Well ****. You caught me. There was no man, just me and my manly face

Not your reflection! He's inside the house not outside!!!!

This is scarier than the real fml

You were a smart kid to have went to your brother. You must have avoided something big! Your kid self deserves a cookie.

I'm glad that, as a kid, you had the sense to go get your brother. I can easily see how a confused kid may have thought opening the door because an adult was asking them to would be the right thing to do, even if they've been taught to never open the door for a stranger.

@25 You can't guarantee that. Most people never overcome their phobias.

I don't think this particular fear of mine is severe enough to be considered a phobia. It doesn't cause the same reaction that other phobias I've struggled with have caused. It's more something I find really scary and creepy. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to write a well thought out comment of suggestions and trying to help. It was very nice of you. I also wanted to add that I'm sorry you have to deal with social phobias. I have social anxiety and I know how much it sucks. I hope you can find a solution to help lessen the severity of it soon. I'm currently going through exposure therapy for it (joining a website and commenting was actually a suggestion my psychologist made) and slowly, but surely, it seems to be helping. If you ever need someone to talk to, you can message if you want to and feel comfortable doing so.

I didn't say it would work retard. I said to try it. Read it again. Did I say it was a sure thing?

I I just wrote you a long message about how to cope and my phone died after about 30 lines of writing...ugh!! Anyway to summarize one thing u can try is buying a book by Edmund J Bourne, PhD. (I wish someone with anxiety would write a book! It's like teaching someone a foreign langue who's never spoke it!) Anyway the book is called The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook". It's ok and it helped me a little bit but it might do wonders for you. Anxiety can make you feel alienated but remember there are people out there dealing with this crap too; like me. I wish the best for you and hope you can conquer this. The fact that you are brave enough to admit it on an online forum tells me you have some control over this; even if you don't realize it. I'm always available to talk. If this were a more private forum I'd give u my email address. I find its better to talk to someone who can actually relate and understand rather than some hot shot doctor who has no experience with what we go through on a daily basis. Anyway, good luck..try the book if you want. I got my book at Barnes and Noble so it's pretty easy to find. Hopefully you can pull some worthwhile info from it. Take care... I'm right there with ya

70- Thanks for the book suggestion, I'll check it out. I know what you mean about psychologists who haven't experienced the anxiety not understanding. I used to feel the same way, but I've been lucky enough to find one that has personally struggled with social anxiety and that has helped a lot. Maybe you could see if there are any around where you live that have struggled with it themselves. Sometimes it just takes a while and seeing multiple people to find a psychologist/counselor that you really connect with and feel like they genuinely understand what you're going through