To a certain extent I’ve had anxiety about my interactions with people since I was a young child. Of course then I didn’t know what it was I just remember a negative feeling. I remember my younger days, late teens and early 20s I would avoid saying hello to people because I thought they wouldn’t want to say hello back to me. I told a boyfriend this at the time who thought I was mental for that.
As an adult this feeling has come and gone, at its worst (now) I feel incredibly low after spending time with others, even short conversations with friends and people I know well leaves me feeling low about how i came across to the other person, I analyse every word I say, how I replied to what they were saying, my personality, my mood etc. Just completely self aware and my focus isn’t on the general interaction and the other person.I’m noticing I’m feeling this way with close family members now, people who I know would never judge me.
As a result I think I am avoiding people now and feel exhausted after all interactions. Thank you to anyone that reads this. Does anyone have experience of this or going through anything similar? Is there anyone who has good ideas of ways to cope or manage it? Im unsure if it’s therapy i need by now?