The purpose of this group:
This group is meant for any person that has an illness/disability/mental or physical problem. This is not a place to talk about your boyfriend problems. Unless (read spoiler): [spoiler]It's related to whatever issue you have. I understand that each issue/problem brings about it's own challenges, including relationship ones.[/spoiler] This is a safe place for you to talk about whatever you're dealing with, without being judged, and a place to get/give support. Share your progress, bask in those small steps that make all of the difference, and accept those set-backs that may accompany it. If you can't get cured/there isn't a treatement, just think of this as a place to belong.
Why I started this group:
Since I was younger, maybe around eight, I've had social anxiety. It took me a few years to realize that the fear wasn't rational and wasn't normal but I thought I was the only one and struggeled every day with those things that everyone else did with ease. I remember envying them and accepted that this was the way I was and it was the way I'd always be. As I've gotten older, some of the anxiety has gone away and some of it has gotten worse. I've frozen in fear for no apparant reason, I've panicked just going from the stairs to my locker, and I feel trapped every time I don't have a clear way to the door during class. Thinking it was something different, I told my Mom, who scheduled therapy for me. The second session is when the therapist told me what the fear was and that she was going to help me get rid of it. I'm making progress; I had an anxiety-free day on Tuesday. I've had setbacks, though, and I know it's not going to go away right away.
I wanted a place within the awesome YWS family to share my progress and setbacks, meet others that have the same issue, etc, and I figured that other people may want one too.
A few basic rules:
1. Any rude comments and stuff like "You're stupid.", "It's all in your mind.", or "You're never going to get over this." will be edited or deleted.
2. Be polite. ^^
3. Be supportive; it takes guts to make a post or thread about something so personal.
4. Serious issues only; if you're only going to talk about our boyfriend or girlfriend problems and not anything else that's related to health, you shouldn't be here. Try one of our many Teen Groups instead.
So, introduce yourself! Tell us your name (or username/whatever you want to be called), what you're dealing with, how long you've been dealing with it, any anything else you can think of (if that scares/worries you, PM me and I'll post it without a name attached), and go ahead and start a thread about it.
If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.
-alwaysawriter
