It has only been recently that I have acknowledged that I have SAD and general anxiety. I think I was just trying to avoid dealing with it ..and you know...hoping it would just go away. Well, it didnt lol. So I did some searching on the net. Ran across a site called meetup.com and started a group there for people like me in my area so we could talk, brainstorm, and make friends.
One of the members asked me a question which I just keep coming back to in my head. So i thought I would share it.
"If you don't mind the question, as I am new to this and I am curious, what made you want to start this group and what could I expect from it? The idea of meeting folks is hard...I'd much rather slip into a dark movie theater unnoticed rather than be around people..so this is a big step. Do you find it hard?"
and here was my reply
" Honestly, I'm not sure what to expect from it since I just started it last week hehe. But...I think it will be good for people with similar issues to discuss and relate...and as an added bonus, meeting up somewhere like barnes nobles or borders just in itself is a step in the right direction. We all have different levels of anxiety and stress and different ways of coping with it, so whats bearable for me..may be more difficult for someone else. Yet, the fact is, if you really want to change and get better you have to force yourself to get past the fear, anxiety, and stress. The worse thing that someone with a great deal of anxiety and SAD can do is to fall into routines because it creates a false sense of security and comfort, and adds an element of addiction to our routines. And yes, the first step IS always the hardest but I do know it does get easier with each step after. Just remember most of us are feeling similar symptoms of what you feel, just at different levels. Its basically like re-training your brain NOT to think a certain way...which i do know at some point in your life you felt comfortable going out and interacting (which was usually childhood for most) . So its not so much changing, but going back to how you used to be. But, everything still has to start with a first step, and starting this group was mine. Whether or not it works out for me, I wont give up.. I'll just step in a different direction. =) "
