Not convinced that the internet is godsend for everyone with social anxiety?

[OohYouAreAwful]

I’ve got the impression over many years that the internet is some sort of saviour for the shy/socially anxious/people who do not easily socialise. I can understand the reasoning here, given that you don’t have to actually look anyone in the face and see their revulsion. Unfortunately I find engaging on the internet incredibly worrying - possibly more so than real life - and this then makes me feel alienated alienated even from other social anxiety sufferers! Fml.

Obviously I realise the irony, given that I’m writing this to a forum, but honestly, the chances of me checking this thread within six months of me starting it are monumentally low. I’ll be embarrassed about what I wrote, scared that no-one responded, horrified about my turn of phrase, typos etc etc etc. I almost find real life social anxiety easier to deal with than interacting online, as you can always be a bit weird then disappear face to face, whereas your oddness (and grammatical mistakes) can be forever discover online.

So, my question is this: does anyone with social anxiety/depression/general self hatred etc actually find the internet a more difficult social space than the real world? I’m asking this with full knowledge that I will likely not come back to check any replies.

Posting, I suppose, just in case someone else who might be a life-long lurker/almost-never poster like me at least sees that they’re not alone ....

For me it is generally easier online but I will write and re write a post then decide it comes across as odd do will delete it completely. If I do post then I worry I've come across in the wrong way and worry about what people will say in response. I don't think you're alone OP

I think you're right OP. My 19 year old daughter struggles so badly with anxiety and has been talking to me about how social media and the internet has made this so much worse. The fact that what we say/don't say/ look like and do can be analysed and judged (potentially) by so many people is a socially anxious person's nightmare.