Letting you in.

[Silver]

I actually have a mild form of social anxiety. I am fine around people for a short time. However, being around them too much brings about attacks that employers never understand. When I am undergoing an attack, I have absolutely no control over what I say or do. Literally. It is a bad condition to have for one who works in the retail business, but I honestly have no idea what else I could do. Today, it seems all one can do is retail.

I love where I work right now, and I do a great job at what I do. However, I can already see that my condition is not good for those with whom I work.

My supervisor whispered to me the other day that I cannot keep having these episodes, but it seems she does not understand that the episodes are not something I can control. It worries me. I want to be normal, but social anxiety is clearly not something that one can control just because someone else wills it.

[rexbeccarox]

Kit, have you tried explaining just this to your supervisor?

[ignoramus]

Is this a clinical thing or a mood thing?

[Athene]

If you're experiencing symptoms severe enough to put your job at risk, you may want to consider seeing a doctor. Most M.D's are okay with prescribing meds to help manage anxiety these days. Maybe he/she could recommend a daily anti-depressant or an as needed anti-anxiety med for acute attacks.

[Minimalist]

I am fine around people for a short time.

Me, too.  After about 5 minutes most of them start to suck.

[paulpablo]

I actually have a mild form of social anxiety.  I am fine around people for a short time.  However, being around them too much brings about attacks that employers never understand.  When I am undergoing an attack, I have absolutely no control over what I say or do.  Literally.  It is a bad condition to have for one who works in the retail business, but I honestly have no idea what else I could do.  Today, it seems all one can do is retail.

I love where I work right now, and I do a great job at what I do.  However, I can already see that my condition is not good for those with whom I work.

My supervisor whispered to me the other day that I cannot keep having these episodes, but it seems she does not understand that the episodes are not something I can control.  It worries me.  I want to be normal, but social anxiety is clearly not something that one can control just because someone else wills it.

What do you tend to say or do during an attack?

[The Valkyrie]

What have you done/taken to minimise the effects of these attacks.

Can't really give advice or try to help without getting background information.

But, if you haven't done so, definitely, as Thena said, see a quack.

[Brian37]

I actually have a mild form of social anxiety.  I am fine around people for a short time.  However, being around them too much brings about attacks that employers never understand.  When I am undergoing an attack, I have absolutely no control over what I say or do.  Literally.  It is a bad condition to have for one who works in the retail business, but I honestly have no idea what else I could do.  Today, it seems all one can do is retail.

I love where I work right now, and I do a great job at what I do.  However, I can already see that my condition is not good for those with whom I work.

My supervisor whispered to me the other day that I cannot keep having these episodes, but it seems she does not understand that the episodes are not something I can control.  It worries me.  I want to be normal, but social anxiety is clearly not something that one can control just because someone else wills it.

I wish people would understand that depression and anxiety are not something you simply shake off or turn off like a light switch. I finally cleaned my documentary dumpster of a house up after several months of not having a land phone because I was too anxious of having someone in. It was hell going through it and even hell trying to get started. I understand.

[Ludwig]

My colleagues and I went out to a bar with a guy who was visiting Switzerland from a broad and I enjoyed myself for the first two hours or so, but after that, it just got unbearable to be around so many people for such a long time. I can definitely relate to you Kitan.

[StuW]

I don't pretend to know what you're going through but I wanted to share my similar problem in the hope you can feel among friends. I'm border line autistic and have problems in social situations, especially stressful ones. I recently had the opportunity to meet the actor that played Dorian Gray at the london comic con and made a complete tit of myself! I queued up to get an autograph and picture and when it was my turn my mind just blanked an I didn't even hear the assistant who asked for the fee (my wife jumped in and saved me unbeknownst to me) because my brain turned to mush.

As I say, I don't assume to compare my situation to yours but I appreciate on a small level what you are going though.