Post by Brian on Mar 10, 2005 9:29:36 GMT -5
Hello everyone,
After seven years of surfing the web,I have finally mustered enough courage to post to a message board. I am 35 years old and have been shy for as long as I can remember. Life became really difficult for me when I was fifteen. That's when I started having painc attacks in school. These attacks ultimately forced me to drop out at sixteen. The panic attacks stopped but I ended up becoming agoraphobic. From late 1986 to June 2000 I basically did not leave my house.
I eventually sought help and was able to somewhat overcome that condition, but I feel that my shyness continues to hold me back. Also, having "missed out" on those crucial late teen years and all of my 20's has really hindered my development of social skill. I finally got my high school diploma (via correspondence courses) and have been attending community college for a little over a year now, with the hope of becoming a physical therapist assistant. Outside of going to class, I don't have any social life. When I'm out in public, I find it hard to make eye contact and my mind always draws a blank, preventing me from joining in conversations. I think that I am ashamed of my situation and feel that people will somehow have the ability to take one look at me and see that I am 35 and just now going to college, never had a full-time job, don't drive, never had a girlfriend etc. Anyway, I am comforted by reading this board to see that there are other people going through similar stuff.
Thanks for letting me vent a little,
Brian
After seven years of surfing the web,I have finally mustered enough courage to post to a message board. I am 35 years old and have been shy for as long as I can remember. Life became really difficult for me when I was fifteen. That's when I started having painc attacks in school. These attacks ultimately forced me to drop out at sixteen. The panic attacks stopped but I ended up becoming agoraphobic. From late 1986 to June 2000 I basically did not leave my house.
I eventually sought help and was able to somewhat overcome that condition, but I feel that my shyness continues to hold me back. Also, having "missed out" on those crucial late teen years and all of my 20's has really hindered my development of social skill. I finally got my high school diploma (via correspondence courses) and have been attending community college for a little over a year now, with the hope of becoming a physical therapist assistant. Outside of going to class, I don't have any social life. When I'm out in public, I find it hard to make eye contact and my mind always draws a blank, preventing me from joining in conversations. I think that I am ashamed of my situation and feel that people will somehow have the ability to take one look at me and see that I am 35 and just now going to college, never had a full-time job, don't drive, never had a girlfriend etc. Anyway, I am comforted by reading this board to see that there are other people going through similar stuff.
Thanks for letting me vent a little,
Brian
