Social Anxiety Disorder is Life Limiting
A few nights ago I was sitting at home watching the Olympics when I noticed that every single athlete selected for an interview seemed very comfortable in front of the camera. Of course, some seemed more at ease than others, but for the most part, everyone was able to handle speaking in front of a billion people okay.
I often wonder if there are any very successful, or famous, people that struggle with social anxiety disorder – because it seems that anyone that is in the public eye has the ability to speak relatively calmly to an audience. I know a lot of this comes with practice over the years, but even those that have become famous in a short period of time seem to handle themselves quite well.
Apparently, there are a few stars in Hollywood that have come forward and admitted that they suffer from social anxiety disorder. The only thing I can say is that, if they were truly suffering from this condition, they wouldn’t be able to do what they do.
So, does this mean that a social anxiety sufferer can never become famous? What if you were more talented than anyone else in the world in a certain area? Would you suppress your natural gift for fear of becoming famous and being shoved into the spotlight?
Imagine having a singing voice better than most of the top 40 artists and never being able to share your gift with the rest of the world. I often wonder how much natural talent is wasted because a person simply can’t handle performing in front of a crowd or being interviewed by the media. What if you knew you had a talent for running and could eventually become a world record holder in the hundred meter dash, but you chose to ignore your gift because of the attention you would bring to yourself?
To me, this only proves the far-reaching consequences that social anxiety disorder can have on people. Imagine the life you would be forfeiting and the talent you would be denying people because of this condition.
However, I’m sure that it happens all the time.
Although the majority of people don’t have a natural talent like this, social anxiety disorder can still stunt your growth in many other ways. Most notably, in your choice of career. I’m sure there are many brilliant people that have given up their dream in the corporate world (or didn’t even get started) because they couldn’t handle participating in meetings, doing presentations, or giving speeches. Does that mean that they are any less qualified than their peers who don’t struggle with this problem?
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that there is a lot of talent that the world never gets to see because of this condition. I’m sure that there is not one person who suffers from social anxiety disorder that can’t relate to this in one way or another.
That’s why it just kills me when people dismiss social anxiety as just a little shyness. This condition is life changing and life limiting – and there is nothing trivial about that.
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Sure, people can be famous and suffer from social anxiety disorder. Different people suffer in different ways. I have no problem performing in front of large groups of people. I also am very good at public speaking when it pertains to something I know well. I run into problems with smaller groups of people.
I have to say that while this condition may be life changing, I don’t believe that it is life limiting. The belief that it is life limiting is just a limiting belief to use as an excuse to not overcome it.
Andy, I agree & disagree with what you just said. Yes,people suffer from social anxiety differently. But….I almost felt like it was a slap in the face (even though I don’t know you) that you said social anxiety is not life limiting. I suffer from it,and to the point that I am in my early 20s and have never had a real job. I cannot drive, it is hard for me to even talk on the phone to strangers or people I don’t regularly talk to…I hardly ever date.. It drove me crazy so bad that I can’t interact with others that I attempted suicide recently. Luckily, the psychiatrists told me that I do indeed suffer from severe anxiety. I’m barely starting to get help for my life now,which I am thankful. Yet I constantly think,what would my life would have been like if I was diagnosed decades ago? Or if I never had this? I was one of the brightest all throughout my years of school,yet I failed most of highschool and ended up in homeschool all because I had such fear of speaking in class,and I avoided on purpose even graduating on stage,I couldn’t imagine myself on stage with hundreds of people watching me! I can go on and on about my anxiety..but my point is, is that yes it can be life limiting. To say someone with this is lazy is just cruel. It is beyond frightning to even walk outside…I don’t see how it is my choice to be this way. I’m trying to get help,and I hope I will be able to do normal things like everyone else does someday…
To tell the truth, I pretty much suffer from the same thing. In class, I feel like everyone is staring at me all the time, even if I know they aren’t it stills feels like they very much are. It wouldn’t bother me but if I ever go in front of the class or get called on by the teacher, I try to make it seem as though I’m relaxed but really deep down inside I feel so uncomfortable. The person sitting next to me can be talking about how much fun she had at a party last night and here I am sitting beside her shivering and shaking hoping that they don’t notice me. It has actually died down alittle bit from that though, but still it doesn’t fit me at all, I used to be a little popular in junior high, maybe a little shy. But anyway, I so get what you were saying man, I can draw REALLY well, since I was 2, and it sometimes makes me the attention grabber at times, I also like to sing also, which I do think I have some skill at. Well anyways, I appreciate this article very much
Yeah, I’ve been struggling to find my real passion for a while. I think my social phobia prevents me from doing what I was meant to do in this life.
I believe social anxiety can be very limiting and painful. I’m in my fifties. It took many years to find out that I have an anxiety disorder as well as being bipolar. If we are unable to fulfill our potential, I think it may be because coping with these feelings and thoughts take so much of the energy that others apply to making good relationship or achieving their goals. I, too, look back on my life and wish I had known that my thoughts and feelings weren’t always real. So much pain. And yes, other’s can perceive how an anxious or depressed person feels, often by our demeanor. We all have felt the pain. Our empathy with others with these sorts of problems is one good thing about our experiences.
I looked back today and have thought of the opportunities social and other that ive wasted over the last 6 years. Everytime i went to do something to socialise or even talk to somebody i would hit a wall and not be able to talk. i would then go away cursing my self. Sometimes i would get so depressed and hated living. The funny thing is that i rember my mother telling me dont waste your opportunities, your only young once and everytime i wasted one it felt a 100 times worse because i had those words in my mind
I would look on watching the naturals as i call them, the smooth talkers,the party animals, the comedians the guys who had a social circle and relationships.
the way i see it is that some people were born to take opportunities, some werent, and im definitely the last. Im not a great man because a great person wouldnt whine like i just have im a whimp a pussy a runt an unneeded burden on this wrecked planet
i accept that ill never amount to anything in life. Well i’ll be meeting my train soon, its comin, to take me away to somewhere where i dont have to worry about socialising because i wont be here anymore to worry. my train cant come quick enough. good bye to anybody who reads this, i dare say it was a waste of 1 minute of your life.
Benjamin Franklin suffered from public speaking anxiety. During his presidency he only spoke in public two times. He even had the business of politics changed so that he could avoid that. And by the way, Andy, I gave up a place at the University of Oxford because I suffer from public speaking anxiety, so don’t say it’s not life-limiting.
Every now and then I get so frustrated I would punch the nearest wall until all my fury and built up energy had left my system. I’m a guy in my 20′s with a degree and I know I can try and work towards my passions. I’m not actually sure what career choices to make, and I’ve read from career books and on the net that the best thing to do is go to or call a place that interests you and ask them about the work and what they like and dislike about it.
Its been 3 months, I have not gone anywhere and I have a fear of talking to strangers on the phone.
And its bloody weird as I can be quite chatty. Its just the intitial interaction scares me.
and it frustrates me so much…
we can be anything we want to be in this world, but SA is like a barrier of wind blowing us back from our goal.
I can keep pushing, but when I give up once, I get blown back.
What you said about SA stunting your growth rings so many bells. I became full blown SA when I was about 15 or 16. I literally communicated with NOBODY at all. I buried the loneliness and depression with computer games for about 10 years. it is only now I realize the extent of the damage that I did to myself. It’s like waking from a long sleep. when you stepped into the SA bubble, your maturity practically froze. In your little world, time stopped. The world kept on spinning, but yours did not because you were trapped in your mind. You did not need to think for yourself and make any real decisions.
You are now 26 with the maturity, coping skills and social skills of a young teenager. You can’t relate to ANYONE your age. The world is a scary scary place.
I would definitely have to say that some superstars or famous people do suffer from the fear of speaking in front of large crowds and unfamiliar people…
As a matter of fact I feel that famous peolple have to deal with lots more anxiety than the average joe…
It’s just that some people deal with certain situations a lot better than others…
It’s all in your mind…