Anxiety Disorder Has Me Wanting To Go To Class Drunk...Please Help!

[shep88ner]

if you read my other post about my anxiety disorder theory then this is kind of a more in depth look at it...with a lot more feelings and thoughts...thanks!

 

 

i am pretty positive i have social anxiety disorder. i know it's not just me being really shy because i get so nervous talking to people i could almost throw up sometimes. but i have found that alcohol really helps. being drunk off my butt makes me who i want to be. i know you're thinking, "well of course it does! you're drunk!!!" but i just dont know why. ill explain...

 

i was at a bonfire with a couple close friends of mine. then on top of that there was this guy ive never seen before in my life and he was there with us. before we drank, they were all talking up a storm and i stood back and didnt say a word because i was too nervous infront of this new person. so we cracked open the cases of beer and stuff and before long we were all stubling all over the campsite wasted. my buddies walked off somewhere and it was only me and this new guy left at the fire. i walked up to him and we had the most engaging long conversation of my life. i had never met the guy before and we were talking about all this personal stuff and all that. i was complelty comfortable around him and i loved meeting him and getting to know him. (like normal people do when they meet someone new). so the night ended and we all said our goodbye's. the next time i saw this guy, i couldnt talk to him again. i was too nervous again, just like always. but when i was drunk, we were talking about his family, his past, his friends...everything. it's like i knew what to talk about when i was drunk. and it wasnt the drunk that i dont remember anything and have no idea what i was doing, i remember it all and i remember i was thinking very clearly.

 

i know getting into a huge drinking habit is terrible and i cant be doing it just to feel good or i'll become an alcoholic. but i was just curious of why i was able to let my emotions go when i was drunk and have a real conversation and be the real me and open up. i LOVE how i felt that night, that was the real me, the real me that people never get to see. and i was making a great friend in a matter of minutes.

 

i am in college now and i have no friends here. im too scared to talk to anyone or participate in almost everything. i just stay in my room a lot. but i know if i felt like i did when i was drunk id have SO many friends and id be a totaly different person. i really know deep down once you get past my shyness im a fun person to be around.

 

it's got to the point ive considered bringing some vodka to my room secretly and going to some class's drunk just so i can fit in and make friends. but i know that's the absolute wrong way to handle this...what should i do? why is it like this?

[rocio]

I hate interviews. Normally I'm not shy, but the job interview setting makes me shake and want to cry. It's pathetic.

 

So I got drunk for some of my interviews. It went well and got me the job.

 

Pretty pathetic way to get hired.

 

Don't you think these friends are going to:

 

1. smell it on your breath, and think you're an alcoholic, or

2. notice that you act differently next time, and think you are bipolar.

[shep88ner]

nah, it's college...i chat with a few people here and there and joke with some people. i just dont talk unless im adressed first. but yea, it's college. if im drunk in class and someone asks why im talking so much, ill just grin real big and laugh and tell them im wasted...they'll think its funny and it'll be a good icebreaker for everyone and they'll see the cool side of me long enough to know im not just some weird quiet kid. and then from then on out they'd probably talk to me more

[Day_Walker]

Alcohol is one method that you have found to deal with your disorder but you need to find a more constructive method of dealing with your issue. Perhaps do research or seek help from professionals who deal with social anxiety disorder.

[rocio]

if im drunk in class and someone asks why im talking so much, ill just grin real big and laugh and tell them im wasted...they'll think its funny and it'll be a good icebreaker for everyone and they'll see the cool side of me long enough to know im not just some weird quiet kid. and then from then on out they'd probably talk to me more

 

Somehow I really doubt this. You could always give it a try, but I seriously doubt that they will think it's funny, think you're cool, and talk to you more!

 

I used to go high to every class and every exam. I got the dirtiest looks from students who thought I was lowlife. Until I kicked their academic butts! haha

[Hope75]

Hey There,

 

You know, you are right, alcohol probably helps you feel less anxious because it is a CNS depressant and helps to decrease anxiety and lower your inhibitions. BUT... like you said, it is not the best way to handle social anxiety and in fact is very likely to get you into trouble if you show up to class drunk.

 

There are legitimate medications available that can help treat social anxiety, if you see a doctor about it you can discuss your options. Also, consider seeing a therapist, who may be able to teach you some techniques to help manage the anxiety and keep it under control.

 

You need to be careful with alcohol because as you mentioned, it can lead to an addiction problem and that opens a whole new bag of problems that trust me, you do not want to get into.

[shep88ner]

i see what you're saying, but drinking is much more accepted than pot. i went through a phase in my life where i smoked pot too and was always high. ive since stopped but i did notice people were different towards me when they found out i smoked. my highschool though was known around our area for drinking. you were in the minority if you didnt drink at my school. so it was WAY more common and people looked at you weird if you didnt drink. and the way college is, people are staight up to our professors and tell them "im getting wasted right after class" and the professors just laugh. so, i dont know, i know it can get me in a lot of trouble but im so desperate for friends right now...but i have a while yet, if i do this "go to class drunk" thing, i wont be until april anyway...so, we'll see what happens

[rocio]

In general, drinking is more accepted than smoking pot.

 

But I would say that being drunk in public in the middle of the day is MUCH less acceptable than being high in the same time and place.

[shep88ner]

true i guess...it's sad i know. i'm just going to see what happens with it and see where it goes from there. im just so frustrated because im not used to not having friends. it's been 3 months and i havent really made any friends. i go back home for our highschool football games and i hear my name yelled every 10 seconds. i just went from the whole school knowing me to nobody knowing i exsist. and i know it's all because in highschool i was more comfortable because i had known everyone for 12 years and i was myself. but here i dont know anyone so i dont make a sound

[rocio]

Are there any clubs you can join at your new school? Like a snowboarding club or a debate club.

 

Or, if you want to drink, at least do it at the college pub! Go in the evening after class, sit down at the bar and order a beer. It's a great way to meet other students.

 

If you are american, you could consider joining a frat if that's your thing. They drink a lot of beer!

 

The people in your class don't expect you to be a clown or impress them. (Not like in high school.) You can just be normal and talk about boring stuff, like borrowing their notes, or how lame the teacher is.

 

Please don't go to class drunk to make friends!

[shep88ner]

im only 18 years old so i cant just go to a pub. there are clubs yes, i was actually thinking about joining the golf club. thats how i got assiciated so easy going to highschool because i was on the golf team and knew all the influencial seniors.

[dogheadma]

This idea might work for you at first, but if you need alcohol in order to function then that makes you an alcoholic. That's basically what you're considering becoming. You don't want that. It will cause your problems to multiply and will completely screw up your life. There are better, more intelligent, and more productive options out there. You need to do some research on what kind of help is available for people who are shy or have social anxiety. Talk to your doctor about it. He can help you. Alcohol is not a solution to anyone's problems and in fact can make them much worse and will do exactly that when abused. Please rethink about what you're considering. Trust me, this idea will backfire on you and bite you in the butt, big time. Do yourself a favor and find a better way to deal with this.

[shep88ner]

alright, thanks everybody for your support and help. i guess just being away from my norm is kind of making me think crazy sometimes. i just want to fit in so bad and sometimes i think i would do anything to have at least 1 friend. but i'll probably go to the doctor over thanksgiving break and see what he can tell me. until then i'll just keep being me to the best i can. i mean, eventually ill make friends one way or the other. afterall this is only 1/2 of one quarter...i have 4-5 years here. im sure by my senior year college will be just like my highschool...i wont be able to walk to class without hearing my name 4-5 times. alright, well, thanks agian