Social Anxiety Support

spacefiller · 08-26-2009, 11:05 AM

One thing that surprised me at a recent SA or similar group meeting was how common the family history factor is. How do you think this occurs?

Aurora · 08-27-2009, 11:10 PM

I think its a combination of the first 4.

Zeddicus · 08-28-2009, 12:04 AM

#1 and #3 for me. I remember always being irregularly shy, even more so than any other students in my elementary class, and then it was all made worse in middle school when bad things started to happen.

jim_morrison · 08-28-2009, 12:31 AM

I think that it can occur from a combination of heritable genetic disposition, and emotional/physical abuse, or one, or the other, so I can't really vote in this.

Amocholes · 08-28-2009, 02:35 AM

Change in Biochemistry. Mine didn't start until I was 42. I think It was male menopause setting in.

Amelia · 08-28-2009, 08:44 AM

Lots of different factors, though I can see a genetic component in my family. But mainly, it's just me.

millenniumman75 · 08-28-2009, 10:26 AM

I had anxiety before - generalized, which I would say was upbringing. My parents were somewhat more strict with me than my brother. They kind of learned their lesson with me by the time my brother was born 4 1/2 years later.

My current episode of SA started through peer humilation in an abusive church - they used their sermons to "indirectly" vent members' issues in the church - they tried to kick me out on two different occasions without even giving me an official reason. I had SA and was so frightened of them at the time that I went to church to pray for healing! THey saw me as a monster that needed excommunication - all I did was have trouble talking to people!

Freedom2010 · 08-29-2009, 06:29 AM

You can have a genetic predisposition to anxiety, but what keeps this anxiety going is all the negative thoughts that take place in your head. This can be changed though. CBT helps a lot.

Toad Licker · 08-31-2009, 03:12 PM

Genetics and upbringing are at least two factors for mine, I'm sure my party years didn't help matters much either.

Iced Soul · 08-31-2009, 03:28 PM

I think it can be a huge combination of things and that it's different for everyone.
I'll say it's possibility of the first four and other.

LaRibbon · 09-01-2009, 03:55 AM

I don't know of anyone in my close or extended family with SA. But there a fair bit of introversion / shyness and anxiety. I think that combination of traits went awry in me, and generated my SA.And I think those traits went awry in me in response to my environment. For instance, since I was little my parents never encouraged me to socialise, and then I had some really bad experiences with school.

Lumiere · 09-01-2009, 04:48 AM

No one in my family has SA, other than me. My mum is kind of shy, so is my brother, but in no way do they have SA.
On the other hand, my dad and sister are both extremely outgoing -- my dad is the most outgoing person I've ever met; he'll talk quite comfortably to anyone and seems at ease in any situation.

I think there is a genetic predisposition to anxiety, but it's a series of events and circumstances that account for its severity in my case. So I'll say it's a combination of the first three.

Stanley · 09-01-2009, 07:27 AM

It's #5 for me. I'm the only one in our family who has SA. My parents, grandparents, siblings, and cousins are all very much extroverted.

WineKitty · 09-01-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toad Licker

Genetics and upbringing are at least two factors for mine, I'm sure my party years didn't help matters much either.

Agreed.

Lithium4 · 09-01-2009, 09:30 PM

I dunno, I wasn't abused in any way. My father and brothers are very outgoing, so I have to assume there is some amount of predisposition. But my mother is pretty quiet and shy, so maybe, for whatever reason, I learned from that and my brothers didn't.

N3XT2NON3 · 09-01-2009, 09:36 PM

choices 2, 3 & 4 is what i chose

Ospi · 09-01-2009, 10:05 PM

A combination of everything imo. For me it was a mix between some minor events at school and perhaps my parents being slightly overprotective during my mid teens.

View Poll Results: How do you think SA/similar is passed down? (check any that you think apply)
There's a genetic predisposition.	44	78.57%
Reaction and coping skills learned from parents.	38	67.86%
Cycle of emotional or physical abuse.	27	48.21%
Young parents' social avoidance limits child's social exposure at a crucial time.	20	35.71%
There's no pattern of heritability.	3	5.36%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 56. You may not vote on this poll

08-26-2009, 11:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
spacefiller Status: SAS Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 47	Genetics vs. Upbringing One thing that surprised me at a recent SA or similar group meeting was how common the family history factor is. How do you think this occurs?

08-27-2009, 11:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Aurora Status: SAS Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia. Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 850	I think its a combination of the first 4. __________________ I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying. ~ Charles C. Finn

08-28-2009, 12:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
jim_morrison Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 1,027	I think that it can occur from a combination of heritable genetic disposition, and emotional/physical abuse, or one, or the other, so I can't really vote in this. __________________ Warning: I am not a trained medical professional. Any information provided by me is based on my own personal experiences and research and is not intended to be used as professional medical advice. Please contact a medical professional before taking any action that may be discussed on this board.

08-28-2009, 02:35 AM	#5 (permalink)
Amocholes Status: Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Hello my freaky darlings! Gender: Male Age: 49 Posts: 12,599	Change in Biochemistry. Mine didn't start until I was 42. I think It was male menopause setting in. __________________ In the kingdom of the blind, the one legged man is king.

08-28-2009, 12:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Zeddicus Status: ۩ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Miami, FL Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 641	#1 and #3 for me. I remember always being irregularly shy, even more so than any other students in my elementary class, and then it was all made worse in middle school when bad things started to happen.

08-28-2009, 08:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
Amelia Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 3,533	Lots of different factors, though I can see a genetic component in my family. But mainly, it's just me.

08-28-2009, 10:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
millenniumman75 Status: Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dayton-Cincinnati, OH Gender: Male Age: 34 Posts: 38,628	I had anxiety before - generalized, which I would say was upbringing. My parents were somewhat more strict with me than my brother. They kind of learned their lesson with me by the time my brother was born 4 1/2 years later. My current episode of SA started through peer humilation in an abusive church - they used their sermons to "indirectly" vent members' issues in the church - they tried to kick me out on two different occasions without even giving me an official reason. I had SA and was so frightened of them at the time that I went to church to pray for healing! THey saw me as a monster that needed excommunication - all I did was have trouble talking to people! __________________ millenniumman75 You are a success story waiting to happen! Live and let live VACUUMS more than a Hoover.... Live and HELP live is better!

08-29-2009, 06:29 AM	#8 (permalink)
Freedom2010 Status: breaking free Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Here, there, and eveywhere Gender: Female Posts: 2,214	You can have a genetic predisposition to anxiety, but what keeps this anxiety going is all the negative thoughts that take place in your head. This can be changed though. CBT helps a lot. __________________ "Live right now- just be yourself. Doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else." - Jimmy Eat World

08-31-2009, 03:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
Toad Licker Status: Broken Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: A Fruitloop Daydream Gender: Male Age: 44 Posts: 29,609	Genetics and upbringing are at least two factors for mine, I'm sure my party years didn't help matters much either. __________________ All will wither, go to sleep The ones you love you may not keep All you touch will fall apart The dreams you kill will break your heart There's no mercy, there's no rest The void will scream within your chest No one knows and no one will So leave this place that makes you Ill - Madder Mortem

08-31-2009, 03:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
Iced Soul Status: Dancing on Rainbows Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Calilalaland Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 1,775	I think it can be a huge combination of things and that it's different for everyone. I'll say it's possibility of the first four and other. __________________ I scraped my knees while I was praying And found a demon in my safest haven. Seems like, it's getting harder to believe in anything Than just to get lost in all my selfish thoughts. I wanna know what it'd be like To find perfection in my pride To see nothing in the light Just turn it off In all my spite, in all my spite, I'll turn it off. - Turn It Off - Paramore http://twitter.com/MissEerie

09-01-2009, 03:55 AM	#11 (permalink)
LaRibbon Status: Temporarily Banned Join Date: May 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 487	I don't know of anyone in my close or extended family with SA. But there a fair bit of introversion / shyness and anxiety. I think that combination of traits went awry in me, and generated my SA.And I think those traits went awry in me in response to my environment. For instance, since I was little my parents never encouraged me to socialise, and then I had some really bad experiences with school.

09-01-2009, 04:48 AM	#12 (permalink)
Lumiere Status: learning... Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: London Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 219	No one in my family has SA, other than me. My mum is kind of shy, so is my brother, but in no way do they have SA. On the other hand, my dad and sister are both extremely outgoing -- my dad is the most outgoing person I've ever met; he'll talk quite comfortably to anyone and seems at ease in any situation. I think there is a genetic predisposition to anxiety, but it's a series of events and circumstances that account for its severity in my case. So I'll say it's a combination of the first three. __________________ "How strange it is to be anything at all"

09-01-2009, 07:27 AM	#13 (permalink)
Stanley Status: SAS Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Gender: Male Age: 27 Posts: 705	It's #5 for me. I'm the only one in our family who has SA. My parents, grandparents, siblings, and cousins are all very much extroverted.

09-01-2009, 09:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
Lithium4 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal Gender: Male Posts: 639	I dunno, I wasn't abused in any way. My father and brothers are very outgoing, so I have to assume there is some amount of predisposition. But my mother is pretty quiet and shy, so maybe, for whatever reason, I learned from that and my brothers didn't.

09-01-2009, 09:36 PM	#16 (permalink)
N3XT2NON3 Status: Waiting 4 The Sky To Fall Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NJ Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 313	choices 2, 3 & 4 is what i chose

09-01-2009, 10:05 PM	#17 (permalink)
Ospi Status: Swoit Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 1,499	A combination of everything imo. For me it was a mix between some minor events at school and perhaps my parents being slightly overprotective during my mid teens. __________________ "Racing is life. Anything that happens before or after...is just waiting"