Does anybody else....

[Konch00]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum...
Does anybody else feel like their brain doesn't function normally in front of people?? Whenever anyone (even friends and family) talks to me, I either freeze up or say something really stupid. After that happens, I dwell on how stupid what i said was or they probably think I am a weirdo, further preventing me from thinking of things to say. The thing is though, when I'm alone thoughts are firing but as soon as somebody else is present or I try to write down my thoughts, my mind goes completely blank. I would like to know if anyone else has felt like this and if they could offer any advice.

 

[Chris]

Hello and welcome.
I completely understand how you feel. I do the same thing constantly. I replay things I've said/done over in my head and wonder if I was being stupid or made a fool out of myself...

 

[triceps]

Hi Konch. What you describe is at the core of social anxiety. I've been working very hard at trying to stop those obsessive thoughts of how I did, what I said after every single social event. I also obsess, try to speculate what might happen prior to the encounters. Both of those traits cause me much unnecessary anxiety. I've got some relatives coming to visit in March for a week and I'm already stressing about it. And these are all people that I really like and who like me. I try to attack those useless ruminations by using the attitude that I'll just try to be myself and not worry about what others might think about me. Much easier said than done.

 

[Rinka]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum...
Does anybody else feel like their brain doesn't function normally in front of people?? Whenever anyone (even friends and family) talks to me, I either freeze up or say something really stupid. After that happens, I dwell on how stupid what i said was or they probably think I am a weirdo, further preventing me from thinking of things to say. The thing is though, when I'm alone thoughts are firing but as soon as somebody else is present or I try to write down my thoughts, my mind goes completely blank. I would like to know if anyone else has felt like this and if they could offer any advice.

Classic social anxiety dear. It’s the whole fight, flight or freeze thing. In case of sa it’s the freezing. I become mute sometimes, really weird. So many thoughts in my mind, but it’s so hard to make my mouth function. Believe me you are not alone. I suppose this knowledge can help make one feel better.

 

[JCP]

Hi Konch,
Yes definitely! Like if I'm with a group of people and someone would ask me my opinion on a subject I would just freeze up then after it I go over that moment in my mind suggesting ways of how I could have looked less stupid.

Like Rinka said it's classic social anxiety.