stace wrote:
I've never posted a message on a forum before, I'm not sure how this goes.
I'm in therapy now and i think that my social anxiety disorder is actually aspergers. I'm looking to talk to other adults, over 30, who have problems in social situations.
Any help and/or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I shared your apprehension when posting my first message. I'm over 30 and received my diagnosis this year at 45. I've experienced social anxiety all my life, though things that I've done recently have helped. As a child I used to hide behind sofas when a stranger came to the door. In my first job, my heart would race whenever the phone rang near me. In crowds or at parties I'd feel rising panic. What social situations make you most anxious?
The interventions that have helped me most with my social anxiety are:
- Talking about it with a good counsellor
- Learning relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and progressive relaxation
- Neurofeedback (EEG biofeedback)
I can thoroughly recommend the exercises to help with social anxiety in the book, "The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook", published by New Harbinger Publications. I think it's well suited to people with AS, because it starts with a questionnaire that helps you work out what kind of techniques might work best for you to solve your social anxiety. It actually distinguishes three types of anxiety:
- Anxiety in specific situations (tests, deadlines, interviews, etc)
- Anxiety in your personal relationships
- Anxiety, general (regardless of the situation or the people involved)
I hope this is of some help. I hope the therapy is working for you.
Steve