18M UK

Bit of backstory: I’ve been dealing with social anxiety my whole life and it got drastically worse at the age of 14-15, I’d been smoking weed since I was 14 to “help” my anxiety and depression but it was just masking the problem and I was slowly turning into a recluse By 17 I quit weed involuntary (started giving me panic attacks for no reason) and was basically a complete recluse and then my health anxiety started and it was constant everyday physical symptoms now at 18 I’ve just been diagnosed with a rare genetic heart disorder (great am I right?) this is a blessing and a curse on one hand I’m very worried about my heart but it has also freed me in some weird way I can’t explain like I suddenly got an answer after years. 

Anyway this heart condition is making me want to start living again so I’m starting small (going to the shops, meeting friends 1 on 1, going on little walks) and hopefully as exposure therapy builds up I’ll be able to start living the life I had before (drinking, going to parties, hanging out with friends) I’ve already noticed that I feel more comfortable going out of the house so I think the trick with me at least is to crawl before you can walk, walk before you can run. 

Anyway if you read all this thanks just wanted to share my experiences and how I’m coping with them