Hi whoswho... I hope you don't mind if I chime in with some encouragement for you. First I want to thank you for your signature quote. So true. Social anxiety really is an endurance test.

Several years ago when anxiety really took a strong hold on my life I was totally incapacitated. I couldn't leave the house without feeling like I was going to pass out from the strain. After I conquered going out the door I barely made it to the mail box and back without falling down. I couldn't drive so if I had to go to the doctor or the counsellor I was seeing at the time I depended on a family member to take me. I know what you mean about feeling trapped, useless, non-functioning and even insignificant. I used to say to myself all the time that I was a waste of air. I felt so defeated and I was sure that was going to be my reality for the rest of my life. I went to bed every night praying I wouldn't wake up again.

I can tell you that it can get better. You will get your life back again. It won't always be like this. I still have anxiety but I am functioning much better then before. Crowds will still trigger me. Just today I had to leave the pharmacy because there were too many people in there and waiting in line at the check out was too much for me to manage. Fortunately my son was in the truck so I put the purchase down and went out to get him to go back in to wait in line to pay for it. It is what it is and sometimes situations just get the better of me.

I remember when the most I could do was get myself to my counselling appointment twice a week. He would praise me for getting there and I would just think how pathetic that such a basic move would earn such praise. I guess it was a big deal at the time and I guess his praise was a way to show me I was able to overcome one step at a time.

Take your therapists lead and praise yourself each and every time to press the walls of your sanctuary. Don't judge yourself for what you can't do but do praise yourself for what you can do. It isn't about what you think you should be able to do. Don't even let yourself go there with the judgement. Just work your way from where you are at now. If walking to the end of your drive way is difficult then dance for joy when you do it. Who cares if everyone else in your world could do it without any strain. Its a big victory for you and that is all that counts.

Victory on top of victory is a big part of getting back what you feel you have lost. Every victory needs to be acknowledge in order for it to ignite another victory. Don't judge yourself. I know I am repeating myself but the judgement thing is a huge defeater. You have to let it go. Set goals that are reasonable and don't demean them with judgements.

I am driving again and coping in most social situations. I am still protective of myself and I still say no to invitations more often then I say yes but I am getting more and more confident in my coping skills everyday. I know I am hypersensitive to noise and crowds and while my family is encouraging me to move closer to where they all live I think I am better in the smaller and quieter town I am now living in. I honour my limits and I resist the temptation to judge my incapacities or to cave to what I think I should be able to do when I clearly can't at this point in time. I celebrate my can do's and set my can't does as future goals or unnecessaries I can function without.

I consciously praise myself whenever I do anything outside my comfort zone. If I need to ask for help I don't judge myself for it I am just thankful I have someone I can ask for help. My son is a great helper to me and I have even started to realize that my family is more supportive and willing to provide me non judgemental help then I ever imagined.

Give yourself time to recover and find your strength outside your current comfort zone. It will happen. You will get your life back one step at a time.

We know what you are going through and we know you can endure the journey to where you want to be. Let us be here for you to keep encouraging you one step at a time.