I have been dealing with anxiety for just about my entire life. People have always told me, “Get over yourself.” I have one great friend who I have known for almost three years. She noticed things about me and explained to me why she felt that way. She has been a big help to me. I am afraid to meet new friends and go places by myself. I am not a sociable person. I have so many fears and my friend said I have symptoms of anxiety and autism. I went to my mental health therapist and was told I am fine. I was very upset and it was hard for me to explain why I felt upset. I found another mental health center and was diagnosed with anxiety and autism. I am still struggling with my symptoms, but I feel better talking with the new therapist.

I ended a great relationship out of fear for my future. Typically I always think about how my past effects my future, how my past effected my present, and how is my future going to be a reflection of my past. I also feel an internal block when I try to socialize; as if i cannot, and not supposed to do or say things that I see that are "normal." However, when I do try to act like the other "normal" people around me I still feel awkward. I simply CANNOT enjoy the things in life that a typical 20 year old should enjoy. It's tough for me to socialize, it's hard for me to keep relationships because of this. I am sick of it. I have had feelings of this since I was a kid. In middle school I began to have thoughts of suicide, later on in high school I was confronted by a teacher who read a letter that I was told to believe was going to be kept anonymous. Well, let me just say that soon I had my mother crying next to me on my way home. I need help, I know I do.

I have been struggling with anxiety and depression since 2004. I am 31 yrs. old and have been on numerous medications, which sometimes work then stop or just won't work at all. I don't even want to leave the house or work. I have no energy or drive to do anything I used to love. I can't even concentrate. It actually is at the point where when I am asked if I want to do this or that, I say "I will see how I feel". It's so depressing, and NO ONE can understand what you are going through unless they have been there themselves. If we could "just snap out of it", I most certainly would. They just don't get it.

Anxiety has effected my life in such a way that I can no longer go outside for long periods of time. I even get sick because of it in the heat of summer. I also have difficulty sleeping because I try to concentrate on fighting it off and yes you can fight it off but, it really depends all the person and symptoms. I've also had anxiety attacks far away from home, and I didn't know what to do. I'm 23 and I'm too young for this to disrupt everything so early in life if I was like 50 or older than so be it. I tell my friends that I'm always suffering and sick but, they just say suck it up buddy lets go out and have some fun its all in your head. What people don't seem to realize is how bad anxiety can truly be until they get it if at all.

I have been suffering from social anxiety for about thirty years now, and for many years I did not know what it was, but after reading a great variety of books about social anxiety, I discovered my problem, but I was afraid to take any drugs to control my mental condition due to side effects etc. It was in October of 2010 that I talked to my doctor, and she prescribed Citalopram. It is now March 2011, and I have never felt any better in my entire life. I have not suffered from any side effects, and my anxiety has disappeared and only with a low dosage of 20 grams every night. In fact, I am taking speech classes to regain the person that I was meant to be, a loving social human being.

My husband is suffering from anxiety attacks. We are in our early fifties and things have changed pretty fast the past two years. He lost his job and trained for a new one, so he isn't home very often. He has lost a step-father, brother and sister. We had to sell our home and move into a rental. Our two sons are out of work right now and both are depressed. He is very worried about them. I spend hours on the phone with him trying to convince him it will be alright and doing my best to help him. He doesn't want to take medicine, but he has in the past for short periods of time.