Hello, and hopefully I’m doing this right.
I’m a 38 year old man, and I’ve had terrible anxiety for the entirety of my life. I was officially diagnosed with PTSD, SAD and GAD about 5 years ago after being unable to get my stress responses under control while at work. I was always bad at speaking to people, but 5 years ago is when my voice started clinging to my throat like one of those sticky mats you put down to catch spiders. I ended up leaving my job and becoming a recluse for most of the 5 years since then.
I am on medication for those problems now, and I see both a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Progress is slow, but I have gotten at least a little better.
Things are looking up, at least at the moment. If your anxiety is anything like mine then I reckon you know how it is to be so sure of something, and then have it all flutter away like embers in the wind.
But, the medicine is helping, and I’ve actually started college as an older student in a field I have an interest in.
The problem is that before each class I have a difficult time controlling my panic response, and constantly thinking that I’ll be awkward, weird, disliked, ridiculed.. etc.
It is a very lonely life when you feel so uncomfortable in your own skin, and I’m hoping this is the place to talk about things like that.
Thanks for listening, I look forward to making your acquaintances.