http://www.jaapl.org/content/24/1/27.full.pdf
I have this as assigned reading for students. Have others read this? This is controversial, obviously. And of course, lending a temporary helping hand to those in distress is consistent with my values and faith. But, C&P is pretty out of control, in case you didn't know. The more we think of ourselves as disabled, the more disabled we are likely to become as well. Don't even get me started on the "Caregiver program" either...
I'll read it later, but I agree with you. I have a very good friend who was diagnosed with social anxiety years back, and he told me that he got quite a bit better after he was diagnosed because he could finally put a finger on what he had. He's on disability for it. And I get how having clarity on your issue can give you some relief.But I told him exactly what you said there...I can understand how it would make you feel better to get clarity, but it's important that you don't become that thing, and start to identify yourself as "that dude with social anxiety".
In my group of friends many of us have some sort of mental health concern. I have struggled with some mental health stuff as well. I'm a refugee who experienced child as a war, and I also had an alcoholic father. I use to have horrible panic attacks (still do sometimes) and anxiety. But I have tried to make every effort to address it, and I don't in any way feel defeated. In fact, I see tons of resources out there for me.
Life can seem like a battle sometimes, but you can choose to be a victim, or you can choose to create an arsenal for yourself of tools you can use to fight it. (whether that be medication, therapy, having some sort of consistency in your life, etc)
What bothers me are the people that say "I'll deal with this by myself". If you honestly feel that you can deal with it yourself, I don't think you have a real problem. But these are teh same people that are on disability and they get benefits. Furthemore, if they do actually have issues, but they choose to not address it, it is sad because there are options out there.