Should I see a doctor - social anxiety?

[Cat]

Okay so, my dad left when I was 5, but I don't really think that affected me much, anyways I was really confident up until I was 15, when I came out and my friends all ditched me for being a lesbian. Although I made different friends, my confidence never came back and I hardly ever spoke. I then started being bullied by my step dad, which led to depression, resulting in me failing school. After I finished school, I cut myself off from most people, apart from a few people. My girlfriend was the only person I could have proper conversations with, until she moved to Calgary in Canada. Which meant we had a long distance relationship and only spoke via video chat. I started to get acne, which made me self concious and I always refused to video chat. Which then led to the relationship ending. I then went super depressed, I often thought about suicide and cut myself. I even refused to leave the house which lasted for 2 years. Now I've started work I have a constant fear people judge me and are looking at my acne scars, I blush and stutter whenever someone talks to me and I can't even carry on conversations. In my head I want to carry on the conversation but I always only answer with 'yeah' or I just laugh. I blush all the time and avoid social events like family get togethers and parties. I can only talk to friends via Facebook because I don't like meeting up with people.

I know I need to overcome this but I don't know how. As much as I'd hate to should I see a doctor?

[john]

Yes you should, you are still a teenager so your brain will dramatize more the situation, you had bad friends then, but really all of them left you? Not even one true friend? And your mother, what about her?

[deanne]

You have severe anxiety, so tell a dr. about all this and ask for anti-anxiety meds.

Ask an endocrinologist to test your hormone levels. You probably just have insufficient estrogen...or something and a dr. can correct that for you.

Then, find a big happy church, attend some groups there and have fun. Talk with the pastor/minister or the youth pastor/leader. They have more wisdom than you and I. And where else can you get FREE counseling?

Troubled people need peace; a good pastor can show you how to have perfect peace. God loves you more than you can possibly imagine

[freesongs]

I can feel your pain. Maybe others sharing similar challenges will decrease the alienation and anxiety you feel.
http://psychcentral.com/resources/Sexual...an_Issues/
Maybe some of your issues could be helped with a therapist or at least a support group for depression:
http://psychcentral.com/resources/Depres...rt_Groups/
here are some lifestyle choices
A doctor or psychiatrist, or a therapist or social worker are traditional responses.
Food can be a source of health or it can be fuel on the fire of depression. If you are eating lots of sweets and carbohydrates and starches, you are setting yourself up for the letdown after the sugar high passes. This in itself can be a roller coaster experience. A high protein diet, either or both vegetable (tofu, soy products) and animal (yogurt, milk, eggs (the whites are all protein, the yokes are all fat, chicken range fed preferred, wild caught fish) Cut down or cut out carbos and feel the difference. Fruit can be subbed for desserts. Nuts can be a sub for snacks.
Yoga, exercise or walking, meditation (follow the breath 5-15 minutes on awakening and before sleeping)
Listen to soothing music.
Online support groups
Help others with simple things like yard work or house work. Sometimes people open up to you when you are not trying to open them up.
I want everyone to be happy too. How I work on that is to try to find the common ground and have compassion for those that are opposed to me. The Dali Lama is great for this kind of compassion. The Open Heart addresses compassion and practicing helping all sentient beings.