# HOW BAD IS YOUR SOCIAL ANXIETY?



## LonelyEnigma (Jan 7, 2007)

I have severe social anxiety


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## Strength (Aug 12, 2006)

Last year this time I was Severe. Today I am Moderate, although leaning into Mild.


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## njodis (Nov 8, 2006)

Moderate, going by that list.


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## Bad Religion (Dec 14, 2006)

Moderate. Although once in a while if I'm lucky it goes down to mild. Hasn't happened in months though.


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## leppardess (Nov 8, 2003)

Moderate but my GAD is much worse than my SA, at this moment.


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## orpheus (Nov 16, 2003)

I have occasional panic attacks, but I generally force myself into most situations (at least those that will benefit me).


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## Nyx (Nov 17, 2003)

I was moderate/severe, now more mild/moderate.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

moderate to severe


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## FreeSoul (Jan 1, 2006)

Moderate here.


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## Eraserhead (Sep 23, 2006)

Moderate I suppose.


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## Scrub-Zero (Feb 9, 2004)

moderate/severe


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## clenched_fist (Jan 4, 2004)

Nyx said:


> I was moderate/severe, now more mild/moderate.


:ditto


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## Tasha (Feb 10, 2004)

severe


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## SusanStorm (Oct 27, 2006)

I would say moderate because I don't have panic attacks and I'm not avoiding all social situations..


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## ott (Aug 2, 2005)

A couple of years ago it was severe, now it's mild or less.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

Moderate most of the time but it can be severe in certain situations.


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## Optimistic (Nov 4, 2006)

Mild to moderate. There's really not an option that describes my SA. I'd describe it as not a problem in most social situations, but a significant--more than mild--problem in a couple of them.


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## Chrysalii (Jun 24, 2006)

between moderate and severe.


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## Mehitabel (Oct 13, 2006)

Between severe and extreme.


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## sonya99 (Sep 5, 2005)

Moderate

I avoid a lot of situations, I am even avoidant during them. I have nervous habits like not looking at people in the eyes and stuff. I'm very behind in social skills. It is the main factor in my bouts of depression.


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## glittergaze (May 4, 2005)

Mine used to be severe. Now it's moderate, though there are very good days where it's mild.


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## ColdFury (Nov 6, 2003)

Severe


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## Cheesecake (Feb 2, 2007)

I would say inbetween moderate and severe, leaning towards severe.


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## silentstorm (Feb 12, 2007)

Moderate to Severe. I don't particularly have a trigger, I think I might have GAD, because sometimes I feel anxious for no reason...


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## SAlovesme (Nov 15, 2006)

SA!!! TO THE EXTREME!!!!!!!


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## ghostgurl (Sep 20, 2004)

Mild to moderate now. I've overcome a lot of it from accepting myself believe it or not. Also I try not to give a damn about what people think.

I still get anxiety in certain situations though like with participating in class and doing presentations.

I'm still not a social person though. I never was. Never will be.


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## SAgirl (Nov 15, 2003)

Between severe to the extreme. 

I have SA in all social situations. I avoid social situations because of this. (Does not have panic attacks most of the time) but is very fearful of people most or all of the time.


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## red97pgts (Dec 28, 2004)

Nyx said:


> I was moderate/severe, now more mild/moderate.


Same here. It's awesome to look back at what I have accomplished that at one time terrified me.


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## TL431 (May 14, 2013)

severe


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## Marakunda (Jun 7, 2011)

Extreme, but I rarely have panic attacks. Though that's probably because I just avoid everything.


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## wordscancutyoulikeglass (May 4, 2012)

I in almost all aspects have severe, but sometimes it can dull down to the point where it is moderate but that is rare, sadly.


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## Jesuszilla (May 26, 2013)

Severe, there are a lot of things I just refuse to do in public or social situations. I don't think I have panic attacks unless panic attacks mean sweating a lot, that weird feeling in my stomach and the inability to say a word around large number of people.


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## notacreativeusername (Jun 7, 2015)

Severe.I usually avoid social contact and when I can't avoid I sometimes get panic attacks.My friends find it weird af 
444


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

Moderate now.

But I have been in the severe-extreme category before. It got to the point where I was basically debilitated by it --- couldn't live a normal life. I had severe panic attacks. I was in a state of severe anxiety pretty much 24/7. I had to get treatment. It does help.


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## kesker (Mar 29, 2011)

deadly bad. deathly bad.


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## truant (Jul 4, 2014)

Bad enough for those all caps to trigger. What were you thinking person from eight years ago? :roll

According to this, I'm closer to extreme than severe. I don't get a lot of panic attacks, but that's because I no longer interact with live human beings if I can avoid it. There is no human being I can interact with without anxiety. I even have anxiety just sitting around by myself in my house. Never know when the phone might ring, or someone might knock on your door.

I would love to be able to walk down to the coffee shop and just sit there for hours like I used to, reading and writing.


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## iCod (Feb 17, 2015)

Sever


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## Surly Wurly (May 9, 2015)

I have the worst social anxiety in any universe anywhere. I only get so much done because I have a nuclear reactor in each testicle

*scratches left nad*


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## fcmallari02 (Dec 2, 2013)

worst of worst


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## aaaa1111bbbb2222cccc3333 (May 10, 2015)

Between moderate and severe... No panic attacks, but I avoid a lot. Crazy to think about all I've missed because of this garbage.


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## SD92 (Nov 9, 2013)

Very Severe. That's why I've isolated myself for the last six years.


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## KILOBRAVO (Sep 17, 2011)

think its mild. maybe even less that mild. maybe slight. I think most of my anxiousness is mild generalized... or its maybe anxiety that goes with mild depressiveness.. ... getting a job may be the thing to improve my confidence and then i feel fine.

i felt perfectly fine when i worked before... I usually have been able to feel comfortable with people generally. i generally like and trust people.


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## SplendidBob (May 28, 2014)

Between mild and moderate. Only because I basically avoid everything though (most normal things I don't want to do anyway). 

If I had to live a regular life and actually interact with people it would likely be severe.


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## Imbored21 (Jun 18, 2012)

By your definition: moderate. But by no means do I think it's moderate. It's pretty damn severe although I don't get panic attacks.


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## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

Probably moderate. I avoid all type of social events and have even been allowed to skip classes because i get very easily stressed, but there are still times i try to start conversations with people even though it often turns horrible so i wouldn't say i'm very bad either.


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## bad baby (Jun 10, 2013)

Pretty bad. I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm debilitated by it, but it does make everything I do seem like a struggle through hell. I haven't had a close friend or a romantic prospect on the horizon in years. If it weren't for my manliness I'd surely be crying myself to sleep every night, surely.

There's really no such thing as "mild" anxiety, imho. The nature of anxiety is such that it's a grand ****ing ***** to deal with, no matter the extent.


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## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

I'd call it moderate-severe(ish), I guess. I am anxious in most social situations. Very rarely do I entirely feel at ease when there are unfamiliar people around. Speaking to authority figures makes me pretty anxious. I blush and sweat and have frequent mental blanks. Presentations are nightmares. The last time I had a presentation, I cried when I got home, lol. Something like walking down an aisle in a marriage is not something I can even think of doing. Talking to strangers results in severe anxiety too. I avoid asking for assistance in stores, for example. 2scary4me. Phone calls are horrendous. I almost never contribute anything verbally to classes either. I never ask questions (even if I really do have a burning question), I never contribute ideas (even if I think they're pretty good), and I rarely ask for assistance on my work. Those times in class where the teacher calls on me to answer a question or goes around the room induce severe anxiety to the point of being unable to think of an answer in some cases. 

I think my anxiety would be considerably worse if I had more responsibilities, such as paying bills. Luckily, I don't really have many responsibilities apart from school.


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## SmartCar (Nov 27, 2011)

Yeah, my anxiety is like how others have mentioned above, moderate:| to severe:afr in some situations, It's harder now because I'm looking for work, & I don't go out too often, I feel like it's gradually gotten worse over some time  there are situations when I can manage.. & then they're are situations where I can even end up freezing, or feeling stiff; I'm pretty bad under pressure, it's frustrating, I'm starting to wonder if I need to go in for some professional treatment, my only concern is how legit some therapists are, plus how much it costs; I don't know honestly if I can just get by managing anymore.


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## HenDoggy (Jul 26, 2014)

i guess mild to moderate. most days are different


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## chaosherz (May 15, 2011)

After many years of reading this forum, I realise that my SA is not as severe as for some others. I would say it is moderate. It prevents me doing a lot of things I want to do, but it isn't completely debilitating.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

HenDoggy said:


> i guess mild to moderate. most days are different


Your avatar is hearting. He needs Pepto-Bismol.

My anxiety is up at work and at church. Other than that, I am pretty comfortable talking to people now. There is still a litte work with the phone, but I am far better than I was.


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## Katieloo (Jun 23, 2015)

moderate, occasionally mild


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## xxDark Horse (May 13, 2015)

Technically I don't have an anxiety disorder. 

But I do have autism/aspergers though. 

Social anxiety and autism are similar in that they both struggle with social interaction and both have problem making friends, and dating. But those with anxiety struggle at talking because they're too shy and because of anxiety while those with autism on the other hand struggle with talking because their social skills and language are impaired.


I don't have much social anxiety around other guys. In fact I am often impulsive and tend to say whatever comes to my head so I often say weird things. If people think i'm weird, I don't care at all. I just want to have a good time. Actually iv'e been starting to care a little more which is a good thing.

Girls on the other hand, yes I do have pretty bad anxiety around girls my own age. I just never know what to say or how to act around girls. I don't get a lot of interaction with women of the opposite sex either and I HATE it. I'm such a loser when it comes to women, i'm going to be a 25 year old virgin I just know it. I don't have a terrible looking face but the fact that I do sound a little special and i'm ****ing 5 ft 2 and 103 pounds makes it hard for me to attract women. I'd be way too scared to approach women or even ask for their number because of fear they will ignore me and reject me just like all of those girls from 8th and 9th grade did. I'd do anything to not be autistic, then I wouldn't be so lonely.


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## indielife (Jun 17, 2015)

I usually don't get anxious, but it has happened before.

I tend to deal with it by isolating myself (though I also like being alone most of the time so this works out quite well), even when in public I do so by avoiding having to deal with people only saying what's necessary. That way I don't have to deal with any of it and as a result it doesn't affect me more than perhaps sweating a little and/or having a dry mouth in crowded situations.


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## indielife (Jun 17, 2015)

Forgot add the middle part of my post and as I don't have an edit button I'll just make another post.

One of my biggest problems is that I think that everyone is out to hurt me and that everyone hates my guts. I think that I disgust people, just by breathing basically. When people are laughing I automatically think it's me they're laughing at for a split moment. When people are nice to me other than family members I automatically think it's out of pity. 

It doesn't make me anxious as I've been feeling this way ever since I was about 15 or so. I can even remember the first time I was feeling that way, looking in a car mirror and feeling disgust. 

I guess that's the most severe part of it, but I don't feel like that every day. It differs from day to day, and how stressed I am feeling at that particular time. I would say that some days it's severe, but most of the time it's somewhere between mild and moderate.


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## AllieG (Feb 20, 2014)

I am moderately socially anxious. My SA isn't terrible, but it could definitely use some improvements.


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*Mild in the background*

so many factors

number of friends over time is a baseline. Upbringing. *Employer* treatment.

Confident, competent, determined, requiring a lot of respect - which I had from teachers, friends, family.

Maybe some autism. Scared in someone's birthday party during 1st year at school. Panic. Mum took me home. Could have been helpful, or could pushed me into being more friendly. I could have learned to be better, or decided to never get into the situation again. Never patient at wedding in early age.

Plenty of approaches / strategies attempted. Each loss should be a building brick to learn from.


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## Baldy Nohairs (Jun 20, 2015)

I selected Moderate, more closer to mild if anything.


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