Social anxiety and why it sucks

I see it that people are awkward in social situations. They can't handle it. No matter how small the situation. So they start to avoid such situations. Which can lead to agoraphobia. You don't want to go out because of what is out there. I would encourage people to try and get out daily. Even for a small amount of time. Just so they don't fall into the trap of staying in the house avoiding life outdoors. I am sure a whole host of things can bring it on. Mainly a bad experience. Say you have to present something to your class in school. Let us pretend it was a project. You have a few A Holes in your class. They laugh as you are talking. Might make fun of you. That would knock your confidence. You wouldn't want to be asked to present anything to the class again. Could be as simple as that. They you might wonder what others think about you. Where others laughing at you too. So you may begin to avoid a large amount of people. Plus certain situations. This is just one example I am using. Same thing might happen in work for somebody. Enough to make them not want to go into work. But they have no choice. They must go to work. It just becomes awkward for them. They isolate themselves from fellow workers. It can happen in all walks of life in many different ways.

This is super weird for me to say but I also suffer from social anxiety. THE weird thing is that people would never guess since I'm so chatty and outgoing and to cover up my anxiety I think I've always been loud and outgoing and social and funny. But I always get nervous around new people and in large groups, feel like I will say something dumb. I just wanted to tell you that If you saw me on the street you would never guess I have social anxiety so don't feel so alone. Many people who look happy and are "outgoing" can still have social anxiety too the truth is they are just better at hiding it. I have just become very good at hiding it as a coping method. You can have many friends and be very social even with social. anxiety. Just keep putting yourself out there and don't be afraid to be weird. People now a days like weird and unique cause everyone is so basic.

I don't for one moment think you can look at the majority of people and know they had a mental illness of any kind. Though a lot of people with a mental illness just assume this. Only ones who know about me are family and selective friends. I talk to people a lot. Am a known joker. Just certain situations I would avoid too. I think I was more sort of trying to paint a picture of someone who is badly hit with social anxiety. To the very extreme of it. I am more classed as an agoraphobic. though I like my daily walks and a bit shopping. Work that one out. Some of us simply go against the grain of the type of anxiety that we have.

Cuchculan said:

I don't for one moment think you can look at the majority of people and know they had a mental illness of any kind. Though a lot of people with a mental illness just assume this. Only ones who know about me are family and selective friends. I talk to people a lot. Am a known joker. Just certain situations I would avoid too. I think I was more sort of trying to paint a picture of someone who is badly hit with social anxiety. To the very extreme of it. I am more classed as an agoraphobic. though I like my daily walks and a bit shopping. Work that one out. Some of us simply go against the grain of the type of anxiety that we have.

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I wasn't referring to your post. I actually found your words very informative. I was just sharing something lol. But yes I agree with you. I also have agoraphobia. Once I was diagnosed everything made sense. I like to be out but I always hated traveling. I always am homesick for a 1 full week and feel anxious and then once I start easing in its over LOL I hated being in elevators alone and would always wait for someone I didn't use one person bathrooms and perferred stalls cause of being locked in or trapped. I wouldn't get on trains and can't be in the car for me then 2 hours. The funny part is I had no idea this was an actual diagnoses I thought it was a me thing, its how I've always been so I didn't know this is a common widespread actually diagnoses.

Packed anything I hate. Trains, buses, you name it. I have it all mapped out in my head as to what time buses and trains are empty. Amazing how we do that stuff. I know where every item in the local shop is. So I can go in, get what I want and get back out. Is like I map everything out and remember it. Should be in a circus with tricks like that. LOL. But it is what we tend to do to survive. My mental map as I like to call it.