Social Anxiety

[Upallnightfeeding]

Hello all,

Self diagnosed but I honestly live not feeling ‘normal’. I completely hide how I feel and fake a happy, friendly, confident person. I just don’t like talking to people or socialising as it fills me with dread of their judgement. I know I shouldn’t care but it’s something I can’t help, the anxiety takes over and that’s all I think about until the next event that I’m anxious about 😂

Ive noticed I used to drink to make me feel better then blame the hangover for me feeling the dread. Since having my baby almost 2 years ago I haven’t drank so this has led me to think this isn’t going to go away on its own.

I feel like if I was to explain how I felt to a GP they would just think I was weird… should I go? Has anyone felt like this and benefitted from a GP? Interested to hear!

Let me ask you a question. When you talk to other people, do you judge them? If you don't then understand that they aren't judging you either (and if they are, then it is entirely a reflection of them, not you). As you've found, alcohol isn't worth the hangover!

A couple of tips; always have some questions in your mind you can ask ("where did you get that bag/coat/dress?" "have you been to this bar (whatever) before?") and don't be embarrassed to say that you find socialising a bit difficult since having a baby/lockdown - you'll be amazed at how many people feel the same way as you and are too scared to say!

Oh, and have a look at this video - the speaker used to suffer from debilitating social anxiety;

Hi OP,
Following thread with interest.
You’ve just described how I feel most of the time. Anxiety can consume me in social settings and I worry about coming across as disinterested or just plain boring. I haven’t watched the previous poster’s video ( thanks for posting a link) but I’m hoping it will help me too.

i have suffered with severe social anxiety since I was about 14 (now in my fifties) but have recently improved a lot using this CBT workbook :-

Managing Social Anxiety, Workbook: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach (Treatments That Work)

HTH