So I recieved some comments about my first blog from different peeps on this site, and I just wanted to say thank you. Although I have been in therapy (not recently), I have never been formally diagnosed with SAD. But I'm pretty sure thats what I have. I've read alot of articles and visited different sites dealing with SAD, and yep, thats what I got. I would also like to say I have never been on meds. I think for my level of SAD, well I don't think meds would do much good. I would also like to say that I have nothing against meds and if they help a person (along with therapy) reduce the symptoms of SAD, I say go for it. Although I have come a long way (read my first blog entry) some social situations are still a struggle. I think it's important to understand upfront that you may never feel comfortable in every social situation, but I think thats true for just about everyone no matter who they are. Lately I have been trying to deal with being uncomfortable in a new way. For example, there are some social events coming up here in Boston in about a week. Infact, every night from the 4th-10th there's going to be a party or workshop somewhere in the Boston area. I have decided to attend 1-2 events, and yes one of these events is at a club. For those of you who don't know, I hate clubs. I mean, I don't ( translation-can't) dance and I can end up sitting by myself looking like a schmuck and then I drink a martini (I also have a very low tolerance for alcohol) and the room starts spinning. It can be a bad scene man, a very bad scene. So lately I have been trying to make sure that there are people I know that are going, and I give myself a time limit. I let the people I'm with know upfront that after an hour (of being there) I may have to split. Yes, it can be the most uncomfortble hour of my life, and it doesn't even feel like an hour it feels like 4 hours. Most of the time though, the people I came with act as an "anchor". I go and try and strike up a conversation with someone (sometimes this works/sometimes it doesn't) and after 5-10 min I head back to my "anchor" group of friends, who by the way are much better at conversing than me. I have heard some people on this site say that they have no friends or very few. I to do not have many friends, but if you are up to (and I know not everyone here is ready for that yet) joining a meetup group or sports group may help you meet peeps. I know this is easier said than done. I belong to alot of different groups, but its still hard. I want to say again that I realize that everyone here is at a different stage with their SAD, and trust me I know it's not easy.-Stephie
