Anxiety About Public Settings and Social Interactions

[Narnie]

I’ve been really struggling with my social anxiety. I believe I used to be a very confident person but since moving cities and having very limited social interactions, I am no longer that person. Doing simple tasks such as grocery shopping has been extremely emotionally draining and exhausting - so much so that I’ve completely refrained from it and order everything online. I am still able to attend work because I’m already familiar with those surroundings and people.
I’m just struggling to leave my house because of the anxiety that I feel about interacting with people and not being able to anticipate what might happen when I’m in public situations.

I just want to know that I’m not alone in these feelings of anxiety and if anyone has any solutions or support to help me overcome them.

[Sophie_M]

Hi  Narnie

Thank you for reaching out on the forums - We know how much it can be a struggle to speak up about anxiety blocks and the frustrations they cause. 

We wanted to reach out to ensure that you had some back up in what you are facing. Through out our website we have several fact sheets and info on methods of dealing with; it is definitely worth having some supports behind you. One we really like to mention is e-couch: an awesome little program that lets you look at and address your anxiety anytime you want, and its activities can keep you on track - find it here: https://ecouch.com.au/

Of course you can reach out ot us at anytime, 24/7! call 1300 22 4636 or reach out on the webchat.

I am very sure that someone here will seek to be in touch with you very soon - a lot of us have experience with this! Hang in there!

Regards,

Sophie M.

 

[geoff]

Hello Narnie, thanks for your comment, and yes when I first moved out of home, after the divorce, the same applied to me.

Doing the shopping suddenly changed from doing it for four people and then only doing it for myself, that was hard and rather emotional and only felt comfortable when I was at home.

Shopping online can easily happen after being lockdowned and may be your choice, but by moving cities, which I didn't do, means you have new surroundings, new people and function differently than before, but these people don't know of your condition so you don't have to explain anything to them, except for 'hello'.

I decided not to tell anyone, except for the person I saw every day, although he probably knew by the way I was behaving.

You don't necessarily have to interact with other people at the moment, not until you begin to feel more comfortable and can establish yourself.

Can I ask if you have told your doctor or do you have to find another one as you've moved cities, sorry to ask.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[Petal22]

Hi Narnie,

Wellcome to our forums!

Im sorry you are feeling this and your definitely not alone.

I can understand moving cities would be challenging you would have to learn how to adapt.

I went through severe anxiety and one thing I learned through out that journey was not to do what my anxiety was telling me to do because this would only reinforce the anxiety.

I would make myself go out and do the daily things, I would sit in a cafe on my own and have a coffee.

By doing this I was defying my anxiety…….. yes it was hard at the time but in time things got better.

You too can defy your anxiety….. you are so much stronger than it just believe in yourself.

Have you thought about making a appointment with your gp ? You could do a mental health plan together this will enable you to see a psychologist who can give you many strategies for anxiety.

[On The Road]

Good evening Narnie, thanks for sharing your concerns. Things must be hard for you that social anxiety getting in the way of your life. As Sophie suggested, there are some techniques that you may find useful and also contact your GP. I read from some websites that CBT has some types of "exposure training": under the therapist's guidance, you would gradually expose yourself to particular exhausting situations (e.g supermarket) so that overtimes they appear to be less exhausting for you. In the beginning, you imagine yourself being exposed, as you get more and more used to it, you may move into reality. but it also warned that it has to be done gradually or else it may cause harm and make you feel more stressed.

Please feel free to share more, about how relocation and limited social interactions are affecting you, is there any way of coping that you find can help soothe the situation?