Social Anxiety
The story
So it’s in the title. I suffer from social anxiety and yea suffer is the right word for sure.
In the comfort of my own home I’m fine, In fact, more than fine. However, every time I’m outside-even with family- I feel so much anxiety and I hate it. Every time I get anxious I immediately shut down. I refuse to talk to anyone and I isolate myself. Sometimes I cry but I’ve mastered holding in my tears, for the most part anyways.
I try to hide my face but I’m horrible at masking my anxiety. I tried asking for help and telling people just how anxious I get and they dismiss my feelings because they can’t fathom the idea of someone being anxious just by being outside with people. They make me feel like what I feel is inferior and just a “phase.”
So genuinely, can someone please share tips, advice to help me become more comfortable and less anxious in outside settings. I’m not saying I want to befriend people, I just want to be less anxious in general. I’m not planning to be some social butterfly, just comfortable.
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Points of view
social anxiety can be really tough, and people often don’t get it because they think everyone is supposed to love socializing. you don't have to aim for being a social butterfly if it's not what you want: and honestly, that's completely fine. a lot of folks find that small steps help, like practicing one-on-one conversations or starting with environments where there’s less pressure to engage. cognitive-behavioral strategies are also quite helpful; they focus on managing those anxious thoughts before they snowball into full panic mode. maybe try doing some small exposure exercises in situations you're somewhat comfortable with. slowly increasing that comfort zone might ease the anxiety over time 🎈
I was in a similar boat, so I get where you're coming from; social anxiety is definitely a tough opponent to face daily. It's baffling when people just dismiss it as a "phase" but hey, not everyone gets it! Have you thought about starting small? Like those gradual exposure tactics professionals talk about: just dipping your toes into less intimidating environments first. It helped me tremendously. You'll get better at not letting anxiety control the situation over time; trust me on this one. What situations make you the most anxious outside?