Social anxiety disorder

[Tigerlily]

Has anyone ever been diagnosed with social anxiety or with avoidant personality disorder?

I have and I'm also very empathetic. I think there is a definitely a connection and sometimes I don't feel like I have "avoidant personality disorder" at all... just too empathetic at times.

I'm glad I've rediscovered Mystic Wicks and this little subforum. I really want to start practicing some of the advice given here about how to control it and how to not let other people's emotions get the best of you. I just wish this place was more active! :D

[echosmaid]

Yup, I have!
I agree with you about the empathy thing.
My biggest problem is that I'm so afraid of being judged, but I think that's normal for someone with this "disorder." Also I'm shy because I just like being alone a lot of the time, and being with people too much drains me!

[Tigerlily]

Yes, same! I don't want someone to judge me or I don't want someone to be upset with me. Counsellors and psychiatrists don't seem to understand why I'd be so concerned. But when I can tell and even feel the emotions of the other person, it's pretty obvious not to be worried about it.

[echosmaid]

Yeah, I have problems with my intuitiveness governing my mood. Like if someone around me is pissed off or sad, I seem to automatically adopt that mood and it ruins my day!
And that becomes an even worse problem when one person continually negatively affects my mood and I start to do everything I can to avoid them. People just don't understand how frustrating it is! Do you have any idea what I mean?

[Tigerlily]

Absolutely!

Especially with the avoiding.

My boyfriend is really into crystal magick and he thinks I should wear some crystals because there are a few that are meant to help empaths. He's one too although it doesn't negatively affect him like me. He wears tourmaline.

[Phoenix_Falls]

Just be really careful about what stones you wear, some of them have a habit of amplifying or intensifying, even if they're normally used for protection. When I was younger, my mom had given me some kinda quartz necklace and it ended up just being more or less an amplifying system. Oh man, it was terrible. Not only that, it took me two weeks to figure out it was the necklace. From what I've heard, tourmaline works great, as does onyx, jet, and amber.

I'm not much of a stone person, I'm more of a meditative type, which also helps a lot. I'll ground myself in the morning when I get up and before I go to bed to try and clean myself of other people's "stuff." Learning a good meditation practice would be really helpful since it's always a good idea for empaths to learn how to shield themselves (which can be done through visualization and meditation).

Still, nothing is ever 100% and empathic abilities isn't something that you can just shut off. I still can't be in a large crowd or around someone who has very strong negative emotions. It tends to make us a little squeamish about going out and being around people and others misperceive that as some kind of social disorder. It's not us, it's them ;)

[Saphirelover]

I'm AVPD. I never even thought that it could be connected to me being an empath. It would certaintly make a lot of sense..

[~Runa~]

Hello,

I have social anxiety :)

I'm very empathic and it can be upsetting at times when I pick up on vibes. I need to learn how to cope with this.

I always wear a Mjollnir. As for pendants I prefer to wear metals instead of rocks and crystals. I also like jewels made of ivory, wood, shells or fake bijou beads.

[Sharizzy]

I was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder years ago. It used to be really bad for me, but not so much anymore. I think it's because now when I go out, I tend to detach from seeing myself as part of the group, and just act as an observer. I listen to anything and everything anyone around me says. It annoys the hell out of my friends, but oh well, lol

[Cheshireheir]

I was diagnosed with many different anxiety disorders 'runs in my family'. I feel you may be right, there may be a connection. For me personally, I always get the feeling that people are judging me and and not being truthful no matter what they say. I think its mostly the fact that I'm pretty good at catching people in lies. I try to push my bad feelings to the side but normally they were right all along :/ Unless im very close to someone, which I don't like doing, I can pick up their emotions, if their mad i become very mad, or if their sad ill cry.