Mental Health Social phobia / social anxiety disorder

hot yoga has been hugely helpful for me.

I still get anxious (lots of times shopping, which makes me uncomfortable, I end up just sweating), but its helped me put myself in situations where I wouldn't have gone before out of fear.

Something about being practically naked around other people and learning to breath through difficult situations has helped me learn to relax my monkey brain.
 
I had a roommate who was terrified of people looking in the back windows of the apt. I got up from my chair, retrieved the binocolours while opening the blinds and had a peak. Since then she has power and likes them open :). I love how love can change fear into confidence !!!!!!!,

Make a list before you go and while your there see if you can pick out some of the songs that are being played while there.

Non of us choose to be apart of this thing of life

but were here
A person who is above average intelligence at least. notices differences between them and us. Its what you do with it.
if your 6ft 2 and their 5ft5 no amount of slouching with make you fit in. Instead of you feeling out, different or awkward, embrace that your at a different perspective. always looking at others to see whats cool, be a provider with attitude at least.- never judge
know that you may be maturing quicker than them - we all do
what is cool? Im 27 , cool is US Navy Vet, middle east, worked very hard, treated those below me as my students whom i cared and sometimes got in trouble for, realized we all have different strengths and each person is different. My smartest worker was a introvert, so i took him out and said anything you do you can blame it on me. Your out of your house but its my responsibility, free drinks, talked to some girls. I took the first step to show him he was just as powerful wherever he went as he was at home.

you wouldn't be on here exploring your emotions if you really didnt care... Sounds to me like when you get the spirit of this grocery store full of people was built for you, these roads and opportunities to choose whatever you wanted, with people doing the same thing, you might even feel like their your temporary friends,if your in line , if your happy, then how about a little hey How are you? that just might make them stop being bitter and judgmental and instead be happy you decided that for some reason you wanted to be friendly, 1st step, go getter, risk taker, friend maker, confident... Not scared, introverts are some of the best people people because we are so emotionally mature with others feelings. Maybe your guilt is, you know your ready to positive, but just need a little push or a role model of someone who constantly is thinking of others because it makes you happy to know their happy. remember girls like guys who ask ?s, they like to talk about things in their life cuz theres deff enough going on.
Lots of , ohhh, i can see what you mean, do you feel appreciated? Where have you always wanted to go? For how long? Be interested in them, dudes want to know everything is good to go. Hey! Hey! You good? Yeah? Cool! Lets do something. Cool.









lol moneyboy seems you had like an upgrade for your self as a human,karate,acting,painting...
Yeah I have the problem of going out in grocery store too..I really feel crippled by my anxiety,every human that is passing me by is an object of constant worry for me,because I feel like I am being judged,like I walk odd or look odd,every time I pass someone on street I feel something is wrong with me,like they are looking at me and thinking something wrong .I know its bullshit ,but I am partly right,because theres no reason to be afraid. Elaborate...Theres something in my head that makes me feel judged by them, interesting you dont feel the urge to judge them! Why? Because you dont know what theve done...like they dont know wht youve done, hmmmm? Interesting ..even when talking with my friends I feel like im judged by the way how I am anxious sometimes ..at the same time I feel !guilt! -this is all you buddy- correction good, guilt immovable object. your not perfect, im not perfect,in your own eyes, societies eyes? Parents? Gods? Nope. None of us, so who cares if they do try to talk down. If your friends notice your anxious about something its gonna make them want to figure it out and get back to having fun, not dwelling on it, figuring it out. exploring places, things and new people. It seems to me, that this will pass when you realize carrying the weight alone will crush you, not carrying any of your friends problems-hated but working as a team to bounce ideas off each other is kinda like talking to yourself, its good therapy, and their your buds, who else knows the right words to say? "have fun today" or "damn it help bob with his chores" so we can all go out. learn from correction, don't carry guilt-most of the time its just something you know is wrongbut haven't figured out so ASK your bros!
but I feel incomplete part-human..mostly because I dumb my self down,and anxiety,depression makes you look dumber than you are,because it paralyses you,thats why I dont have positive feedback with socialising ,only worse..its like a loop really >>> worry because of worry>bad exposure>more worry... I really want to end this now,but I feel like its long road ahead
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your right. You saw a weakness, no magic button, maybe this will shape you to be who you are, you covered it with behavior changes, then drugs, then isolation, if you think you have the authority to make those accusations against yourself, then you equally have the authority to try different methods right? Not knowing the standard of truth, or knowing but not knowing how to make changes in your life can lead to anxiety, still without outside pure direction anxiety leads to depression, you feel defeated.

If you were in the military and you were below me did you know you have the right to demand respect up and down the chain of command? Yup. You've been in since breakfast and i see you in the hall Ide say something like morning Recruit Pen touch! Because if I treat you like a broken weapon, you'll prob break, if I see you everyday as a capable, decision making wealth of human insight to offer his hand when needed, well then that good enough for me. Because at one point 6-12 grade i was a pimple faced violin playerwho rarely made eye contact. When I started wondering why i was shy, instead waiting for people to give me compliments, i started thinking of reasons why I am something special. im gonna take some time and not let my circumstances dictate my self confidence.
so in the military when it came time to see if they did a good job ide say the truth and show em I cared enough to at least let you know, ill look you in the eye so you know im serious! I ment it! I was proud to say "junior personel pen touch, i cant lie, you did a really awesome job, now you feel better and I feel better that i told the truth, I made the first step, I let my guys know I was gonna help them when they fall and give due recognition when they or anyone in their spot deserved it.

i dont think they mean to judge or criticizing you, or maybe Hollywood does. But the truth as we have discussed isn't opinion, If your unsure of your own behavior, a smart attribute could be examining why you feel low confidence and remember your willing to tackle feelings and behavior to overcome and change so you and everyone around you benefits.l. But know a few things that only you do and do them with confidence, your the only one like you. That way when you give a compliment its not faked, its YOU and all your stories (saying-you did it) -The karate thing is a perfect starting ground to see yourself as equal to your peers, no more, no less.
. Im a sailor, no two salutes are perfect, its the reason for the salute...you are only one. One of a kind, promise you are not me. Im assuming your smart, you have identified a life form stuck in a human vessel. One instance of imperfection in this world means its everywhere. Yeah your bros can spot it. People can tell if your not relaxed around them. Tell em "guys that win was freakin awesome, and they cant argue with a true compliment so now your not the nervous kid, your the you believe in them kid. Just like you needed it. If you don't know what to do in life, be just, merciful and humble. understand you have the power to be mean and the power to have mercy on those that you could outcast because, he who is forgiven much, is thankful for much, and he who forgives much, much of him is forgiven. you might start making new friends when people notice your friendly to people you didnt really talk to, confident that no one really has the answers.

We are so much more in common than not in common. You cannot be perfect, in trying you'll get stress twitches, confusion, mistakes, hair falling out, and it'll be funny/awkward. If you can as a baby take a very first breathe then 15 yrs later, owning a bike, some cash, speak two languages, one english and the other cultural, and can recognize the importance of another life worth then you my friend are supremely important, just the potential that you could make another person feel that their shyness issues could be over because she sees you speak clearly and with honest interest in how the something in her life is going and now she looks up to you, sw you do it now she can do it. We all have role models, maybe someone has already decided they like your way of tying their shoes, or spending time with the pet.

Heres a secret, at every party, every gathering, every dance, everyday, when 2 people meet one has to take the risk and introduce themselves, neither wants to but when you say"hey, i saw you standing there and you just made me want to say high to you. You just did your old store kid socially awkward old you a affirmation, and showed the lady your into making life easier for her right...right..
bam who sounds like the kinda person that people would want to be around making sure your just as happy as you made them feel that first time. There are leaders and followers, some like to show people how much they believe they can do, some have to be convinced.

I wanted to end it two days ago, but in Saying it made me realize I want to end it to stop bad, have good, feel good, but i also learned that my kind of fun was actually empty. I spent alot of money but didnt help anyone, could have but i was busy in my own world. I have been humbled this year.
Good and bad call out for attention, anxiety can be a loud warning to bad a unnatural feeling that somethings not right . (Knowing whats right but not doing it) (want to give but cant afford it!! Sleeping on the couch when everyone one you know has a career) - btw this is my situation. thank you anxiety, for bringing those things up, i cant fix em overnight so lets prioritize and not shoot myself in the foot worrying and when we're reminded were only human. like seeing my own social phobia I pretend like it makes me happy their all getting food they want. I pretend Jesus is walking with me, funny thing I imagine talking to him about what it was like creating that granite floor or what color his clothes were. Or in a store his favorite food. He's so smart. Cuz all those mall people are actually related to all of us in someway, kinda breaks the ice. The smart ones are the ones with situational responsibility, you noticed your not as confident as you see your self, well slowly see what might be causing that, If people like us, notice a person who is having a rough day, and we offer them a moment to relax cuz we went thru the same. Then good is in the world, if we don't know or believe how important every person on earth is pain and confusion and isolation are not far away.
 
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Pimar, I would really suggest getting someone to work with you on mindfulness techniques that you can use to calm yourself from panic attacks and extreme paranoia like this. Basically it becomes like having a friend in your head rather than the voice of fear which has been allowed to take over the place! I had really bad panic attacks for a couple of years and this is how I eradicated them completely. I feel like even if they were to come back, I would now know what to do. I don't spend nearly as much time in my rational mind as lots of folks but this is one time when I'm glad I have one.;)
 
I don't know if you're eligible, but these guys run regular online programs teaching people mindfulness and self-management techniques for social phobia: http://www.ecentreclinic.org/

They're a research program, so you have to do a lot of feeding back on how helpful the program is, but the bonus of that is you're helping develop more effective treatment programs for future candidates.

Only recommended if you have the motivation and self-discipline to do the homework they provide!
 
I've got severe social anxiety disorder as diagnosed by my GP, alongside the depression and zero self-esteem and history of self-harm, eating disorders and alcohol and drug abuse. My recent thing has been ripping small chunks of hair from my head, due to recent tremendous stress over my schizophrenic fiancé's nearly being sectioned and erratic sometimes devastating actions and words. We moved house last October from a shithole flat to a lovely Victorian terrace in a quiet residential area, somehow exacerbating his paranoid symptoms (my fault, naturally). I'm his 'carer'. Small mistakes always carry malicious intent on my part, despite nearly always being the result of the anxiety and getting flustered when out by myself food shopping or the domestic tasks I try to keep on top of. I feel like I'm going to dissolve through the cracks in the kitchen floor.
 
Fear is the primal emotion that evolved when the perception of the unknown is equal to likely being physically injured by an external force. I'm wondering if social anxiety sufferers also suffers from some degree of alexithymia, an incapability to identify ones own and the feelings of others. Which makes the empathetic component of trust equal to void, and without trust, the intention of the external force is indeterminable, therefore fear is experienced. It has some validity in modern society, since fear can greatly increase our effort in taking the time to make sure we are passing our genes on. A highly self-attentive persona is more attractive to the opposite gender because it has the dedication to mold it's own beauty to perfection. So the question is, why do some people have the excessive need to be attractive to everyone?
 
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I think social anxiety is a reflection and projection outward (onto others) of the judgments in one's own mind--pure and simple. Change your relationship with yourself to one of honesty, humility and acceptance and "social anxiety" has nothing to feed on. I say that from experience.
 
Yes, I agree with that. We live in a judgmental society where we learn and project our own way of thinking.
At some instance you may find yourself anxious due to judgements of your own.

It´s a feeling all of us have in some degree IMO. And only due to experience and "exposure" this tends to diminish with time or make it Becomes even worse when you feel you did not succeed. That's often when we look for help through benzos or therapy, or both.
 
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I think social anxiety is a reflection and projection outward (onto others) of the judgments in one's own mind--pure and simple. Change your relationship with yourself to one of honesty, humility and acceptance and "social anxiety" has nothing to feed on. I say that from experience.

Absolutely. Change has to start from within. For me perception as a whole all depends on how you see yourself. How you feel on the inside reflects in the way that you see everyone else. Not just people but places, events, situations...everything. I am at a point right now in my life where I have completely masked my social anxiety with drugs. This works for a while, but once I am not on medication all of that self-doubt and helplessness comes back times ten. Now I feel that I am at the point where the pain is so excruciating I don't care what anyone or anything thinks anymore. Instead of anxiety I feel anger. This is a reflection of the anger I have towards myself for constantly repeating the same things over and over again without making any real, lasting progress. Being angry feels a lot better to me then feeling sad or anxious all of the time. Almost like a defense mechanism.

Sorry to veer off discussion, just venting my own personal frustrations.
 
Social anxiety is definitely a spectrum. There's the bits that lots of people deal with that are related to low self-esteem, shyness, regular everyday anxiety - I feel like this kind of thing can be really easily addressed with positive thinking and talk therapy.

I'm reluctant to say doctors are 'over diagnosing' coz, you know, I haven't been through ten years of med school and they have, but I feel like a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder should be restricted to people who's daily functioning is severely inhibited. If that's you, that really sucks :(
 
My hypnotherapist told me " everybody is fucked up (basically in one way or another) and told me that you cannot judge somebody by 1 minute because it does not tell their whole life story. " i suffered from it too, at restaurants, grocery shopping, not at work though, but he told me that and it put it into perspective. He also told me to watch this:


Watch "The Egg - by Andy Weir" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/D1VN5zICGeU



you may think it's corny. But idk, i dont care anymore what others think of me. I know im fucked up and done some fucked up shit, but so have others. I've come an extremely long way in my 25 years on earth (im sure you have to), and i remind myself of that. No one has the right to judge anybody.
 
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