Anybody else scared of the "real world"?

[BrahamCracker]

I almost never leave my house outside of errands or work. I play xbox, watch tv and work out. That's the extent of my life, and work too. I don't trust people so i don't have any friends (outside of facebook ppl far away). I get really lonely and depressed sometimes, but i get scared when i walk out of the house. To see someone come up with a frowning mad face scares the shit out of me. I feel like people judge me a lot.
I have a lot of mental "problems" and self confidence issues. I just can't deal with stuff like this.

Anybody else have the same problem?

 

[herbavore]

BrahamCracker, I know that a lot of people will be able to relate to what you are experiencing. It is terI am wondering if you have ever done any specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for this? I think it could really help you.

 

[millard]

And man not calling you a liar or anything of the sort but just incase u possibly didnt have a job u would still be right cause by the sounds of it u may have mental problems tho im sure yours are easily fixed whereas im pretty sure im past repairable lol and 3 posts cause im on my phone and the fucken thing cuts out randomly and dont want to get to far ahead to just lose it all

 

[SececaRD]

The only thing to fear is fear itself.

 

[BrahamCracker]

I started taking creatine and protein and have been working out 6 days a week. I was always a skinny quick kid and got beaten up pretty easy, and i had a smart ass mouth. I do have mental problems, anyone can see that. My mind is usually just tired, and always has been.

I haven't tried cognitive therapy, just the training videos. I should probably get some counceling. I do work 48-72 hours a week at a brewery and make some decent money. Since I stopped smoking weed and drinking, i've had a better time interacting with people. I just lack self confidence.

At least i'm trying by working out, taking supps and working my ass off. I hear all of you though, it's all in my head. I was always picked on in school so i'm sort of used to not trusting people/being alone.

Any online cognitive behaviors i can try? I'm gonna google it now.

 

[Vaya]

Man, can I ever relate.

People, in general, do scare me too. It's not that they have to be overtly mad - Oftentimes, in fact, I feel as though everyone (even those who are being overtly nice to me!) are angry, defiant, or in some other way view my presence in their life as abrasive. I came to realize this about myself a few years ago, but to this day it is a daily struggle to maintain my 'cool' when in crowds or amongst strangers.

I have found that it gets markedly easier with practice. That's excellent that you work in a locale whose primary function, really, is to facilitate social interaction. One integral way people learn new skills (procedural skills, social skills, behavioral skills) is by imitation. This is why we are so influenced by the "nurture" end of the continuum between Nature and Nurture in our development.

My advice would be to piggyback along with what herbavore suggested - that is, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (whose real meat cannot be found online; more often, and IME, it is best to seek a real therapist in order to achieve what you want to achieve). I'm also going to suggest paying close attention to how and under what circumstances strangers around you at work are interacting. By studying others, sometimes we learn new things about ourselves. At the very least, you may pick up on some consistencies between and amongst people that may leave you feeling not quite so alienated.

Please check back and let us know how you are! Great topic for discussion...

~ Vaya

 

[freddy47]

I remember getting robbed in my neighborhood awhile ago and I didn't leave the house for about a week except to pick up dope and food. The world can sometimes be an overwhelming and scary place. It is entirely natural to have bouts of agoraphobia every once in awhile IMO.

 

[herbavore]

I'm also going to suggest paying close attention to how and under what circumstances strangers around you at work are interacting. By studying others, sometimes we learn new things about ourselves. At the very least, you may pick up on some consistencies between and amongst people that may leave you feeling not quite so alienated.

~ Vaya

This is a great suggestion for a really useful life skill--observation. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own emotional turmoil that we assume that 1) we are the only ones and 2) that we will never understand how to change our inner workings.

Observing others carefully takes a lot of the focus off of ourselves and by that act alone we can feel calmer. But beyond that, we can also see what others do to feel more at ease in certain situations and then try it out ourselves. (Conversely it is also usually obvious what doesn't work so well!)