# My best friend doesn't believe I have social anxiety



## lde22 (Oct 19, 2009)

I have been friends with this girl for about 4 years now and we met through a meetup group for social anxiety and I told her when I first met her that I had anxiety, depression and social anxiety. Now after knowing me and hanging out with me for about 4 years she doesn't believe I have or ever had social anxiety or any type of anxiety. She thinks I might have mild depression and that smoking weed made me slow but that's it. And she is furious with me that I think I have social anxiety and generalized anxiety and said she doesn't want to be friends with me any more if I mention that I have anxiety again.


I think she doesn't believe I have social anxiety or generalized anxiety because she has never seen me have a panic attack or act "anxious" and I am comfortable around her so I am able to talk to her, and she sees me talking to other people occasionally when we hang out. Also 2 people from the meetup groups have told her it doesn't seem like I have social anxiety and her parents, sister, and boyfriend also told her it doesn't seem like I have social anxiety. Even those all those people have only met me a few times. I guess I am able to act normal in most situations and an able to hide my anxiety pretty well.


I told her that I took an online quiz for social anxiety, went to 3 therapist for anxiety and depression, went to a group therapy for social anxiety, was prescribed lexapro twice, and also read 3 books on social anxiety. And that my first therapist told me I have generalized anxiety disorder and the other 2 therapists I told them I have social anxiety and they didn't disagree. But she still insists that I don't have any type of anxiety or social anxiety and that I just "want" to have these disorders.


She feels really insulted because she has generalized anxiety and thinks that I am just pretending to or something. And she doesn't want to be friends with me any more if I ever mention that I have those things again. I don't know what to do, I don't want to lose her as a friend because she is literally my only friend right now and when she isn't mad at me she is really fun to hang out with and I like being friends with her. But I don't know how to get her to believe me that I have social anxiety and generalized anxiety.


What should I do? I told her I wouldn't mention it any more but I haven't heard back from her for a while and I'm worried she doesn't want to be friends with me any more.


Is it possible that I really don't have social anxiety or generalized anxiety and I only think I do or "want" to?


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## acidicwithpanic (May 14, 2014)

Your best friend is a ****.

In all honesty, anyone that claims to be close to you but dismisses your SA is not worth wasting your time on.


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## socialanxietygotmelikeee (Mar 22, 2017)

I've had similar experiences with friends/family members who insist I don't have social anxiety disorder despite being diagnosed with it by two separate psychologists, and honestly I've found that I just have to remind them that they a) aren't medical professionals and just because they "get anxious sometimes too" and don't need counselling doesn't mean they understand what I'm going through better than an actual licensed psychologist and b) aren't me so they don't know how I act when they aren't around.

Personally, I have much less trouble interacting with strangers/acquaintances when I'm with people I'm comfortable with, so, in front of the people I'm comfortable with, I don't seem to have a problem. Does that mean I don't have social anxiety because in one situation I can get through talking to other people without being excessively anxious? No, it just means I can talk to people fine in one situation. From what you've said, that kind of sounds like how you are too.

I'd advise you to remind your friend that she's not a medical professional and therefore should respect the diagnosis you got from people with the authority to diagnose people. If she can't accept your diagnosis, then I'd suggest trying your best to distance yourself from her because having someone deny your diagnosis can be pretty damaging in my experience. No friends is sometimes better than bad friends.


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