Social anxiety: I have social anxiety and I’m... - OCD Support

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Social anxiety

Phillips319 profile image
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I have social anxiety and I’m sure I’ve had it for the longest, I just didn’t know at the time. It’s hard for me to be in public anymore or even talk on the phone in fear that I’ll say something bad or even embarrass myself to my friends. I’ve always been an introvert but this sucks because I actually want to be around people but I get too anxious and feel out of place. I think that my self confidence has a lot to do with this. Last year I was diagnosed with temple muscle hypertrophy, which makes one side of my face look a bit swollen and uneven. This really messed with my confidence and the anxiety just makes it even more worse.....

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Sallyskins profile image
Sallyskins

A condition that affects your appearance can knock your confidence, particularly when you're young, but you need to know that other people don't notice half as much as you do, and don't mind it at all. They respond to your overall demeanour, and that includes your personality and your facial expressions. That's a good deal of someone's physical attractiveness.

Self consciousness can be crippling. But learning to lose it will gain you self confidence. Most of us, indeed, all of us, embarrass ourselves now and then. But saying something bad, or out of place, by accident is just not what anybody does. Saying something bad is a deliberate act, not an accidental one, no matter how impulsive.

I've been in the position, as I think we all have, when a thought has been so loud in my head that I think I must have spoken it out loud. But I haven't.

Lack of self confidence can be got over simply by chatting to people and taking an interest. Lack of self esteem takes a bit more effort. It might be worth your getting some help with this, perhaps get a self help book. It's partly about understanding that you don't mess up more than other people, that you're worth as much as other people, and that many people actually like you. And if they don't, perhaps that's more about them than about you.

Don't avoid company. I'm sure a lot of people are missing yours!

Phillips319 profile image
Phillips319 in reply to Sallyskins

Sallyskins Thankyou !! it’s just something about your words and explainations that I find very comforting . It’s like I know that I’m being irrational when it comes to overthinking what I say because I know it’s not something that I’ve done or would do , so I tell myself , get a grip-this isn’t something YOU would say. Let it go(even though I can’t sometimes). It’s just hard to go from just being able to have normal conversation and not think anything of it to now questioning things I said all the way to forgetfulness at times. But this year I want it to be better along with this social anxiety. I’m working on my self confidence too. I will be doing a lot more self care because it is needed.

Brielle-White profile image
Brielle-White

hi there, i can truly connect to your emotions and thoughts i have suffered social anxiety too and still dealing with it... but trust me you have all the spark in you because you have the WILL to change and trust me nobody is even or perfect in real life... stay around positive people, people with a positive soul will be able to reflect your real beauty and real self... nothing should affect your self-respect and no deformity, disease or circumstance decides anything about anybody... you just need to gather up all your positivity.. try some breathing exercises and spend time with whom you feel comfortable and start letting out what you feel.. gradually you will be able to connect with more people..

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