social anxiety disorder- just walking out your door is hard

[dennis15 (deleted)]

for alot of us just stepping outside without being scared is a big issue, or making eye contact with someone, or being in a small crowd or going to the grocery store alone or going out to dinner or seeing a movie, its a real disorder that takes alot of personal work and meds and cognative therapy to work through it slowly over the years but its you that has to try and do the work its you that has to open the door and step outside and quickly walk back in and feel proud that you were able to do that and go that far. I have panic attacks , generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder and used to be scared to death just to go outside, i take meds 3 times a day for these disorders and im still fighting them, for alot of us we never get through it. Can anyone relate?

[wynslove (deleted)]

`I can. I am one of the "lucky" ones I suppose. I can go out to certain places without panic mode kicking in, as long as my "safe" person is with me.
I can deal with the anxiety & keep to a manageable point, but I do find that it can take me up to a week to recover after I've been out. I don't go anywhere (far) without my mom as she is my "safe" person.
It's true that we (the sufferers) have to do the work, my question is; What if you're truly terrified of doing the work, what if although lonely & perhaps more surviving than living, it's just easier for you & safer to go along as you are?..........
That's my problem. I want a love of my own, I want friends... I'm just not sure I'm able to do the work to get them. I spent so many years terrified of shadows & ghosts that it's kinda nice not to have that constant terror now. I guess although I might be lonely & miss the love of a man, being a part of a couple for real.... I'm content with the way my life is & I'm happy to just be content. Does this make sense to anyone???