Social Anxiety Support Forum banner

I missed my childhood

8K views 17 replies 17 participants last post by  bakari0981 
#1 ·
SA has caused me to miss most of the experiances normal people experianced. Highschool was a complete blur. I did nothing. No parties, didnt hang out, or anything. Everything just passed me by without knowing it. Now I get depresed when I see people having fun in real life or on tv. I am becoming a lonely bitter person who hates the world.
 
#3 ·
I know that feeling. I feel the same way sometime. Sigh... I keep telling people I missed my childhood before I came to Canada, as I used to have many friends, and so confident. Now it feels like my confidence had been shot down years and years ago. It's like I'm living off of the remaining puddles of confidence I had back then, and it is slowly drying up way down in a well. I am still hoping for a "rainstorm" to help replenish that well of mine.
 
#5 ·
I feel like I've missed a lot, too. Ages 16-19 (I'm 20 now) were pretty much lost years for me. It's sad, and I'm jealous of people my age who have had/are having happier lives.

I remember thinking several months ago that my teenage years are over. It's a weird feeling. I feel like my adolescence ended at age 16, but that's not true. What happened was that I missed 4 years of it. It hurts, and part of me will probably always feel sad about it.

But today is today and the past is past (wouldn't be complete without this part ;)). My goal is to make sure that I actually live my 20's. Losing half of one decade is bad enough. I don't want to lose anymore time.
 
#6 ·
I did go to parties and stuff and played sports in high school where I was explosed to lots of social situations. But.... I always hated dances. I was at my junior and senior prom for 10 min. each. I have passed up promotions since then because of my social phobia. I am terrified to move up where I would have to talk in front of people. Just saying I feel your pain. My SAD has gotten worse the older I get too.
 
#7 ·
Same here. It started as a slow degeneration around 6th grade maybe and by 10th grade I was as bad as I am now. The whole experience involved a lot of being inactively alone and not much else. It embarrasses me and I try to hide it from people I talk to unless I really trust them. I'm 19 and in the process of squandering the rest of my youth... wishing I could just do or say something. This forum provides a nice reality check. It doesn't just get better.
 
#9 ·
zircon said:
SA has caused me to miss most of the experiances normal people experianced. Highschool was a complete blur. I did nothing. No parties, didnt hang out, or anything. Everything just passed me by without knowing it. Now I get depresed when I see people having fun in real life or on tv. I am becoming a lonely bitter person who hates the world.
:ditto
 
#12 ·
In high school I never went to parties, hung out with anyone, or did much of anything social. I think I hung out with my friends twice my senior year. I, too, feel as though I missed a major part of my life and many social opportunities that I will never get again, such as prom. Everyone in college seems to talk about it, but I didn't go and feel like a loser because of it.
 
#13 ·
I’ve missed out on life from about age 12-26. Most people start dating at in middle school. They also go to dances, parties, and other social activities. I missed out on nearly all of these activities because of my social anxiety. My social and relationship experience is so far behind my peers that I don’t think I can ever catch up. The older you get the more detrimental lack of social experiences becomes. Each and every single year I grow older my lack of social/relationship experience is viewed as more and more abnormal. My birthdays’ are more like a day of mourning than a day of celebration.

If you’re a young individual suffering from SA, please try to seek help now. It only becomes harder as you get older. The last thing you want to do is end up like me: A bitter 26 year old man who has no social life or social experiences and little hope for the future.
 
#14 ·
LonelyEnigma said:
I've missed out on life from about age 12-26. Most people start dating at in middle school. They also go to dances, parties, and other social activities. I missed out on nearly all of these activities because of my social anxiety. My social and relationship experience is so far behind my peers that I don't think I can ever catch up. The older you get the more detrimental lack of social experiences becomes. Each and every single year I grow older my lack of social/relationship experience is viewed as more and more abnormal. My birthdays' are more like a day of mourning than a day of celebration.
I know what you mean. I am just now figuring out how to get fast food. Being sheltered and being poor really didnt help my SA. Every single task is a chor and by my rate of acomplishments I may be able to start dating at the age 50.
 
#15 ·
zircon said:
SA has caused me to miss most of the experiances normal people experianced. Highschool was a complete blur. I did nothing. No parties, didnt hang out, or anything. Everything just passed me by without knowing it. Now I get depresed when I see people having fun in real life or on tv. I am becoming a lonely bitter person who hates the world.
:ditto

I wonder why I'm even alive. Why just watch everything get worse because I didn't get any social experience. 20... everything's pretty much the same, except I'm growing more and more bitter after watching my stupid b-day pass alone while seeing everyone living "happily, normally".
 
#16 ·
I have always felt like i have missed out in my childhood. I never went to parties or had much of a social life, But now that i think back on it i would have never wanted to be one of those people anyway. I would rather be the person i am today, which is a lot nicer then any of those people were. Things are different now, BUT its never too late, to do what you want.
 
#17 ·
me too

I missed my youth to such an extent that I almost cannot bear seeing youths anywhere for most of the past two decades of my life. It doesn't go away with time (yet). Any advice on treatment ideas that have worked for anybody on this thread would be appreciated. If anybody wants to ever have a long discussion on this subject, let me know. Co-morbid anxiety disorders and BDM and chronic depression set in for me at 17 and the mess since is unbelievable. To all the world: your children need to play sports, go to summer camp, play with other children and interact with the world so they don't become a teen with no social skills and extreme shyness/anxiety. I know the outcome of those who are literally locked in a room until they are 14; kids today have the internet and tv, etc. so I guess they would at least get to 'see' normal when they aren't in school.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top