I'm 30 years old and have had Social Anxiety Disorder for well over a decade now.

What haunts me is that I feel as if it's robbed me of some of the best years of my life.

How do you come to terms with the fact that you feel as if you've been unfairly robbed of all this time?

I don't really have much to come with...but since this place is close to dead I thought I'd write something in this thread stongue

Here's a cliché for you, "you have your entire life ahead of you". 30 isn't old, and you have more than enough time to make up for the "lost years" in your past.
Sure...SA may make that tough, but you can do it. And that's probably the best way come to terms with your so called lost years. Focus on the now and the future, and do your best to make up for the past. Start small and move up, think of things you want to do and try to do them.

I know it all sounds like a huge cliché, and it makes things sound simpler than they are. But I still think that's a good mind-set to have.
Even if SA is real hard to deal with, giving in to it is probably the worst thing we can do. Acting spontaneously and thinking later is probably the way to go. Get things done even if they scare you... there's not really a lot to lose. Even if you get anxious, make a fool of yourself in front of people...get a panic attack...whatever, at least you tried. And if you didn't do well, maybe you'll do better the next time.

So yeah...there's my cliché pep-talk. But I don't really think there is a much better way to come to terms with the past, just to make up for it

...I'm not even going to read what I just wrote, it probably sounds stupid :laugh:

Blimey a reply! ssurprised

Some sound advice Harold. scool

Act first, think later is definitely useful for someone that is still haunted by missed opportunities from their past.

Also, I guess I could use the fact that I have all these 'lost' years as an extra spur for making the most out of every day I have left (not that I'm planning on dropping dead soon! :mrgreen: ).

Painful question :roll: