I have a huge social phobia, how do you get over it?

I hate being in front of lots of people, even a small group. It always feels like I'm saying something stupid and people are starring when they aren't. I can't even talk to some family members with reevaluating everything I said. I can't look people in the eye, never could. And this "little" issue I have has prevented me from doing a lot of things, like meeting new people and speaking up in class and soooo much more. How can I get over that?

Answer:
You need to be properly diagnosed by a professional as to your condition(s). It sounds similar to Autism or aspergers. These usually can't look people in the eye either. You may also have something like Dissociative Identity Disorder also. Do you have "missing time" episodes?, panic attacks? You may have been thru traumatic episodes at an earlier age and have repressed memories. It could also be related to asthma or other health conditions or allergies.Some people have asthma around perfumes/crowds etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/asperger_sy...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dissociativ...

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx4.ht...

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthm...

Some medications may be helpful along with psychotherapy. You can also try to unravel your own history to help with your diagnosis by journaling. I have learned to limit my exposures, such as; going to the theater or shopping when there are less people present.

As with all phobias, the cure is exposure to the thing you fear.
Little by little, you must expose yourself to stressful situations until you desensitize yourself to them.

I would recommend Drama Classes and workshops. They are great for teaching people how to face their fears and conquer them.

everyone has the same problem in life now and then . But what i would do is count back form 100 and your mind will stop getting worried about things trust me . And your heart will slow down , Its just anxiety

You can never "get over it" without treatment.
but u could set daily goels, easy tasks like...say hello to ur neighbor, oor call a freind, or ask for directions.
(even though u know perfectly where u are)

Social Anxiety Disorder if left untreatable will continue to worsen and could lead to Agoraphobia (where you fear leaving your house at all!). You should seek treatment now, as soon as possible. My recommendation is that you look for a clinician or therapist with Beahvioral training, that can apply a Behavioral method known as Systematic Desensitization (I have included a link to the definition on wikipedia for you). This method has been shown to be highly affective for the treatment of phobias. The reason is that phobias are not inate or genetic but are learned. Systematic Desensitization helps you to unlearn these fears by slow gradual steps in confronting those fears. Good luck to you.

You need to be part of a team or group of people. Something like Girl Guides. Go to camp for the summer.

These are all places where people make you feel good about who you are and build up your confidence and you will find that you are as unique and worthy as anyone else.

The drama classes are a great idea too.

I may have a social phobia myself.
I spend most of my time stuck in my room,I barely go out.But it mainly has to do with my dad since he's quite protective.However,I believe as you get older you will over come this due to the fact that you will have to apply to certain jobs and perhaps interact with people.
Direct eye contact is something I fail to do,It seems as if whenever I look at someone directly in their eyes I tend to smile.Which is horribly rude in my terms because when someone is talking to me seriously and I just stare eye to eye and smile a lot they think I'm taking it as a joke.Same thing when it comes to family members especially my dad I can't talk to him without smiling or repeating myself.
It's also hard for me to meet new people and communicate.But as long as you don't think about it as much you will slowly begin to realize that you will over come it.Relax,breathe and stand up with your head high.Everyone has a certain phobia.I'm not as social and sometimes being too social can get you in trouble it's always good to have your space and confidence.
I'm new to this high school and I felt as if everyone has their eyes on me I felt so isolated but I've improved a lot throughout the years now I'm able to walk around without worrying.You must feel comfortable about yourself,speak slowly and don't worry,as soon as you begin to get older and try out new things you will get over it.
you're not alone there's probably a percentage of 46% of students who feel the same way as you in school right now.
So, relax dear your social phobia is common.
I don't know if you need treatment or not I mean it's common especially when you're in high school,I actually went to the doctor for this and they wanted to give me pills? I mean c'mon being afraid to talk to people,interact and having the fear of being surrounded by others is common and pills won't make a change It's something we go through and CAN get over it by trying new things.If you feel too uncomfortable and feel that something should be done,then let your parents know.But I honestly think it's a stage most people go through.
:)

medication, self talk, and professional help

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I have a huge social phobia, how do you get over it?

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