FOMO and Social Anxiety

[bimxroni]

This is my second post I am making here and I could really use some insight. Too give some back ground my freshman year of college I rushed a sorority thinking it would be a good place to make friends and connect with others. I’m now a senior in college and due to dealing with general DEI and racism problems ( I’m african american) I fine myself in a difficult place. The sorority was really the only community I had on campus and after dealing with the problem i did in this organization i find that my social anxiety is worse than it was before. There were people that I was able to talk to while I was apart of the organization but now that I’m out it feels like we don’t really have anything to talk about anymore. Reaching out has always been really difficult for me but for some reason even the people who were kind trigger feelings of anxiety for me. I have a sense of regret about leaving. Seeing that everyone moved the same that they did just makes me feel a bit sad. I feel ridiculous wishing that it felt like they missed my presence. I’ve tried reaching out to some people from the organization but i find myself just getting stuck and overwhelmed. It’s been really feeding into my feelings of loneliness and I don’t really know how to deal with these feelings.

[teodo1]

Hi, I am socially anxious too and I am working on that with help of my therapist. Are you on therapy too? Also, have you already contacted people you know from the organisation or you are too anxious?

[bimxroni in reply to teodo1]

I tried before with not much success if I’m honest. Even talking with them makes me feel a bit anxious

[teodo1 in reply to bimxroni]

Are you on therapy?

[bimxroni in reply to teodo1]

I was in the past. this is something i’m working on going back to

[LilyAnnepuppy]

It’s hard to make friends if you’re socially anxious. I can identify. I want people who like me and who will support me.

But people tend to come into my life at the right times. If I’m open to receiving them. I just try to go about my life being as friendly and authentic as I can.

Keep yourself open.

[designguy]

Hello and welcome here to the group. I dealt with social anxiety for years and knowing what was really going on with me. One of the things i realized is that I was also suffering with low-self-worth which can cause or contribute to social anxiety. I suggest you spend some time on youtube checking out resources for improving and healing your self-worth and learning to validate yourself, I particularly like Julia Kristina, Bernadette Logue and Dr. Bernadette Sewell. I'm amazed at the quality and variety of information that is now available for free on youtube. I think social anxiety/self-worth issues affect all nationalities but you may even be able to find African American therapists or even of other nationalities talking about the issues of racism, self-worth, social anxiety, etc.. and how it specifically impacts African Americans.

[CL3V3R-G1RL]

I have GAD generalized anxiety disorder along with social anxiety. I actually dropped out of school because of it. And that was during my high school years. I had much regret doing that. But at the time I was so overwhelmed and contemplating suicide that that was the best option for me was to leave. I lived my entire teens in the box.It was hard for me to make friends but you know what's funny? I actually ended up making some really lifelong friends through the internet. I joined a forum of a actor that I like and met some really cool people on there. Oddly enough my anxiety or my social anxiety doesn't seem to be a problem when there's a screen and a keyboard involved. And I've made friends and that are still friends of mine 18 years later. In fact I've even visited them and they have visited me. And I've also met my future fiance through that forum. I understand the struggles of trying to find the right fit for a counselor or psychologist. I'm Hispanic and it's hard because most psychologists or counselors or therapists whatever most are either older to the point that they don't really understand where I'm coming from. Because I tend to talk in pop culture references. And I use humor a lot. And some folks don't get my humor. And also there's that culture issue. But I found if you shop around which is the best thing you can do. It doesn't hurt therapists or counselors feelings. You have to find the one that feels right for you. And most importantly that they get you. It makes therapy and healing by much easier. Wishing you the best of luck 🫂❤️ don't be a stranger