although i cannot ask someone to diagnose me, or nothing of the-sort i just wanted to know if this seems connected to anything of the 2 things down below. or your own hipothesis much obliged; in social situation i get extremely nervous, EXTREMELY, i clam up and when i do speak i feel so nervous that i cant really formalize what im gonna say my voice shreaks, my hands start to shake.. when i do speak infront of people (just even 2)i say stuff not really well thought out (sometimes even stupid sounding) because of my nervousness, im wondering if those might be symptoms of; A.D.D (because its really hard for me to concentrate in general. never was good at school, and i would think maybe my social behavior of speech etc maybe connected with my very poor amount of concentration. you know asin when you speak or formalize ideas, you use a train of thought) or Asperger Autism (because of the symptoms of social inadecuasy,1 hobby intrest ). note; that when i feel safe in a situation i feel norm
204657
Why can't you ask a psychologist to diagnose you... are you under age and your parents don't want to (go see the school counselor)? Is there no insurance or an issue with your insurance company in this regard? Or does the mere thought turn your anxiety up through the roof (this one is a strong indicator for the first condition I mention below)?\n\nAnyway...\n\nLosing concentration in a social situation, and having difficulty conversing with others, could be any number of things.\n\nSocial Anxiety/agoraphobia is the most likely cause, but it takes a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist to do any diagnosis, so don't take what I'm saying as one. Anyway, agoraphobia is treated with medication and therapy. It can also contribute to difficulty concentrating at school and in other stressful situations, and can be a quite serious condition.\nYou might have attention deficit...but that by itself usually does not make someone a "social recluse"...quite the opposite!\nIt probably isn't Asperger's (although like I said before, I'm not diagnosing you, here). In the autistic spectrum, the person does not read social cues from others or learn social rules effectively. They also usually don't show their own emotions with the same set of body language as everyone else. While people with autistic-spectrum disorders, especially the higher-intelligence ones, feel a great deal of anxiety in social situations, it's more a foot-in-mouth problem rather than clamming up, especially for Aspergers. This is a generalization, but I'm trying to summarize this in less than half a page..lol.\n\nAnyway, the ONLY way to really identify your exact issue and needs is to get a diagnosis, and treatment through couselling (and medication if absolutely necessary).
411381
Hello there! I know how you feel as I have a fiancee with same problem. However, he is on therapy for something much worse so he also treated social anxiety....for a bit.....but i read a lot about it to be able to understand him and help him....all I can say now he is back to his university :), he is so much better!!! Definitly if you can, go to therapy it really helps, and you have to keep yourself in contact with social events so you don't get rasty too much :) as fear tends to grow in our minds for the things we are afraid of, and we are afraid of the things we don't know. So force yourself into it, and you will see after some time you will have more confidence, and you will see that it's not so scary as it seemed. In my "research" to help my fiancee I found this site that could be of a great help to you as well. It's a forum where you can chat with people with same problems as yours, just to know you are not alone...maybe you find out much more about your fear through them and their posts. www.socialanxietysupport.com\nGood luck!
64979
You might. These are all symptoms. See your doctor, you may just have a fearful personality but you can get help for it. It could also be a phase you are going thru but you must get a professional opinion for your peace of mind.
332409
Out of curiousity, what kind of anxiety to do experience in these situations? The scenarios you mentioned all seem like ones in which help or escape is difficult: are you worried about being 'escape-less', or are you worried that you will have a panic attack or health problems in such situations and are limited in getting help or looking foolish?\n\nIf it is the former, it sounds like a form of classic phobia, perhaps a combo of claustrophobia or agoraphobia...\n\nAlternatively, if you are worried about panic symptoms, you may have panic disorder, with agoraphobia...\n\nIf your anxiety as associted with a stimulus (i.e. when driving a car, on an escalator', it is unlikely to be a generalised anxiety disorder, as this implies that anxiety develops without a known source.\n\n\nHere are the diagnostic criteria for phobias and panic disorders\n\nSpecific Phobias:\n\n.......Marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation\n\n.......Exposure to the phobic stimulus almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response, which may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally predisposed Panic Attack\n\n.......The person recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable\n\n........The phobic situation(s) is avoided or else is endured with intense anxiety or distress\n\n.......The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared situation(s) interferes significantly with the person’s normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about having the phobia\n\n\nPanic disorder with agoraphobia\n\no         Anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having an unexpected or situationally predisposed Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms.  Agoraphobic fears typically involved characteristic clusters of situations that include being outside the home alone; being in a crowd or standing in a line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a bus, train or automobile.\n          Note: consider the diagnosis of Specific Phobia if   the avoidance is limited to one or only a few specific situations, or Social Phobia if the avoidance is limited to social situations.\n\noThe situations are avoided (e.g., travel is restricted) or else are endured with marked distress or anxiety about having a Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms, or require the presence of a companion. \n\n\nPanic attack is:\n\noA discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes:\n\nPalpitations, pounding heart, accelerated heart rate\nSweating\nTrembling or shaking\nSensations of shortness of breath or smothering\nFeeling of choking\nChest pain or discomfort\nNausea or abdominal distress\nDizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, faint\nDerealisations (unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)\nFear or losing control or going crazy\nFear of dying\nparesthesias (numbing or tingling sensations)\nchills or hot flushes\n\nDistinguishing between panic and anxiety: panic attack symptoms develop abruptly and reach peak intensity within 10 minutes, rarely last more than an hour. Periods of anxiety, by contrast, are not as abrupt, intense, and are more long-lasting. \n\n\n\nHope that helps!
170091
Check this review out: it seems that they are all on a spectrum (but then, everything in life is!)... So, while the majority of  people with selective mutism will not show autistic tendencies, some will. \n\nPsychiatr Clin North Am. 2002 Dec;25(4):757-74. \n\n    The social anxiety spectrum.\n\n    Schneier FR, Blanco C, Antia SX, Liebowitz MR.\n\n    Anxiety Disorders Clinic, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 69, New York, NY 10032, USA. frs1@columbia.edu\n\n    Social anxiety disorder is well suited to the spectrum concept because it has trait-like qualities of early onset, chronicity, and no empirically derived threshold that demarcates normal from clinically significant trait social anxiety. Social anxiety disorder has been shown to respond to relatively specific pharmacologic and cognitive-behavioral therapies, which makes identification of other conditions that may lie on the social anxiety disorder spectrum important because of possible treatment implications. Biologic markers associated with social anxiety disorder also may be shared by similar but nonidentical traits, such as behavioral inhibition and detachment. Clarification of the trait spectrums associated with specific biologic systems offers an opportunity for improving the understanding of the origin of these conditions. Strong evidence exists that at least some forms of shyness, avoidant personality disorder, and selective mutism lie on a social anxiety disorder spectrum. For several other disorders that share a prominent focus on social comparison, significant subgroups of patients seem to have features of social anxiety disorder. These disorders include major depression (especially the atypical subtype), body dysmorphic disorder, and eating disorders. Several other disorders marked by social dysfunction or inhibition, including substance use disorders (especially alcoholism), paranoid disorder, bipolar disorder, autism, and Asperger's disorder, also may show some overlap with social anxiety disorder features (e.g., social anxiety as a cause or complication of substance abuse, social avoidance in paranoid disorder, social disinhibiton in bipolar disorder, and social communication deficits in autism and Asperger's disorder). Social anxiety disorder also is associated with other anxiety disorders in general and other phobias in particular. In respect to traits, a growing body of evidence links behavioral inhibition to the unfamiliar to a social anxiety disorder spectrum with some specificity. Biologic measures of dopamine system hypoactivity have been linked to social anxiety disorder, trait detachment, and general deficits in reward and incentive function. It remains to be clarified, however, whether this brain system function is best characterized by a social anxiety disorder spectrum or some variant that incorporates social reward deficits or social avoidance behavior. Social anxiety disorder, shyness, and behavioral inhibition all seem to have a genetic component, but more research is needed to attempt to identify a more specifically heritable temperament associated with these conditions. Finally, the emergent concept of a social anxiety spectrum needs maturation. Although the notion of a single social anxiety disorder spectrum currently has some clinical use, the authors believe that exclusive focus on the notion of a single continuum with two extremes--from social disinhibition in mania to the most severe form of social anxiety, avoidant personality disorder--is premature and limiting in respect to etiologic research. An alternative approach is to conceptualize multiple, probably overlapping spectra in this area of social psychopathology. Individual dimensions might be based on various core phenomenologic, cognitive, or biologic characteristics. A bottom-up biologic approach holds promise for identifying spectra with a common etiology that might respond to specific treatments. Taking a pluralistic view of the concept
348001
Social Anxiety..they make medications for it..see your doctor.
620823
Yes I do suffer from social anxiety!  It's getting worse as I get older too (I'm 28 now).  I have this terrible problem where when I can nervous about something I feel really sick to the point where I start retching and this happens when I have to go to appointments, like doctors appointments, dentist, hairdressers, anything like that.  It's now happening when I go into work in the morning or just meeting up with an old friend for lunch.  It is so embarrassing.  Sometimes I can hardly talk cos I feel so sick!\n\nI also get a really tight throat and tight chested.  Which symptoms do you get?\n\nI really know how you feel and I'm so sorry that you have to go through a similar thing to me.  \n\nIf you want to keep in touch, let me know.
199511
Well the first thing is to ask if you have hard time concentrating?  more than is normal?  do you misplace things often? it affects people in many different ways. For example, some people pace or walk around in circles unable to concentrate.  Others are amazingly hyper and totally out of control.  I guess what you really need to ask yourself is do you feel in complete control of your actions or to you do things impulsively without knowing why?  If you do you might have it?  Just a note.  Many doctors are very much against recognizing add and many are much more lenient so if you are not getting officially tested but are rather discussing it with a doctor first you should probably get a second opinion to make sure you are getting the correct treatment.
181918
I also suffer with some of the same problems as you.Don't be afraid to go to the specialist. Let him know about your anxiety disorder. If you are still frightened,ask a close friend to go with you to the doctors. It is important to make an appointment as soon as you can, and you will get all the answers from the doctors. Good luck!
98313
woah there. Some of this advice is way off. No you don't need a valium and no you don't have social anxiety order (good lord what are people thinking?)\n\nWhat you're describing is very common in people and it happens to almost everyone. The only thing that can help you get better at it is practice-- seriously. I regularly speak in front of large groups of people now and when I first started I used to sweat so bad and I wanted to throw up right before walking out.\n\nIt helps to keep in mind that not as many people are judging you as you think they are. The best advice is to psychologically prepare yourself as best as you can-- but it's not something that comes naturally to everyone.
511736
I have the same problem, but I try to limit talking to anyone online though because thats just me. I know a lot of people tell me once you get out of high school you "break out of that shell". \n\nI am going to get a job which requires customer service and social skills though, I think if I know I have to, I'll be able to build the skill of talking a lot.\n\nIf you mumble, or stutter, or stumble on the words when you talk to people just think before you say something because I know when I try to say something really fast and then I forget I always stumble on the words lol.\n\nHope this helps :)
397765
If you feel that this problem is not normal for you then my advise would be to go to the doctor. I have had that happen and it was a anxiety attack. You would be surprised  how many people old or young have them. IF it continues the doctor will put you on a medication to help you feel better. Dont worry what your parents say its your body not theirs  good luck and I hope you feel better.
570269
talk to a doctor, it sounds like you have some unresolved issues from the past, and maybe social anxiety disorder
347354
Does she has anyone in her family that suffers essential tremors? How old is she? If so she might be having some neurological diosrder, but a lot of shaking "for nothing" can go on stress, fear - anxiety. If it happens during the social situations it must be that she is having social anxiety....try noticing details, when it happens - when she is calm at home, when she is out, which situations makes it more, is it all the time? That all could be parametars for what she has. All the best!
653791
I would say I was about  hmmm 5 or six when I started using words and such.  Most aspergers and autistics have trouble using body language and you say your child uses body language.  So far at four I would think he is closer to ADHD than autistic nor aspberger's.  My mother was quite concerned with me and took me to psychiatrists and other specialists on autism.  True the non-speech may point to autism but the body language and the hugs and kisses point strongly away from autism.  I really hope he starts speaking soon.  You wanted my e-mail no problem its canucksfan729@hotmail.com.
308847
i have the same problem...it actually harder for me in front of people that i know...oddly enough, strangers i have no trouble with...but that may just be me. but here are my guild lines\n\n1st know what you are going to say...practice your speech to the point that even if you start freaking out you can still say everything you want to say without thinking\n\n2nd when it comes time for you to make the speech...be calm...close off your emotions as much as you can...almost to the point of not thinking...this does help me\n\n3rd when i was starting out i couldn't make direct eye contact with anyone while giving the speech...this msy not be the case with you but it sure helped with me\n\nrecently i was kinda trust into a position where i had to give speeches about 2 time a week...i can honestly say that the more you do it the better you will get at it...and the easier it will become...so if you are going to have to give a speech quiet often it will get easier\n\njust to let you know after giving a speech i was so nearvous that i would almost be crying at the end of a speech...i am not normally the emotional type but then i was...now i can give speeches with relative ease...still not as good as i want to be but better none the less.\n\ni wish you the best of luck on your speech
420101
there is a chance that it may not be a mental problem.  if at all possible u should be checked out by a doctor, or if your school provides a hearing doctor.  i have a lot of allergies, and banging dishes, and forks makes me feel uncomfortable also.  as far as not sleeping, sounds like this movie disturbed you, and add to that, the sound of the judges voice irritated your causing u more anxiety.  i also have vertigo {room spinning, similar to dizziness} and then that's when the sounds bother me the most.  these complaints u have are not common with the symptoms of mental illness.   i may be wrong, but first, rule out any physical causes.  hope this helps