between abuse and anxiety. I'm sorry to see than many of us, social anxiety or not, go through things like this.


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## serenegeek (Jul 9, 2011)

ShinAkuma said:


> I was sexually abused as a kid. I have a dissociative disorder because of it and most likely it's the reason why I developed social anxiety. I isolated myself in social situations that I felt uncomfortable that were related to the actual abuse, like staying inside a van by myself for over 1 hour in a camp so I would have to avoid swimming with everybody else, i didnt feel comfortable taking off my shirt, etc... It just lowered my self esteem, less confident about myself, not talking in groups etc..


*I can absolutely relate to this! I've also developed DID and Depersonalization which is pretty much the same after the abuse as a kid. It definately made my SA worse, I was already a very withdrawn, introvert child dealing with anxiety. So yeah, there's a connection for sure!*


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

I was never sexually abused, but I definitely think there is a connection.


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## jenniferleah (May 8, 2012)

i dont know if people are still talking here or not, but i would love to talk to someone going through what i am, i was sexually abused when i was 5 years old by my next door neighbour who was also a family friend. i tried blocking it out and forgetting about it and im only now coming to terms with it im 19 and i only told someone last year about it, i have depression anxiety and find it hard not to freak out around large groups of people, i have extreme trust issues and want to know if anyone else have these struggles? i dont often talk about it, i find it hard i feel sick and discusted and ashamed although i know i shouldnt but its hard not to so thats my story.


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## RawrJessiRawr (Nov 3, 2010)

a pers0n:1059496128 said:


> I don't know if it is why I have SA. I can't remember what I was like before it happened and if I changed much after. I just blanked what happened out for years. I think I had SA anyway but it certainly didn't help with my trust issues.


^
This....


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## forbidden (Oct 25, 2011)

jenniferleah:1059914181 said:


> i dont know if people are still talking here or not, but i would love to talk to someone going through what i am, i was sexually abused when i was 5 years old by my next door neighbour who was also a family friend. i tried blocking it out and forgetting about it and im only now coming to terms with it im 19 and i only told someone last year about it, i have depression anxiety and find it hard not to freak out around large groups of people, i have extreme trust issues and want to know if anyone else have these struggles? i dont often talk about it, i find it hard i feel sick and discusted and ashamed although i know i shouldnt but its hard not to so thats my story.


All of the feelings you have are normal. I struggled with the same, and still have trust issues among other things. For me, the feelings of shame and disgust went away over time...i dont remind myself every day of the past. I suppose ive let it go to a degree. I think sometimes just the fact that i was sexually abused by my father, that i subconciously feel alienated from a lot of people, as if they might discover my "dirty" little secret...but thats just speculation. In the end, it was so long ago (after years of therapy) i just think it was time to leave it behind and move forward. If you need someone to talk to, pm me, im here. *hugs*


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## Aries33 (Sep 22, 2011)

i was sexually abused by a close friend at the age 11, i believe this is when my anxiety took hold of me since that day i became very suicidal ( i remember trying to hang myself because of it) scared to be around this person or other people that resembled him, oh he was Asian so yer Asian males in particular, very depressed years later ,isolated, i felt ashamed, i even tried cutting my Privates off because of the disgust he brought upon me, i still see him sometimes to this day and i hate what he did too me, only recently have i told 2 of my sisters all those other years i carried with me trying to block it out,why did he do that to me, that ill never know


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## TruthAndOtherDisasters (Dec 17, 2013)

Double Indemnity said:


> I think sexual abuse or assault can trigger social anxiety. If you already have/had SA, I believe it would make it far worse. These are just my opinions. Fortunately I have not experienced sexual abuse or assault. I am very sorry to those that have.


That. 
You may not have experienced it but you are fairly on point about both those things. Of course sexual assault can trigger social anxiety(and so many other issues) and make it MUCH worse if it was already there.


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## peace_love (Oct 24, 2008)

TruthAndOtherDisasters said:


> That.
> You may not have experienced it but you are fairly on point about both those things. Of course sexual assault can trigger social anxiety(and so many other issues) and make it MUCH worse if it was already there.


I also agree with what Double Ademnity said as well. I was always horrified when hearing about anyone who had been sexually abused to the point where it made me cry, because I felt so bad for them and still do. But come to think of it, I was emotionally and verbally abused so I guess its true that any sort of abuse is similar in a way. Makes you feel worthless and bad about yourself, so you withdraw from others unless they are nice to you. This is why I HATE any kind of trolling. I just do not understand how people can be so rude. But then again, I have to remember, I was abused, so my way of thinking is different.


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## gisellemarx (Feb 1, 2010)

After being raped when I was 18 and then being in a relationship for a year and a half where I was constantly raped, I think it did contribute to my SA toward men. I'm really afraid of them. I tend to be on guard at all times around them, until I get to know them well enough. Even then, we can't be very close because I don't allow it. I wish it were different, I wish I were ignorant to the things that they are capable of, and I wish I didn't know how high the statistics are...so maybe when I walk home from work I don't start hyperventilating when I pass by a man. I see every single one of them, even family members, as a potential threat. I don't hate them, I'm just scared of them.


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## bloodymary (Apr 26, 2009)

Not in my case. On the other hand, there are many people who were sexually abused as children, and don´t have social anxiety.


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## Karaleigh (Jun 14, 2015)

I think that there is a definite correlation in the sense that with people who have been abused and then developed social anxiety, it is pretty sensible to determine that the cause of the anxiety is the abuse. Though there are people who have been abused and had no anxiety later in life and also people who have not been abused and developed a multitude of anxiety disorders. It's not a determining factor: being abused does not equal social anxiety or vice versa, but like I said, it's sensible to assume that the cause of someone's social anxiety could be a history of abuse. 

You place trust in people when you form a relationship with someone, if they then abuse you, they've completely trashed that trust and in people who develop social anxiety, their brain associates that break of trust with the abuse and generalise it to others around them. 

My own opinion, just speculation and I'm of course not a professional.. just guessing.


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