Do any of you suffer from social anxiety or social phobia?

coconuthead · Post by **coconuthead** » Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:06 pm

I do, and very, very badly.

seanlee1980 · Post by **seanlee1980** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:07 am

Yes, very much so. Of course bad breath doesn't help.

seanlee1980 · Post by **seanlee1980** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:11 am

and of course social anxiety causes stress which leads to worse breath

kart · Post by **kart** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:29 am

YESSS, and when I take clonazepan I feel my breath freshly

Tony22 · Post by **Tony22** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 2:07 am

Definitely. I've always been very introverted and avoided large social situations. I'm not good at meeting new people, etc. (And yes, definitely having bad breath doesn't help).

FedUp · Post by **FedUp** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:10 am

I'm half and half.

I've always been shy around new people but very sociable once I get to know them. I'd go out with friends or colleagues and wait until I'd had a few drinks to be at total ease and comfort ahh the good old days.

Ironically I feel BB has made me stronger in myself. I feel the desire to be more social and outgoing, to go and do things I wouldn't normally do. Kinda like the movie "Yes Man". But as for me right now BB is my only worry in life.

I cannot wait until this nightmare is over. I want to do something like sit and have lunch with friends without worrying.

I remember new years day 2012, Me and a friend was in bed all day (seperate beds). I didn't brush my teeth the night before or that day, guess what NO BB. I used to get away with it all the time. Even at festivals I wouldn't brush my teeth all weekend and still have no BB. A few months into 2012 I was struck down!!!!!!!!

I'm having my post nasal space examined under general anastheasia and de-bulking of my, I think adenoids. If no success I'm gonna spring alot of money on all 4 wisdom teeth out. It's strange my condition started at 22.

I think I'm gonna go for a full mouth disinfection too. This will not beat me.

Sickandtired · Post by **Sickandtired** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:12 pm

Never before this all happened, I didn't have that kind of problem. I was around 17 when all this started and for the first two years while it wasnt that bad bb didn't hold me much down, but around my 20 (last year) it became much worse and that's when i became completely paranoid and social anxiety kicked in full force.

coconuthead · Post by **coconuthead** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 6:33 pm

FedUp wrote:I'm half and half.

I've always been shy around new people but very sociable once I get to know them. I'd go out with friends or colleagues and wait until I'd had a few drinks to be at total ease and comfort ahh the good old days.

FedUp, I'm exactly the same. I've always been shy when it came to meeting new people, but after a while, I'd open up and become very sociable. The occasional shyness I used to have, has now turned into severe social anxiety. I have a hard time going to the store to buy groceries or clothes sometimes, little things people take for granted.

Just as you, I have this intense desire to be more social, but bad breath holds me back.

deebo · Post by **deebo** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:08 pm

yes . before bb i had social anxiety disorder for many years . has anyone tried oxytocin for social it ? i would like to try it soon because i think i have low levels for ever

Stinkynick · Post by **Stinkynick** » Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:34 pm

I can go for periods of a week or so where things are great, then I get one bad reaction and its like my world is over for a few days. Almost like I'm manic/depressive. I'm in the process of trying to find time for a therapist, but work is so busy this time of year. I've always suffered from some sort of social anxiety, to be honest that's the reason I suffer, I wouldn't care what I smelled like if it weren't for the mental chaos that it brings me.

sadmum · Post by **sadmum** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:22 am

Stinkynick wrote:I can go for periods of a week or so where things are great, then I get one bad reaction and its like my world is over for a few days. Almost like I'm manic/depressive. I'm in the process of trying to find time for a therapist, but work is so busy this time of year. I've always suffered from some sort of social anxiety, to be honest that's the reason I suffer, I wouldn't care what I smelled like if it weren't for the mental chaos that it brings me.

That's exactly like me, I'd go for a couple of weeks feeling so confident and happy, then one bad reaction is all it takes to slam the confidence and happiness back to the gutter where it normally sits!!

And just the thought of being around so many people in a social gathering scares the hell out of me! It freaks me out to the point where I started to avoid going to parties or other crowded gatherings. It's so sad but this is my life!

I wish that all of us bb sufferers can live on an Island away from all the stupid bb free people, where we can work, mingle, party and talk freely without having to worry about offending anyone! And there better not be any reactions from anyone otherwise we'll kick their ass out!

coconuthead · Post by **coconuthead** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 11:25 pm

sadmum wrote:
Stinkynick wrote:
And there better not be any reactions from anyone otherwise we'll kick their ass out!

I'm dying. That's hilarious!

TIRED · Post by **TIRED** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:58 am

Funny you mention that…I just got home from my husband's work party tonight where I had to converse with the wives that I had never met before. I told myself to not speak unless I was spoken to and to keep my answers short. This is hard for me because I like to talk especially if I'm nervous about meeting new people. These women were not talkers so I ended up carrying many conversations. These women did not say much back. It was frustrating because I couldn't judge whether they were having reactions to my bb or if they didn't like what I said or if they were just plain boring. I once heard that we judge ourselves by other people's reactions…well many times I go home confused. I am a military wife that just moved to a new place and everyone expects me to meet new friends, but I just don't have the energy for it. My old friends back home love me no matter what, but someone new won't want to bond with me with this nasty breath. Many times I think that I should just be that quiet, mysterious/cool chick and keep my mouth shut, but I would rather come off as stinky than snobby.

It really sucks guys. Really I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. I had breast cancer recently and had to get a mastectomy on my right breast and that was easier than dealing with this.

Archimonde · Post by **Archimonde** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 1:49 am

TIRED wrote: everyone expects me to meet new friends

Who expects you to do that? If you don't want to attend social events, then don't, no one is forcing you to do anything. I stopped attending family gatherings (extended family) and i have no regrets. I realized that no one really cares if you don't go, people worry too much about themselves to care what you do. It's quite liberating to not feel burdened by your friends and relatives.

sadmum · Post by **sadmum** » Mon Aug 05, 2013 1:29 am

TIRED wrote: I had breast cancer recently and had to get a mastectomy on my right breast and that was easier than dealing with this.

Sorry to hear about your breast cancer, it must've been so hard having to go through that as well as living with bb! But can I just ask if you had to go through chemo and radiation and whether it had any effect/reduction on your bb?

I've always wondered whether such harsh treatments could actually eliminate the bacteria or infections in the body that cause bb?

Thanks