My boyfriend and I have been together for a year and we are very committed to each other but we're having some problems. My boyfriend is undiagnosed but claims he has social anxiety disorder, and judging by the fact that he FREAKS out whenever we're in public together and has to get away from the crowd, whatever it takes, I'd say yeah... he's got a problem. We both are opposed to the idea of him taking meds for this... but is there a way to help him work through it?

KalFour

Taking meds isn't necessarily a bad idea, but I can understand your reluctance to do that. Try convincing him to talk to a therapist or counselor. Once he has an official diagnosis, he can work toward getting more support and learning techniques for coping.
I know several people with anxiety disorders, and they all have methods of dealing with it, but some aren't healthy. The best thing to do is seek out professional advice, and get him talking more about the problem. You could offer to go and see a counselor with him (but don't get offended if he'd prefer to go alone) to be supportive.
If he's avoided therapy and treatment so far, he's probably nervous about taking that first step. It always seems like the biggest.
In the meantime, try to encourage him to look at relaxation techniques, such as controlled breathing, that he can use when he feels the anxiety building. As always, it's easier said than done, but worth mentioning nonetheless.

Take care,
Kal

AD2012

Thanks, that helps!