Social Phobia and Anxiety: Is This Survey Accurate?

[kyraj]

I scored a 54, although I was diagnosed with social anxiety by my psychiatrist. Even though I've been taking medicine for it I still feel anxious in social situations and I'm socially awkward and often avoid talking to strangers and such. My score should have much higher than a 54. I know I have social anxiety, I live with it everyday.

 

[Drakkith]

5 + 12 = 17. I don't think so. These kinds of quizzes corner you with limited choices, or the question does not really deal with things that really do cause anxiety. For me anyway.

The question about writing threw me. What do they mean by writing? Just plain old writing whatever on a piece of paper? Just being in the same room with people and writing, or literally having someone watch what you write and how you write it?

 

[Lavabug]

Yeah SSRI's (the more commonly used anti-dep's these days) are often prescribed to people with social phobia, so it certainly should have an effect on your answers, but probably not a lot...

I am and have been on SSRI's for 7 months now and I still scored 99, so I guess my "true" score with my "natural" brain chemical levels should be higher.

 

[Masquerade178]

scored 48
Though I agree I dn't suffer from social anxiety, I'll say itz pseudoscience

 

[nitsuj]

Yeah I hear you and it really sucks. I think, in my case, much of it has to do with my self-image. I'm extremely skinny and rather tall and people have made notice of it throughout my life, everyone from relatives to friends to strangers, and it stings every time they bring it up. After a while I just got too embarrassed to interact much socially because of my self-image and the damage is done at this point so I just stuck with it.

as mentioned in this thread already, that "concern" dissipates with age if you just follow status quo.

I found my self-consciousness about image was related to my impression of image. Ensure you don't have a distorted view of physical appearance.

On a side note, I seen some "reality cop show" that has an officer who has such sever burns he is barely recognizable as human. even the one visible eye looks all black. He is an investigator so of course that requires exceptional social interactions / skills. Watching that guy do his thing without the slightest concern for HIMSELF (his physical appearance) was inspiring AND revealing.
EDIT: found a link to him, guess he is retired now, but was working as an investigator.
Jason Schechterle, the show was First 48 Hours

A good friend of mine was tall and skinny in HS. He was the butt end of jokes and as a result became self-conscious about his physical appearance. After HS, he started to workout & eat allot more food. The motivation to workout was from not wanting to have a certain appearance. The motivation to keep it up came from all the attention the girls give him, and how some guys are intimidated / give a little extra respect ...this is ten years later.

Your actions have far more physical impact than your emotions...not news to you I'm sure.

 

[nitsuj]

wow I only got a 34.

Looks like the worst thing for me would be to approach a girl I'm interested in at a party I'm hosting and the girl turns out to be a high pressure sales person, and then having a disagreement with her...that'd be just awful.

 

[HeLiXe]

6(fear) + 11(avoidance) = 17

 

[cobalt124]

88. I thought I would be higher.

 

[Lsos]

I got a 69 score, although a lot of the questions can be answered anything depending on what they mean. I don't like talking on the phone in public, but apparently this is one of the worst things you can do in Japan. Is all of Japan socially anxious?

I do worst when there's groups of people and I have to somehow join one of them and not look awkward doing it. Or doing a cold-meeting with pretty much anybody. They have drugs for this? What do they do?

Alcohol pretty much removes any social anxiety I have, except the groups of people where I know nobody. Even when you manage to make your way into the group circle...wtf do you say that the whole group who've probably know each other since childhood, could possibly find interesting?

 

[nitsuj]

They have drugs for this? What do they do?

They make you more natural and acceptable. That should ease any anxiety.

 

[MarneMath]

I got a 12 but I have PTSD, so I'm not sure if this survey is any good...