Is it normal i have severe anxiety?

I hate socializing and being around people, whenever I'm in a large crowd I get extremely nervous and have panic attacks if I stay too long.

When I was 16 I had an anxiety attack and broke down crying because a car had pulled up on the side of my mums car and I didn't want to go on that side but my sister wouldn't let me in.

I always have thoughts that strangers will kill me or hurt me and that all strangers are dangerous and unpredictable. When I'm forced to be in a place with lots of people my mind freezes and I basically go mute and on high alert, I need to know where every sound comes from and look at the people around me every 5 seconds to make sure their not threatening or acting aggressive.

My mum thinks I can just stop it and that I'm making a big deal and everyone has anxiety. I've seen many therapists and psychologists over the years but they don't help, I've tried medicine once but I had to stop because they made me sick and dizzy.

If I could just turn it off I would, but I can't stop myself acting like this and I feel really guilty because my mum always harasses me about it and she makes me go into crowded places because she thinks it will help me but it just makes it worse and makes me feel suicidal.

I have always preferred a animals company to a humans, I feel more calm and relaxed, especially when around big dogs and I feel like if I had a pet dog it would help my anxiety and I would go out more but my dad hates dogs and bought a house that specifically doesn't allow them just so I can't get one.

I would move out but I have no job because of my anxiety, I've tried looking for online jobs that require no real life contact with humans but it's basically impossible.

Voting Results
56% Normal
Based on 9 votes (5 yes)
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Comments ( 6 )
  • mysistersshadow

    Havong that kind of anxiety isn't normal.

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  • issamoon

    it sounds like me but i always keep those moment of break down trapped in a toilet

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  • Tempest-au

    That level of anxiety is completely abnormal. Given that therapy (both congnitive and paramcological) has failed, I suggest getting on government benefits and settling down to a life as the neighbourhood "crazy dog lady".

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    • I'm already on some partial benefit I get from the government that I'm living on right now, but I feel really bad being on it because I'm wasting the governments money on myself.

      I like doing art and I'm pretty good at it, but the art industry is honestly terrible and most artists don't even get enough from their paintings to live on, unless you're some ultra popular artist which is like only 5% of all the artists out there.

      I'll be starting up a browser based sim game sometime later in the year, if it gets popular hopefully I'll be able to get a fair amount of income from it.

      And I'm a dude ;)

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    • Azaman

      what makes you assume this person is female?

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      • Tempest-au

        Completely correct, I should not make assumptions. "Crazy dog person".

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