Anxiety

[Annoymous12]

Hi,

I suffer from social anxiety and being in different social settings. I am trying to get feedback and a better understanding of anxiety, and how it affects people differently if anyone is willing to share their personal struggle with anxiety, how long you have suffered, what coping mechanisms you use to help your anxiety and what it is like for you everyday living with anxiety.

Thankyou.

[BlueLily]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear you are going through social anxiety. I myself suffer from it as a result of fully working from home. I find myself sweating or not being able to communicate with people when I'm out and about or being worried about saying the wrong thing.

Unfortunately I found the way to cope with it best is to slowly put myself out there. Initially I tried to go to events or outings with someone who I was completely comfortable with. That way I don't feel the pressure to speak to people I don't know and my friend will always be there if I need. Once I felt fully comfortable with that I went to meetups and activities where there were people who had common interests and likes to mine. That way I always have common interests with them to talk about and don't feel the need to put a lot of effort. 

Also there are lot of great threads in this forum on various anxiety mechanisms. I read them and try to find tips that works for my scenarios. 

Hope you find good tips in this forum. Take care...

[Happylife]

Hello and welcome to the forums. Really sorry to hear about your anxiety struggles.

I think we all experience moments of nervousness or tension around social events, so remember you are not alone.

If I may ask, have you been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder by a mental health professional? Do you have a persistent fear of being watched or judged by others which impacts your everyday functioning?

In any case, avoidance is never the solution. It may have short term benefits but in the long term it is not going to be helpful, your fear will only keep growing. As suggested by others, the best way is to gradually expose yourself to social situations along with some relaxation techniques. The most important thing is, please don't focus on being perfect because nobody is.

You can start small by spending time with few family members or friends, that way you can slowly build your confidence. Give it some time and try to stay positive.

Hope this helps...

Take care

Happylife