Is it normal to have social anxiety because i was homeschooled?

92% Normal
5 Comments

I have a desperately hard time making friends, picking up on social ques, making conversation with people, and I get incredibly nervous being in any size confined space with strangers. I was homeschooled as an only girl with 4 brothers in a strict religious family (for example no TV, small church, had to wear long skirts or dresses all the time, had to keep my hair long). Does anyone else that is homeschooled have this problem?

Voting Results
92% Normal
Based on 26 votes (24 yes)
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Comments ( 5 )
  • thegypsysailor
    9 years ago

    I am sorry for you. You need to get as far away from your family as you possibly can, as soon as you can. Throw off the religious crap and begin to figure things out for yourself.
    You have been raised in one of the most toxic environments any child could possibly be exposed to, so your only salvation is to get away asap.
    Good luck, you have a very hard road to travel and it looks like you may have to travel it alone, for a while. But I assure you that if you do free yourself from your toxic upbringing, there is a life full of wonder and love and fulfillment ahead of you.

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    • TKDWolf1
      9 years ago

      Thank you, I left home as soon as I turned 18. I still struggle with social anxiety on a nearly daily basis though. I feel like I don't fit in the real world, but I definitely will never go back to the religious world (I like to call it the Religious Matrix) that I was raised in. There's got to be others out there in the world like me, I'm hoping I'll find them.

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      • thegypsysailor
        9 years ago

        Good on you. I am so glad you have gotten out. As I said, it will be a long hard road to rid yourself of all that religious programming, but it will be worth it.
        Join a club (biking, hiking, tennis, etc) and/or volunteer at a homeless or animal shelter and you will begin meeting like minded people. If you are around others who you share interests with, then it's easy to make friends and lose the anxiety. Almost all of us are shy with a new crowd; relax, you'll be fine.

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  • gerardforever
    9 years ago

    I'm currently homeschooled and hoping my social anxiety won't get worse. I had a version of it since middle school, and it was part of the reason I was glad to be homeschooled. Now I get to stay home and not worry about strangers or confrontation c: Though I'm scared what will happen if I return before I graduate or if I go to college, not to mention getting a job.

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  • Avant-Garde
    9 years ago

    I was homeschooled too and I have social anxiety. Religion was very important to them, but they weren't as strict as your parents. They also made sure to put me into programs with other kids my age. My social anxiety has been progressively better (how? I don't know. I usually take Adaptogens (they help with stress, among other things, before I go out). I do realise that I'm a mostly solitary person. I was more outgoing as a child. I usually try to avoid talking and getting to know them, unless I have to. Sometimes, I get a little self-conscious when I go out but, it's very rare. One thing that has really helped, is to remind myself that most people are too busy with their own lives to care about mine. If you want to me people, taking classes at community college are good but, some teacher's do class introductions which are terrible. Always, sit in the front so that you 1. Get to go soon and 2. So, that the whole class won't stare at you. Think of something to say for bio before your turn comes up, is always good. Good luck.

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