First of all I went to and graduated from a well-respected college and I just hate it when people think they are somehow less intelligent or inferior because they didn't. Believe me when I say that colleges are chock-full of IDIOTS, there are people who are there because they want to learn but you wouldn't believe some of the morons who just happened to be either lucky or good at going to school (and little else).

It amazes me how little understanding there is about our condition. This guy is clearly uninformed. People have said similar things to me, 'you seem fine' 'do you really need to take pills?'. When treatment is going well it is easy to forget that we aren't like other people and the idea is very tempting. Now I know that when I hear feedback like that I should just take it as a positive sign that I'm already doing something right and should stick with it.

I also have anxiety and phobias and have had people think the best idea is to 'power through' them. Sometimes that is true but there are a lot of times when it isn't. People don't understand that just because they aren't afraid it means you shouldn't be either. My roommate was recently mugged outside of our house. Instead of pushing her to get over it or convincing her her fear is irrational I'm telling her she can get past it in her own time. Instead of rushing her I say 'it's okay that you are afraid of this but I am not which means I can help'. If she doesn't want to go out alone after dark I just go with her. I have rational fear of large aggressive dogs and the people who care about me know that sometimes I will need to hide behind them and they help by not being afraid of what I am and not pressuring me.

I am guessing that you are not just afraid of leaving your comfort zone you are also worried about how you will react and that is a possibility, it is rational. You can't expect people to understand but you can ask them to have patience, if they want to help you, make it easy for them by telling them how: 'you help me by being patient and helping me feel safe with you, because that is what I need'.