“Your sister’s wedding is off-limits for you. Your weird social anxiety will embarrass the family.” That’s what my parents said before I packed one bag and said my goodbyes on the day of the wedding

My name is Claire Bennett, and for most of my life, my family treated me like a flaw they needed to keep out of sight. I struggled with severe social anxiety and panic disorder—the kind that made my throat tighten in checkout lines and my hands shake so badly I couldn’t even hold a glass. My mother, Diane, called it …

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