Help - I find parties and social situations so awkward at times.
I always had a fairly wide social circle of friends when I was younger and I'm certainly not friendless now, but life events and issues have left me feeling not great about myself and that seems to have manifested in me feeling incredibly awkward and nervous socially.
It's almost as though I expect people not to respond well to me and so it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I feel stiff and uncomfortable, people are picking up on that, and so not enjoying my company. This even happens with people I know well. I just can't seem to engage with people in a relaxed way anymore and it breaks my heart to see people I like withdrawing from me. I constantly feel excluded and on the outside of things. It's a vicious circle - the more negative I feel, the more people step back, the more people step back, the more negative I feel.
I've gone from somebody who used to love a good party to someone who sometimes feels it would just be easier to stay at home and not have to talk to anybody :-(
I desperately want to improve things but don't really know where to start. I've had counselling and didn't find it massively helpful to be honest.
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Gah social awkwardness
9 replies
Makeyerowndamndinner · 28/08/2011 20:07
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