Believe ME I understand your pain...but think about how far public awareness of mental health related problems have come in recent years *not to mention how much more aware the world needs to become * Then think of 40+ years ago, and what your parents must have thought. Without a physical, obvious illness ~ they could probably only 'assume' their child was 'shy' and would 'grow out of it'. I hadn't heard of even Social Anxiety until probably 15 years ago ~ and AvPD approx. 3 months ago!