It is as stupid as it sounds. I always said to myself "my social anxiety is not that bad" well....I had really strong allergic reaction today after some food I ate. My throat started closing up, it was hard to breathe. I thought it was nothing, since I never expirienced any food allergies but soon, I was so deyperate to inhale, I knew it was serious. I was home alone so I picked up my phone, dialed 911 but before calling...I stared at my phone. "Is this worth the call?" I thought. "What if they will be annoyed I called this late?" "What if there is somebody in real danger and I am in a way?" I put the phone down, deciding to just focus on breathing. Not even 2 minutes later, I could not breathe almost at all. Still refused to call though. Fortunately my brother just returned from work and imidiatly called 911 and I was taken to hospital and I am all better now.

Social anxiety sucks

do you socialize and do you feel lonely and bored all day at home I live with my parents no job no school nothing just on my computer all day so I dont have to face my parents

does anyone else relate? any solution to this?

Sup Redditors,

I've been feeling like shit for a while now. Anxiety so bad that my chest hurts often and I feel depression crippling back into my life.

I have different sources of anxiety but prominently it's from work in the form of social anxiety. It feels like I can't take it anymore. My heart skips a beat when I get a call or an email or any sort of responsibility. I am hard working but it's like these social interactions haunt me and I fear them so much.

I am starting to fall back to the typical mentality I tried so hard to overcome before. Like leaving this world and how good that sounds. Feels like not everyone can handle this life and I am one of them.

I thought of resigning but I need the money. Who doesn't to be able to live in this world? but I am just so tired gang. I wonder if I might die from all this chest pain and fear.

Feels like I'm back to square 1. Don't feel like doing anything. I don't want to shower. I don't want to clean. I don't want to do the things that used to make me feel good like skincare or watching shows.

I've been battling depression and anxiety for probably around 9 years now. Ups and downs but I'm back to a low and I'm losing hope.

Yeah, writing this on my lunch break and crying. FUN!

Basically, whenever someone gets upset with me, seems disappointed in me, or points out that I made a mistake, I’ll think I’ve permanently ruined their opinion of me, and from now on they’ll always think negatively of me. It feels like they’ll never see me the same way again, if someone has one negative emotional reaction to me, there’s no coming back from it.

Even if they treat me normally after that, I just can’t get over the idea that they might deep down still think about the way I made them mad or annoyed. Logically I know this might not be the case but it still feels like it is.

I don’t know of this is a social anxiety spesific thing or just a deeper personal issue. Do you guys experience this?

TLDR: frustrated, dejected, stymied, depressed, disheartened by inability to create more than superficial connections.

Our new clergy just arrived. Other people are buzzing around him and his family, making their impression, snapping them up in the freshness of new beginnings.

Me, I'm a wallflower. I like this group because it's a real singing group. No one cares how loud I am, in fact, that's how I'm known, as having a fabulous voice. it's very inconsistent though, so my efforts to do anything with it have all come to naught.

My first opportunity to make myself known occurred recently in a small setting, but my voice and I hosed it. I feel like an idiot.

I'm ordained, too, but because I'm so inconsistent and my social skills are rudimentary, I've never told anyone here. I don't want to set expectations and then fail. And i have failed *spectacularly* in the past.

I should be content to be a modest, unassuming person in a congregation that suits me, but I do still wish for more.

Is there a point to this post? I guess I'm dejected and frustrated with my inability to make deeper connections.

Was at work and this woman in her late 30s was at my desk. My coworker who everyone finds annoying was standing nearby for some reason instead of being at his department. We were talking about something she wanted to buy, and she said something like "I had a question for this hot man right here", signaling to me with her hands.

And my coworker said "yeah I call him attractive all the time".

I was kinda just flabbergasted at how direct she was! So I just awkwardly said

"I'm flattered"... silence.

I wasn't really sure where to take the conversation from there, so I just went back to talking about work related stuff.

Turns out she's married and has kids. My coworker must've been bricked cause that dude was being cringy and flirting a little too hard, but that's beside the point. Should I have just been like "thanks" or something? Why is talking hard?

It all happened so fast...

Now i'm always looking for reasons to have conversations with random people while im outside. It can definitely get better

Wondering if this is a common realization...

Like yall will be texting then outta nowhere they start sending voice messages, it turns me off and makes me not want to talk to them ever again lol

I was editing some Microsoft Teams messages I sent the day prior at 4 am and accidentally called boss. They have logged on and saw the missed call and asked if I was okay. Not sure what to say since it’s weird I was logged on a 4 am.

I wonder how I can break out of this lifelong isolation, especially since I’m entering my late 20s. Bad past experiences hold me back, and it’s always a possibility that I will mess up like every time before and make a poor impression due to autism or anxiety. My heart races and my body shakes uncontrollably when I get nervous. Even putting aside the nervousness, I’m too socially awkward.

I think I unintentionally create a dreadful situation and atmosphere around those who socialize with me. I noticed that my kind of social awkwardness is pretty different than the typical one. I’m a very approachable person, but once someone approaches me to interact with me or talk, they fall into a trap of extreme awkwardness, and they can’t leave easily since they’re the one who came to me in the first place. I can definitely feel their regret.

Idk what’s wrong with me, sigh.

Thinking about friends makes me anxious, going out to have fun sounds uncomfortable, going outside feels overwhelming, everythings suddenly hard when ive been at home alone

I’m 19F currently enrolled in community college right now pursuing a degree in Data Science since my tuition is free for my first two years where I live. My plan before transferring to a University was supposed to be getting my license and getting some work experience to save up money for the rest of my undergraduate tuition, but I’ve
yet to achieve either of those things. I’ve gotten my permit a few months ago when I was still 18 and a plan to get my license before I turn 20, however, I still have yet to find a job. I’ve been applying nonstop to jobs over the last year and have only gotten 3 interviews, all of which have gone poorly either due to my horrible social skills, lack of experience, and/or lack of availability. I’ve had an interview at Chick-Fil-A, Target, and two tutoring centers so far as I figured either one of these jobs would be a good opportunity for me to work on my social skills, but I’ve never been able to get past the second interview stage. Initially I wanted to try working as a tutor or in the library at my community college since I figured they’d be more flexible with my schedule, but unfortunately the majority of jobs only hire federal work study students which I did not qualify for due to my household income.

I live in a fairly expensive and highly competitive area in which I’ve mostly seen older adults working minimum wage jobs in fast food and retail more than teens and young adults, so maybe that could be another part of the reason why I’m unable to find a job these days.
Although part of me does wonder if my social anxiety and tendency to come across as awkward despite trying to appear friendly has made me seem off-putting to most employers. In high school, I didn’t have that many friends and was too afraid of socializing to even consider the prospect of applying. The only reason I’ve been able to get over my fear of applying to jobs in the first place was because my shame of not having one was also contributing to my social anxiety to begin with.

In the meantime, I’ve been trying to improve by resume by volunteering at my local food-bank, and at other non-profit organizations to get some experience. I’m aware it’s not exactly viewed the same as actual job experience, but I’m not entirely sure how I’m supposed to stand out to employers otherwise.

My mom is a nurse and makes a lot of money, but my father has been unemployed for 10 years yet both of my parents are still together due to the fact that my mom cannot drive. I’m very fortunate that my mom can support me financially and that my tuition at community college is free for the time being, but ideally I’d like to find a job before I turn 20, and it seems unrealistic with the way things have been going so far. Getting my license and a job would allow me to eventually save up enough money to put a down payment on a car and not be in too much debt when I transfer to University, but so far both of those things have been difficult for me to attain. I was wondering if anyone here had any advice with how they were able to get their first job as a college student and/or adult, and if it’s normal for me to struggle with getting one even after having multiple interviews. One thing I struggle with a lot is being able to hold conversations for a certain period of time, as I eventually run out of things to say to hiring managers and can’t hold eye contact for that long. Does anyone have advice on how I can improve my communication skills enough to increase my chances of landing a job?

Hey! I’m a girl without social anxiety but really want to be more empathetic to those who have it, could you tell me what it feels like as people with social anxiety and your best description of it and give specific scenarios?

So this is me. 25M

When it comes to social situations I do fine overall, I can talk to men and women. I do find myself getting along with women slightly better though. Even attractive women, I can go up and talk to them have a convo become friends no problem. However, I have a deep fear of trying to flirt/escalate/ ask them out on a date

I have such a deep rooted fear of flirting because I am scared of doing something wrong, scared of misreading her interest in me, i feel she isn't even attracted to me so if I were to try to do it, I feel it would collapse in a ball of flames. So I just withhold my interest in her and treat her like I would anyone else. I was talking to a woman i was attracted to one time, we were having great convo, but then all of a sudden I wanted to try to flirt, I literally blanked out and it was awkward as hell. So I just went back to regular convo. Its like a phobia

I have never felt what it was like to have a woman attracted to me, yet I know many others who are able to tell stories of women who were attracted to them at some point, even if it was a woman they were not attracted/interested in, they at least have a story to tell about it. I havw nothing, so that further increases my fear

How do i get over this?

I have had severe social anxiety since I was a kid, but at 44, I’ve learned to mask enough to work, thanks to meds and time. Actually, I work customer service, which is ideal for me, because I can basically just follow a script. However, my mask and my words fall apart when I’m nervous and put on the spot.

Does anyone else have trouble physically speaking when they’re nervous? I start stuttering and saying the wrong words, like my mind goes 404 and starts pulling out nonsense words at random that sound similar to what I’m trying to say. I usually have to stop and start over a few times. It’s embarrassing.

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Basically the ttitle I am 20 and this is my first ever hangout with mmyy friends. I am seriously scared idk what tto do or interact and I usually get social anxiety and panic attacks even when I go to a crowded place with my parents or mt bf. Iam meeting a few of my school friends and its been about 2-3 years I ssw them last. Myy heart is racing idk how to act in thhe society and I am scared that I'll ruin smtthn. My parents have always ssaid no previously this is the first time literally.. Ik its concerning.

Ccan I get advice on how to cope with my anxiety and acct cool?

I seriously don’t know what to do anymore. Years ago, I used to be so optimistic and genuinely believe that my SA would lessen if I just keep going.

When I started high school, the anxiety was definitely there, but I used to be able to muster up the courage to talk to people when I needed to. I was able to imagine a future where talking is easy! But graduating high school, that wasn’t the case at all, it only got worse through out the years. In the last few years, I started feeling extra anxious and my heartbeat would rise just from walking toward my classroom and having to open that door. Because of my SA, I’m such deadweight when it comes to group projects, I can’t talk during irl discussions, and even sending a message in the group chat is too much. I believed everyone didn’t like me because of that. Ofc they would..

Now, no matter what, I can’t even force myself to be optimistic. I don’t know what the future looks like at all, I don’t want to keep going like this.

I joke around about killing myself over every minor inconvenience, but this time, the thought felt way too serious. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, my arms started feeling weak and tingly as if the blood in my arms had left it all at once. There was only one other period of time, about half a year ago, where I seriously thought I wanted to die, and I had the exact same feeling in my arms. Isn’t it unfair that mental health problems affect your physical health?! Like, please just pick one to make me struggle with! I’m so lightheaded all the time. I don’t really remember how I got past it before, I just did…

Of course, I don’t think I’m at the point where I would actually do it. But I keep having thoughts about how if I were to get abducted or assaulted, I couldn’t even scream for help… my SA just won’t allow it. And how at that point, I deserve to die because I’m too useless to even protect myself. But I don’t want that to happen at all !!!

Now, I’m a college freshman. I haven’t started my first day of “class” yet, but there was a 3 day orientation that ended yesterday, and my classes start next Monday. But from those 3 days alone, I don’t believe I belong here at all, but I’m gonna have to keep going despite this 🙂 I keep thinking about how I’m going to disappoint everyone as soon as a group activity starts, how I’m not going to be able to focus in class because anxious thoughts keep running through my mind, and how I’m going to fail my classes, my family will be disappointed too. And since I just had to pick a really demanding 6-year course, I think about how I’m gonna be too busy to even do the things I normally do to distract me from these thoughts..!

Actually, there are 3 days of advance classes held by some seniors before school actually starts. I wanted to go because a head start sounds nice. But I chickened out just this morning when I was planning on forcing myself to go today. I used to be able to at least FORCE myself to join these kinds of things, and join clubs/organizations and stuff. I can’t see myself doing that anymore. It’s just impossible, I don’t know anybody there, and I sure as hell can’t get to know them or even allow them to get to know me. Who cares about the advance classes? I’ll learn all this from actual class anyways.

I don’t like to share this much about myself and things I did and am planning to do… I’m afraid of somehow being doxxed lol. But even though the chances are so small, I’m kind of hoping somebody in this sub, who goes to the same school somehow puts the pieces together, and notices there’s someone with a similar struggle too!! I wanna feel less alone, I really hope I can make a friend at school this year…

This morning, I couldn’t look anyone in the eye before washing my face, because I cried as soon as I woke up🥲 I’m really afraid of crying in class. Honestly, there’s so much I want to say… but this is a lot already.

I don’t have anybody to dump this on, so if you read the whole thing, thank you 🙂‍↕️

First of all: congrats to me.

Second of all: I'm fucked if I want to keep this job

How do I keep this job?

I've been isolated for the past three years, and now I have to work in customer service. Yep, customer service. 💀

Today was my first day, and I was already fucking everything up.

I forgot to write down people's names.

I don't even know how to greet people properly.

I avoided helping customers whenever I could, let my coworker speak for me, and when I did help someone, I either gave them the wrong information or forgot to tell them something important.

My voice is awful: it's way too quiet, and I sounded like I was about to cry.

Yeah, I almost cried.

I couldn't stop shaking.

After all that, I still have to deal with the overthinking and wondering why I was born like this.

But for today, I'm grateful for the opportunity to make mistakes. I have the right to be slow and awkward. Yes, I do.

It's crazy I still feel nervous at 30 to simply order a meal or even talk over the phone. I just get anxious and serious. I remember whenever I talk with someone I would use my hands more or just stare at them. Sometimes I even forget or get lost in the moment what do I say next because that person is just going on talking and I'm not even sure what the heck am I focusing on.

20m here, I've lived all my life and childhood in isolation with no friends and never been in a relationship. Friendships don't lasts since I find people drift away from me because I might be boring or different from other people.

Since i don't have a social life I've been talking to random people online for a while and it never lasts, I might talk to someone once or a few times and sometimes it might last a month but then they drift away.

It's like a loop that keeps repeating itself and I'm slowly realizing that i might not ever have a friend since I can't connect with people and people find me boring.