Social anxiety disorder?

I am 17 years old and i've never been able to socialize with anyone except member of my family(excluding my dad and my borther) they are never around.

I can't make eye contact
I'm afraid to give speeches in class
and when i do i get shakey,my heart starts pounding, i get sweaty and i just think that everyone is gonna laugh at me.
and sometimes i even tear up and it sounds like im about to cry when i talk

Everyone thinks im anti-social because i don't have any friends at school
i make weird facial expressions without knowig so
my pasture is akward
but only when im around people i dont know

and my mom just thinks that im shy but i know its not just that

I want to go to collage but i don't think i'll be able to handle it...

i just want her to take me to the doctor so i can get checked out
but i think she doesn't want to accept the fact that there really might be something wrong with me

help plz

Hey my name is Tom and im 18 and i have the same EXACT problem. It wasnt till my senior year i told my mom. I asked her if i could do online school or home school like everyday of my junior year summer. I couldnt take another year of highschool. My mom thought i was being lazy and didnt want to go to school. So when the first day of my senior year came i decided to go to see if i would be able to survive the year. Ofcourse it sucked so the next day i wouldnt get out of bed and said i wasnt going. She went crazy and started throwing stuff at me and kicking me. So I called my dad and told him I had social anxiety disorder and he talked to my mom and they made an appointment for a therapist. I have had social anxiey disorder since 4th or 5th grade but never said anything to anybody and i dont know why. I guess I was embarassed or something and I used to hate reading about social anxiety disorder just knowing that i have that problem bothered me. I also would like to go to college but dont think i can handle it. The therapist wanted me to do breathing exercises and do stuff like imagine yourself reading in front of the class,but i didnt really try because i didnt think it would work. He said the second soulution was antidepressants. I take zoloft now and i feel alittle better now but i still have some of the fears. Plus i drink and sometimes smoke weed so thats not helping either because they are depressants. My mom didnt like the idea of me going on medication so I had to wait till i was 18 to get it myself. You should ask your mom to read about social anxiety disorder online or watch a video about it on youtube. Right now my life sucks i dont have a job im kinda scared to get one and i still need to get my GED. I just play halo and party with friends. You should go to college, i know easier said then done but you will regret not going. I read the only way to help cure the social anxiety is by facing your anxietys. I wish you good luck.

This is serious. Do you have someone in your family that you can tell that can help you talk to your mother? Have you thought about writing her a letter and telling her everything you said hear and anything else you need to tell her. Then give her the letter and tell why you wrote it instead of telling her. Emphasize that she really needs to hear what you are trying to tell her.

I can't diagnose with any certainty whether this is a clinical social disorder, or just intense personality shyness (something that you will outgrow in a few years). However, if you have medical insurance, there is certainly no harm in seeing a professional. They will be able to use specific, calibrated analysis tools to make a more accurate judgment. Talk to your mom, and explain to her that the stress of this condition is really difficult for you, and that you would appreciate any professional help that you can get. If you live in a small community, and she is embarrassed that the news of her daughter seeing a shrink might get out and embarrass her, you can make an appointment with a doctor in a different town. Also, remind her that a) these sessions are completely confidential, and b) your well being is far more important than anything nosy neighbors might say. Good luck.

I used to be the exact same way. I think social awkward-ness runs in my family, actually.

Anyway, what I ended up doing was just accepting it. Yes, I know I am socially anxious. I just have to keep reminding myself, "Don't worry - no matter what happens, you will always have your family" kind of thing. Or "No matter what happens, they will eventually get over it," if I am worried about messing up or something.

I have gotten much better just by constantly reassuring myself, but I still get into those phases where I freak out and panic a little. My best friend is amazing - she can tell when I am starting to get really anxious at a party or something, and she'll make up an excuse and pull me the hell out of there.

You just have to trust yourself, and then you can find other people you can put your trust in, and they can help you through it.

I'm so sorry you feel the way you do. I wish I had the magic words to help you but I don't. I'm not going to recommend medication because I think that's a quick fix with a lot of side affects and pills don't get to the root of the problem. I do think you need a professional that specializes in this sort of issue. There is something holding you back from feeling confident and once you find out what that is, then you can help yourself.Until you do get help, remember this, you are just as equal as everyone and you deserve to be respected. If anybody makes fun of you for any issues you might have, then they actually have a bigger problem than you do. Maybe knowing that you have Gods hand to guide you will help. You can always count on Him to give you strength in all that you do. Face your fears head on with God and go to collage. You can do it! I hope I don't sound like I'm minimizing your problem I really do understand, I've been there. I'm giving you the only answer that worked for me.

From your excellent description of your symptoms it sounds like you may suffer from a social phobia, which is a form of anxiety disorder. While it is not unusual during the teenage years to experience shyness and self-consciousness, your symptoms are extreme and obviously highly distressing, and probably are leading to feelings of low-self esteem and depression. They can even lead to suicidal feelings if they are not treated. They will not just go away on their own. You really need professional help, preferably with a clinical psychologist, who is more likely to be highly trained in different techniques to treat anxiety disorders. As difficult as it may be for you, you will need to very aggressive in expressing to your mother how extremely miserable and nervous you feel around others and that you cannot continue to spend the rest of your life in this condition, and that you need to see a professional to be evaluated and treated. Tell her you need to really talk with her, then show her your question along with all the responses from those of us who are trying to help. Regarding what professional to see, your family physician may have an excellent recommendation, so if you have no other source of referral, see him or her first. Good luck to you, and remember that your condition is highly treatable and a successful outcome will improve the quality of your life immensely.