:cry: I'm afraid to go to doctors because I think they judge me and think badly of me.. and I'm afraid to check out and buy like underwear and personal items because I think the clerk judges me and thinks very badly of me and is probably going to tell people what I buy. I also fear coming up short on cash when I'm paying for something so if something is really 5 dollars I'll probably try to pay with a 10 even if I have a 5 bill. :cry: Is anyone else like this?

Im not at all. Doctors and everyone one are there for a reason...to help you. A good doctor would be willing to help you with anything that you ask and really care about your health. They arn't getting paid to judge you. No matter how bad the problem may be its not your fault that things are going the way they are. I wish badly to help others...and i actually have been. But im not even a doctor. I haven't judged anyone that i have talked to...and trust me i have been told the worst things. But i care for everyone the same. I hope you find comfort the next time you go to the doctors. They are only there to help you. Good luck hun.

LoveRat Wrote::cry: I'm afraid to go to doctors because I think they judge me and think badly of me.. and I'm afraid to check out and buy like underwear and personal items because I think the clerk judges me and thinks very badly of me and is probably going to tell people what I buy. I also fear coming up short on cash when I'm paying for something so if something is really 5 dollars I'll probably try to pay with a 10 even if I have a 5 bill. :cry: Is anyone else like this?

Thank you so much for posting that!!!! I've always been like that in those situations and it never occured to me to address that issue. It's just always been a reality for me and I forget about it quickly after it happens!

I'm like that to some degree on all items and not just personal ones! To me my privacy is extremely important, so I think checking out bothers me because I feel like when people know what I'm buying, it kind of lets them into my comfort zone. I always turn books upside down at the library hoping they don't turn them over to see what I'm reading too. I'm actually usually an outgoing person and don't live as a recluse or anything, I just feel awkward about being forced to let people know little details about me{usually mundane ones}

I also count my money numerous times while they are ringing up my items. I first count it before I even enter the store. I count it when I find the item. Then I count it several times again while waiting in line. I'm partially afraid that I counted wrong, but more afraid that I dropped some money.

As far as the doctors, I am afraid of them for other reasons[See Needle Phobia forum lol}

No you are not alone in this!!!

Words Waywith Wrote:

LoveRat Wrote::cry: I'm afraid to go to doctors because I think they judge me and think badly of me.. and I'm afraid to check out and buy like underwear and personal items because I think the clerk judges me and thinks very badly of me and is probably going to tell people what I buy. I also fear coming up short on cash when I'm paying for something so if something is really 5 dollars I'll probably try to pay with a 10 even if I have a 5 bill. :cry: Is anyone else like this?

Thank you so much for posting that!!!! I've always been like that in those situations and it never occured to me to address that issue. It's just always been a reality for me and I forget about it quickly after it happens!

I'm like that to some degree on all items and not just personal ones! To me my privacy is extremely important, so I think checking out bothers me because I feel like when people know what I'm buying, it kind of lets them into my comfort zone. I always turn books upside down at the library hoping they don't turn them over to see what I'm reading too. I'm actually usually an outgoing person and don't live as a recluse or anything, I just feel awkward about being forced to let people know little details about me{usually mundane ones}

I also count my money numerous times while they are ringing up my items. I first count it before I even enter the store. I count it when I find the item. Then I count it several times again while waiting in line. I'm partially afraid that I counted wrong, but more afraid that I dropped some money.

As far as the doctors, I am afraid of them for other reasons[See Needle Phobia forum lol}

No you are not alone in this!!!

Wow, you're the only person I know that can relate to this fear. A lot of other people really don't understand why I'm afraid and constantly tell me, "Clerks don't care what you buy" but it's easier said than done.

It is not very helpful when people try to "help" us solve our problems with logic.

They will say things like

"Don't worry about it"......"They aren't thinking about what you are buying"........The problem is that their help isn't very helpful because you can't solve irrational fear with bottom line thinking.

Here's another thing I do.
Usually when I want something really bad. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be a CD, a shirt, a package of candy etc....If it is something I want badly, I will normally buy something else so no one can pick up on how badly I want the main item I wanted to buy. I know a lot of people do that with personal/embarassing items to try to conceal it, but I do this with anything I want badly.

It is ridiculous I know..and those of you that want to laugh at that, please go ahead...because I think it's hilarious myself....but...can you relate to that?

I'll give you an example. I dabble in the realm of music. Everytime I buy a piece of musical equipment, I have to psyche myself into going to the checkout and won't do so if there are too many people standing around. With the music stores I go to , the staff tend to be somewhat arrogant{I guess because the employees are musicians themselves and tend to be ego driven} That's only a small part of the issue though. The bigger part of the issue is that someone could see what kind of equipment I'm buying and ask me what I'm working on and what my plans are to do with it etc. I hold what I do in high regard and don't like having to explain it to random people. I know sometimes they are just being nice, so it's really my problem, but I just want to get what I want and go home without being forced to explain myself. Many times I have left music stores, restaurants and etc just because something about the vibe was off and I felt extremely uncomfortable. I much prefer ordering things online!

{No not all musicians are egomaniacs, but that's how it is the places I go to. I had to clarify that because I don't want an angry bassoon wielding mob to show up outside my house giving me the wrath of the Pink Panther theme at high volumes!}

LoveRat Wrote::cry: I'm afraid to go to doctors because I think they judge me and think badly of me.. and I'm afraid to check out and buy like underwear and personal items because I think the clerk judges me and thinks very badly of me and is probably going to tell people what I buy. I also fear coming up short on cash when I'm paying for something so if something is really 5 dollars I'll probably try to pay with a 10 even if I have a 5 bill. :cry: Is anyone else like this?

I must say, I feel this way too!
I don't like going to the doctors because I feel as if he's judging me about my appearance and my health. Then I feel uncomfortable and just want to run out of the building screaming.
I also feel uncomfortable when buying something at the store. I feel as if the cleark is judging what I'm buying and paying with.

Every woman I have dated has accused me of being mean simply because I hang back and count my money several times before I finally pay. I do this even when I am on my own, but how can one explain such bizarre behaviour to someone who has never had SP?

As for doctors, my solution was to apply for my medical records. That was a shock, but at least I now know who I can trust and who to avoid like the plague....

Shy guy Wrote:Every woman I have dated has accused me of being mean simply because I hang back and count my money several times before I finally pay. I do this even when I am on my own, but how can one explain such bizarre behaviour to someone who has never had SP?...

I think something that might help you the next time this happens is to show them this forum. When they realize that this is not some thing about you being rude and it is a legitimate phobia, they might be more inclined to understand. I totally know where you are coming from because when you try to explain your discomfort just as a phobic reaction, they always think you are hiding something.

Words Waywith Wrote:

Shy guy Wrote:Every woman I have dated has accused me of being mean simply because I hang back and count my money several times before I finally pay. I do this even when I am on my own, but how can one explain such bizarre behaviour to someone who has never had SP?...

I think something that might help you the next time this happens is to show them this forum. When they realize that this is not some thing about you being rude and it is a legitimate phobia, they might be more inclined to understand. I totally know where you are coming from because when you try to explain your discomfort just as a phobic reaction, they always think you are hiding something.

That is a good idea, I will try that.

Thank you.

LoveRat Wrote:I also fear coming up short on cash when I'm paying for something so if something is really 5 dollars I'll probably try to pay with a 10 even if I have a 5 bill.

OMG I'm the same lol i always like to have more money than the item i need to buy because I get paranoid I won't have enough haha

I vote that none of us in this thread that have this social shopping phobia....ever go shopping together!!! It will take us forever, we will make other people impatient as we obsessively count or money.....and we will walk out of the store without the items we need...because the pressure will be too great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Words Waywith Wrote:I vote that none of us in this thread that have this social shopping phobia....ever go shopping together!!! It will take us forever, we will make other people impatient as we obsessively count or money.....and we will walk out of the store without the items we need...because the pressure will be too great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:lol: I second this motion!
Though, on a serious note, it is annoying having this 'phobia' Is it a phobia?
I constantly have to bring massive amounts of money with me just to get the smallest item. It annoys me to death but I can't stop it or I'll worry myself to death.

Ana Wrote:

Words Waywith Wrote:I vote that none of us in this thread that have this social shopping phobia....ever go shopping together!!! It will take us forever, we will make other people impatient as we obsessively count or money.....and we will walk out of the store without the items we need...because the pressure will be too great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:lol: I second this motion!
Though, on a serious note, it is annoying having this 'phobia' Is it a phobia?
I constantly have to bring massive amounts of money with me just to get the smallest item. It annoys me to death but I can't stop it or I'll worry myself to death.

lollll!!! I guess at least you have massive amounts of money to help pad your confidence when buying low priced items!!! If you had equal the amount or less than......it would be worse.

Seriously though,
Does this happen to you?

Everytime I go to the bank to withdraw cash, use a debit card, or use an ATM, I get really nervous that there is not enough money in my account. It doesn't matter if I checked my balance online before I went to the bank and had $3632182923939292.45 in my account.

When I go to the bank and wait in the drive thru, I get really nervous and start changing the radio stations, scrolling through my phone list, rolling down the window and looking at my tires, wadding up paper, trying to act natural but failing miserably at doing so. I would make a horrible thief because everywhere I go, I look like I'm trying to get away with something lol.

When I go to the bank with my friends, they all seem so relaxed and carefree. How do they keep their composure in such a high stress environment? lol

Well, I'm only sixteen and unfortunatly I don't have a bank account or a job for that matter, to fill the bank with.
So, no this doesn't happen to me but I'm sure it will when I'm older.
:lol: When I'm nervous I also look like a theif. I start going through my pockets and humming. People have actualy laughed at me before.

While waiting, I always count and re-count my money, and repeatedly check that I have everything I need, because I worry about what they will think if i'm back in 5 minutes for something else.