# Anxiety Disorders > Social Anxiety Disorder >  >  Social Anxiety Versus Anti-Social Personality Disorder

## Dak

...so there's been a problem at my workplace in the definition of these conditions.

One side is saying they're socially anxious by default, and has an urge to explosively socialize with others.  It calls those who don't reciprocate anti-social.

The other side is saying it's socially anxious only when others socialize with them explosively.  It calls those who explode anti-social for not getting advance consent.

I'm finding it very frustrating to get along with both sides, and I wish there was a trick to it.  

It's leading to workplace conflict too.  Both sides keep trying to position and maneuver themselves so they can isolate individuals from the other side in order to make them look bad.  The most vulnerable individuals in both groups are paranoid too.  They're afraid of the other group's vulnerable individuals using them in order to look good in their own group.  The popular individuals in both groups are using their status as an excuse to do nothing about it either.  They kind of enjoy seeing the vulnerable individuals struggle, and when they get challenged, they go nuts and start yelling like lunatics or play dumb in saying the challenger just doesn't make sense.

I really don't know how different people with different forms of social anxiety are supposed to peacefully coexist.

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## Otherside

ASPD is NOT Social anxiety. 

I put this on Tumblr a while back.


So in other words, SA people generally don't run around stealing things, assaulting people, screaming at people at a person with ASPD does, who doesn't know any better or simply doesn't care, and no amount of punishment and deterrance will stop them. It's _very_ different from SA. and isn't a form of SA.

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## compulsive

I think the stories you are being told are fibs. I cannot comprehend how every person in the workplace has "social anxiety disorder" and can talk to customers and thier own team, but somehow has extreme social anxiety when talking to the other side. Some vulnerable people, yes but not all of them. 

There is no such thing as social anxiety disorder or social anxiety of any form or shape that makes someone extroverted or act out. It always has the opposite impact.

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## Dak

> I think the stories you are being told are fibs. I cannot comprehend how every person in the workplace has "social anxiety disorder" and can talk to customers and thier own team, but somehow has extreme social anxiety when talking to the other side. Some vulnerable people, yes but not all of them. 
> 
> There is no such thing as social anxiety disorder or social anxiety of any form or shape that makes someone extroverted or act out. It always has the opposite impact.



They don't all have social anxiety disorder, but one of the sensitive people brought it up, and then all of the sensational claimed to have it, and then more sensitive people claimed to have it.  It spread like wildfire.  I don't think they all have social anxiety either, but they claim they do.  The question is, "How do you tell those who have it from those who don't?"

I really don't appreciate you doubting me either.  It's insulting.  People don't have to prove themselves to you.  They're entitled to the benefit of the doubt.

I never said anything about extreme social anxiety disorder either.  You come off as predatory now as if you enjoy twisting my words.

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## Otherside

It's misunderstood as an illness, an social anxiety on it's on isn't an illness. Social anxiety Disorder is. Everyone is supposed to have some kind of social anxiety in there lives, but that doesn't make them mentally ill. 

How do you tell those who have it from those who don't? This is an interesting one. Probably gonna be a bit hypocritical for me to say this because I am dealing with someone who is pretty much faking Schizophrenia, but you can't, unless you can somehow work out that they've contradicted themselves, that things don't add up when they talk about treatment or there disorder (Which is how I know the person faking Schizophrenia is faking), But then SA is a hard one. Not everyone has it severely who has it, and unless they say they have it severely whilst standing on a disk in a clown costume with a megaphone whilst they declare they're extreme SA kind of thing, then there is no way you can tell. Even them coping socially isn't a sign that they're faking. Most of us have good and bad anxiety days, and it could just be that treatment is helping them.

People who fake a mental illness really pis me off though. And I hope they one day get the disorder they're faking, know what it's like to have to take six meds to stay somewhat sane, to have to deal with an array of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists and Councillors, and to know that you're going to have this for life and that you'll be taking the meds that makes you feel shitty for the rest of your life whilst hoping they'll work somehow. 

Seriously. Why do people want to be mentally ill?

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## meeps

> Probably gonna be a bit hypocritical for me to say this because I am dealing with someone who is pretty much faking Schizophrenia, but you can't, unless you can somehow work out that they've contradicted themselves, that things don't add up when they talk about treatment or there disorder (Which is how I know the person faking Schizophrenia is faking)



 Confused thinking is part of schizophrenia...not sure about the specifics of what they said though to make any judgements.






> Seriously. Why do people want to be mentally ill?



 They don't have a clear idea of what it's actually like to suffer from a serious mental disorder, they haven't been exposed to it in real life, instead they get their info from movies that romanticize it or make it seem quirky, special, etc.

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## meeps

What kind of place does the op work anyways? This whole psychological disorder "drama" seems pretty strange to me...

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## meeps

> I really don't appreciate you doubting me either.  It's insulting.  People don't have to prove themselves to you.  They're entitled to the benefit of the doubt.
> 
> I never said anything about extreme social anxiety disorder either.  You come off as predatory now as if you enjoy twisting my words.



Seems more like you're twisting her words. 

What i took from her post was that she believes that you are being lied to in regards to one entire side having social anxiety. It seems pretty clear to me that she's wasn't doubting _you,_ she's doubting the people at your work who are claiming to have SA, but who display traits that do not fit the description of how people with social phobia behave.

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## compulsive

> They don't all have social anxiety disorder, but one of the sensitive people brought it up, and then all of the sensational claimed to have it, and then more sensitive people claimed to have it.  It spread like wildfire.  I don't think they all have social anxiety either, but they claim they do.  The question is, "How do you tell those who have it from those who don't?"
> 
> I really don't appreciate you doubting me either.  It's insulting.  People don't have to prove themselves to you.  They're entitled to the benefit of the doubt.
> 
> I never said anything about extreme social anxiety disorder either.  You come off as predatory now as if you enjoy twisting my words.



I was not doubting you. Nor was I twisting words. Its not your social anxiety its theirs and they are making the claims, not you. Thus I am doubting thier claims. 

Yes I used an exaggeration to make a point. Since my way of speaking seems to offend you, I will not reply to another on of your threads. Goodbye.

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## Otherside

> Confused thinking is part of schizophrenia...not sure about the specifics of what they said though to make any judgements.
> 
>  They don't have a clear idea of what it's actually like to suffer from a serious mental disorder, they haven't been exposed to it in real life, instead they get their info from movies that romanticize it or make it seem quirky, special, etc.



I know, I know...I was in a bit of an odd mood last night. Mostly it's that she is getting stuff from movies, claims to have been dragged into hospitals by "the heavies" in a straightjacket and electricuted several times (Which is illegal)-before being totally fine to continue with life as normal the next day, attending college, holding down a job, going to pretty much every party.

I regret what I said about wishing mental illness on them. Its just hard when Im at home not able to do much at the momment with bipolar disorder and theres nothing quirky or romantic about six meds and visits to ER. 

Ironically, Ive been diagnosed with stomach acidity problems this morning, suspected to be caused by the stress of everythong right now, which is definatley not helped by bipolar. You could say it's contributed to me being physically unwell. I don't know about anyone here, but there's nothing fun in vomitting your guts up at random times.

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## Dak

> What kind of place does the op work anyways? This whole psychological disorder "drama" seems pretty strange to me...



It's a department store.

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## Dak

> Seems more like you're twisting her words. 
> 
> What i took from her post was that she believes that you are being lied to in regards to one entire side having social anxiety. It seems pretty clear to me that she's wasn't doubting _you,_ she's doubting the people at your work who are claiming to have SA, but who display traits that do not fit the description of how people with social phobia behave.



Oh dear... you're right.  I misread her opening statement.

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