I guess I could be considered a functional social anxiety sufferer. I am not as bad as some people on this forum. I have a few friends, I leave the house and can talk on the phone. I work in radio "on air". How I got to this point it is somewhat amazing considering that I am an SA sufferer. I will go out of my way to avoid any uncomfortable situation. I have a terrible fear of authority figures. I cannot perform a new task in front of others. I'm always worried that I will be judged incompetant, or stupid, or weird. I am always trying to read what others are thinking about me. I am afraid of confrontation. And I avoid hanging out with groups of people because it seems my indiviuduality vanishes as I cease being Lincolnradiocat and my will seems to be sucked into the collective group.

I also walk around with a sense of inferiority towards others. It seems that everybody is smarter, better looking and more talented than me...especially co-workers in radio.

However, I think that I'm on the right path to whipping this demon. The path is long, it's tedious and has required a great deal of patience and endurance. I always think I am beaten down...but every once and a while I have to remind myself of my success, like getting an "A" in public speaking my first semester in college to getting a full-time gig in radio. I would not have got this far if I hadn't won some battles.

This blog will essentially chronicle my battle with SA, and well as other thoughts I have life.

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