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Aspergers and Social Anxiety Disorder?

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IndieSoul
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06 Jul 2012, 10:30 pm

nick007 wrote:
I had bad social anxiety at times as a kid & teenager that I think was caused by my AS related things. I was bullied a lot in elementary & I was/am also overly sensitive to how others react towards me & people reacted bad towards me due to me being a very socially awkward Aspie. I was kind of forced to face my social anxiety when I started working. My 1st job was a dish-washer & even thou I was just dealing with reustrant staff & managers; it was still a major step for me. After 10 months of that I started cleaning floors at WalMart & they are open 24 hours so I was around customers. & my 3rd/last job was a custodian at a sporting-goods store. Having to face my anxiety & be around people & interact sometimes helped me develop social-skills & be less afraid of interacting thou I do still have some anxiety. I'm taking Buspar for generalized anxiety & having less anxiety is helping with the social some too


Good for you for facing it. I quit my first and only job last year due to my anxiety. I was a cashier at Tim Hortons. Lots of things triggered my anxiety, but there was so much sensory overload that it was impossible for me not to be overwhelmed.


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IndieSoul
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06 Jul 2012, 10:31 pm

Blownmind wrote:
I'm working with exposure therapy, at my own initiative after reading about it. My therapist is one of those "touchy-feely" types, not so much hands on, so I had to take matters in my own hands. I have started to advice her on how to treat me now, so I have gotten her to give me homework in regards to my anxiety and my "Anxiety Hierarchy" where I expose myself to my lowest fear until I am comfortable with the situation, then I progress to the next level of fear. I have a list of 25 situations graded from 10 to 100% of anxiety/fear, thats what I call my Anxiety Hierarchy.

It seems to be working ok, however, I'm only at the 20% mark for now. Pushing yourself and not getting settled in your comfort zone is important when it comes to Social Anxiety Disorder.


This is very true. The Hierarchy sounds like a good idea. I think I might use that.


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nick007
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06 Jul 2012, 10:52 pm

IndieSoul wrote:
nick007 wrote:
I had bad social anxiety at times as a kid & teenager that I think was caused by my AS related things. I was bullied a lot in elementary & I was/am also overly sensitive to how others react towards me & people reacted bad towards me due to me being a very socially awkward Aspie. I was kind of forced to face my social anxiety when I started working. My 1st job was a dish-washer & even thou I was just dealing with reustrant staff & managers; it was still a major step for me. After 10 months of that I started cleaning floors at WalMart & they are open 24 hours so I was around customers. & my 3rd/last job was a custodian at a sporting-goods store. Having to face my anxiety & be around people & interact sometimes helped me develop social-skills & be less afraid of interacting thou I do still have some anxiety. I'm taking Buspar for generalized anxiety & having less anxiety is helping with the social some too


Good for you for facing it. I quit my first and only job last year due to my anxiety. I was a cashier at Tim Hortons. Lots of things triggered my anxiety, but there was so much sensory overload that it was impossible for me not to be overwhelmed.

I didn't have much of a choice. It was extremely difficult at 1st. I know I couldn't handle being a cashier because of anxiety as well as physical disabilities. I think I was able to face it because my primary job task did not involve having to interact with people & I was kind of able to hyperfocus on my work & tune-out the surrounding things that would cause me anxiety or get to me. It was extremely difficult for me at 1st thou & the idea of having to interact with customers at a job rite now does make me feel nervous but I know that when/if I have to do that again; I would focus on the customer & assisting him/her as best I could.


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IndieSoul
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06 Jul 2012, 11:42 pm

I'm going to apply for a job as a library page. What could be more "up my alley" than organizing books by a number system? It's a match made in heaven.


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Ann2011
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07 Jul 2012, 4:49 pm

I work part time as a library page - it's the best job I've ever had! You go in, grab your cart of books and head to the stacks. No one bothers me and I get to spend my time putting books in a specific order - perfect.



hobofeet
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07 Jul 2012, 10:13 pm

I think my social anxiety stemmed from constant criticism of my behavior. I had people constantly pointing out things that were odd about me that I'd never noticed or cared about before. My friends made fun of me for not being able to express much emotion at all.



IndieSoul
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07 Jul 2012, 10:38 pm

hobofeet wrote:
I think my social anxiety stemmed from constant criticism of my behavior. I had people constantly pointing out things that were odd about me that I'd never noticed or cared about before. My friends made fun of me for not being able to express much emotion at all.


I know the feeling. While nobody has every pointed out my AS traits directly, they always seem to wonder why I'm so shy. "Why are you so quiet?" asks this pathetically innocent little girl voice belonging to the person sitting next to me at the lunch table. When the library is closed, I sit with a group of people I consider my friends but don't really talk to or hang out with after school hours.

Funny thing about emotion...I have no problem expressing it in writing or through my art. It's when I have to talk about it that I feel uncomfortable and very, very awkward. The only person I want to talk about emotions with is my therapist. My parents? Not really. Friends? Heck no. I think this is why some people see me as aloof or bitter.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only person here that struggles with social anxiety. Hope this helps.


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