i currently suffer from social anxiety.
[{"role": "system", "content": "Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by a significant amount of fear in one or more social situations, causing considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some parts of daily life. These fears can be triggered by perceived or actual scrutiny from others. Physical symptoms often include excessive blushing, excess sweating, trembling, palpitations, and nausea. Stammering may be present, along with rapid speech. Panic attacks can also occur under intense fear and discomfort. Some sufferers may use alcohol or other drugs to reduce fears and inhibitions at social events. It is common for sufferers of social phobia to self-medicate in this fashion, especially if they are undiagnosed, untreated, or both; this can lead to alcoholism, eating disorders or other kinds of substance abuse. SAD is sometimes referred to as an \"illness of lost opportunities\" where \"individuals make major life choices to accommodate their illness\". According to ICD-10 guidelines, the main diagnostic criteria of social phobia are fear of being the focus of attention, or fear of behaving in a way that will be embarrassing or humiliating, avoidance and anxiety symptoms.\n"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Hi. for many years I suffered from social anxiety because I worried others would judge my looks."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Social anxiety is a rough thing to deal with but with help you can overcome it."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "I often felt uneasy and hard to concentrate. I never sought professional help and I worried a lot"}, {"role": "user", "content": "Professional help is very important. Some medication can help a lot too."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "I read a lot of self-help books, which I guess is a form of professional help. It changed me for the better."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Self help books are a great way to learn introspectively."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "I have to be careful now of self-help books. The past few years all these self-published people without good info are putting out books."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Yes I suppose some people are just in it for the money and don't care about actually helping others."}]