Welcome to the forums,

All of us here have many disorders, myself I suffer from pretty nasty Social Anxiety, and now newly diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. My Anxiety caused my entire life to feel wasted until I finally relised as I got older figured out something really was going on. Yes therapy helps many people, almost everyone on this forum is in some form of therapy, on medications and so on. It could be a long hard effort on your part, but the hardest part is figuring out something isnt right and making the first step to seek help. And that is awesome that you are starting the process.

About you personally, speaking from a patients, not a doctors view of course. I find it very different that your social phobia had such a strong onset. I have had mine my entire life, and once looking back can remember all the situations, panic attacks and problems it caused me. Having an anxiety problem in general might of transformed into something more over time, not sure.

But on any level everyone here is very informative and supportive. We will always help as much as we can, and wish you all the best in feeling better.

Mark