[Tragic.With.A.Capital.T]

I have been to see a couple of councellors over the years for help in dealing with what I'm sure is Social Anxiety Disorder and every one of them has brushed me off as being overly shy - something that I'll eventually learn to deal with.

It goes without saying that I haven't learnt to deal with it.

All my life I've felt an unhealthy level of fear when faced with social situations. It effects everything in my life. I even find it difficult to leave the house sometimes because I might just see someone who will expect me to talk to them. If I am ever unexpectedly thrown into a social situation, I clam up. My palms get sweaty, my head spins and my heart beats so hard it hurts. I've had people (one of my closest friends, my mum etc.) tell me that the only thing I can do is just deal with it and pretend that it doesn't bother me... I've been doing that all my life and it's getting to the point where I need to get over this.

I've just started volunteering at a PDSA shop and my anxiety is making it almost impossible to enjoy it. I'm never going to be able to get or hold down a job if I can't get past my fear.

I was just wondering if anyone else here suffers with Social Anxiety and what options there are out there to help. What do you do when faced with social situations?Any tips?