5 Signs It's Social Phobia (Not Introversion)
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Date: 2023-08-20
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Comments and reviews: 25
Stacie
Im 48 years old and Ive only had 1 friend 6th-11th grade and thats the only friend I ever had. I havent heard from her in many years thank goodness cause I prefer not to socialize. I rarely leave the house, answer calls or answer the door. If I hear you coming you can bet Im locking the door and hiding in the back of the house until I think you are gone. I do live with my bf and his 3 small children. Very rarely does anyone come over and when they do Im in the house in a panic worrying if they are going to come in the house. My bf knows this so he usually stays in the yard and talk when his friends drop by. I do go to the store and I try not to make eye contact or engage in any conversation and if someone does speak to me my heart starts racing and I feel panic setting in, prompting me to hurry and get back home to my safe place. I prefer being alone as much as possible. I often wonder what its like to have a friend but I vaguely remember what it was like after 31 years of not wanting to have friends. Im scared of people. Unless Im around you frequently. Even then Im not going to go out of my way to be around you or speak with you.
I live for my alone time, I could be the last person on earth and be fine with it, especially if I have a dog
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Im 48 years old and Ive only had 1 friend 6th-11th grade and thats the only friend I ever had. I havent heard from her in many years thank goodness cause I prefer not to socialize. I rarely leave the house, answer calls or answer the door. If I hear you coming you can bet Im locking the door and hiding in the back of the house until I think you are gone. I do live with my bf and his 3 small children. Very rarely does anyone come over and when they do Im in the house in a panic worrying if they are going to come in the house. My bf knows this so he usually stays in the yard and talk when his friends drop by. I do go to the store and I try not to make eye contact or engage in any conversation and if someone does speak to me my heart starts racing and I feel panic setting in, prompting me to hurry and get back home to my safe place. I prefer being alone as much as possible. I often wonder what its like to have a friend but I vaguely remember what it was like after 31 years of not wanting to have friends. Im scared of people. Unless Im around you frequently. Even then Im not going to go out of my way to be around you or speak with you.
I live for my alone time, I could be the last person on earth and be fine with it, especially if I have a dog
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leer
I can so relate.
It began after I found my first long-term boyfriend. We were 17/18 and going to parties stopped in our early 20s. I then isolated myself more and more and he worked and worked. It's as if I un-learned all social skills I had.
We were together for 7 years.
When I was all alone, I slowly learned to function outside again. I was on a good way, I even managed to go grocery shopping alone or go for a walk. I was putting on weight and felt good. I wasn't underweight anymore.
Sadly, Corona came and my fears turned into panic. I couldn't do anything but stay at home due to all the rules outside. I was just so afraid of the new rules and if I knew all of them and what could go wrong. Mask or no mask, will they stare if I wear it or will they stare if I don't etc.
There were days, weeks I didn't have much to eat at home and I would eat just soup with much water for days. Tasted like nothing. I couldn't go outside and buy me some things. So. social anxiety and my eating disorder came back.
I live with it for about 10 years now. I'm 30.
But I think I'm on a good way again. My life changed so much.
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I can so relate.
It began after I found my first long-term boyfriend. We were 17/18 and going to parties stopped in our early 20s. I then isolated myself more and more and he worked and worked. It's as if I un-learned all social skills I had.
We were together for 7 years.
When I was all alone, I slowly learned to function outside again. I was on a good way, I even managed to go grocery shopping alone or go for a walk. I was putting on weight and felt good. I wasn't underweight anymore.
Sadly, Corona came and my fears turned into panic. I couldn't do anything but stay at home due to all the rules outside. I was just so afraid of the new rules and if I knew all of them and what could go wrong. Mask or no mask, will they stare if I wear it or will they stare if I don't etc.
There were days, weeks I didn't have much to eat at home and I would eat just soup with much water for days. Tasted like nothing. I couldn't go outside and buy me some things. So. social anxiety and my eating disorder came back.
I live with it for about 10 years now. I'm 30.
But I think I'm on a good way again. My life changed so much.
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utaollie
I moved from the place i've lived my whole life to the mainland UK to attend college. I've got a small group of guy friends from my class (12 of us including me, i'm friendly with 4 or 5 of them. I wanna go out n meet more people, but i'm terrified to start a conversation with people, and i don't know where to go to meet people. there aren't really any social groups over here, n im used to just being introduced to people, which has yet to happen after living here for a year. i wanna be able to just walk up to people n say hi, my name is x, nice to meet you, i like your shirt, etc, but as a 6'4 guy thats often mistaken to be upwards of 7 years older than he is, i constantly feel like im gonna be seen as intimidating or scary, and then i end up not starting that interaction. i've tried getting out of this headspace but no matter what people advise me, I can't get over it. what should I do?
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I moved from the place i've lived my whole life to the mainland UK to attend college. I've got a small group of guy friends from my class (12 of us including me, i'm friendly with 4 or 5 of them. I wanna go out n meet more people, but i'm terrified to start a conversation with people, and i don't know where to go to meet people. there aren't really any social groups over here, n im used to just being introduced to people, which has yet to happen after living here for a year. i wanna be able to just walk up to people n say hi, my name is x, nice to meet you, i like your shirt, etc, but as a 6'4 guy thats often mistaken to be upwards of 7 years older than he is, i constantly feel like im gonna be seen as intimidating or scary, and then i end up not starting that interaction. i've tried getting out of this headspace but no matter what people advise me, I can't get over it. what should I do?
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AIR
What if I'm not afraid of people in general, their opinions/reaction, or acts of communication with them, but of possible actions towards me. I have dealt with many kinds of human ignorance and have had a generally negative, even traumatic experience. I am tormented by the complexity of the need to show loyalty to a system of views and principles that is indifferent to me, to squeeze out a reaction to other people's concerns. Trying to know the other without having confidence in what it can bring in every possible sense. It requires such overwhelming effort from me that the risk is defined as unjustified. I don't even sure if I want to know anyone anymore. Everything seems pointless. I don't know if it's caused by past events in my life but I often think that I hate people and they seem disgusting. What it is? I am very confused.
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What if I'm not afraid of people in general, their opinions/reaction, or acts of communication with them, but of possible actions towards me. I have dealt with many kinds of human ignorance and have had a generally negative, even traumatic experience. I am tormented by the complexity of the need to show loyalty to a system of views and principles that is indifferent to me, to squeeze out a reaction to other people's concerns. Trying to know the other without having confidence in what it can bring in every possible sense. It requires such overwhelming effort from me that the risk is defined as unjustified. I don't even sure if I want to know anyone anymore. Everything seems pointless. I don't know if it's caused by past events in my life but I often think that I hate people and they seem disgusting. What it is? I am very confused.
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education
I used to be a really outgoing person when I was young. I was bold and nothing could stop me from experiencing the world.
All that changed when I had encountered some social interactions that traumatized my younger self dramatically. That is when I started to lose controls of my life. At the time, people can easily manipulate me, scold or make fun of me in front of myself, and I couldn't do a thing to stop that from happening. My advice to everyone here is to keep things simple. It's not your job to make everyone feel alright or to right all the wrongs. Just show yourself to the right people and always prioritize your own feelings.
PS. I am getting better and better since I paused my education and reconnected with my inner self for the first time in life.
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I used to be a really outgoing person when I was young. I was bold and nothing could stop me from experiencing the world.
All that changed when I had encountered some social interactions that traumatized my younger self dramatically. That is when I started to lose controls of my life. At the time, people can easily manipulate me, scold or make fun of me in front of myself, and I couldn't do a thing to stop that from happening. My advice to everyone here is to keep things simple. It's not your job to make everyone feel alright or to right all the wrongs. Just show yourself to the right people and always prioritize your own feelings.
PS. I am getting better and better since I paused my education and reconnected with my inner self for the first time in life.
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Invader
About two weeks ago I went to buy some bread from the bakery, the cashier was an old lady. I bought the bread and said thank you. She had a rather dull reaction, and that has been haunting me ever since. I got some rather uncomfortable what-if situations in my head such as: What if the entire country is like this or what if I somehow end up in a house full of them and more ridiculous stuff like this. To make matters worse, I'm also quite sensitive so I'm just afraid of going outside.
On the other hand, although I find outdoors pleasant, I don't think its as interesting or enjoyable as indoors. Still, it doesn't change the fact that I have all the symptoms shown in the video
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About two weeks ago I went to buy some bread from the bakery, the cashier was an old lady. I bought the bread and said thank you. She had a rather dull reaction, and that has been haunting me ever since. I got some rather uncomfortable what-if situations in my head such as: What if the entire country is like this or what if I somehow end up in a house full of them and more ridiculous stuff like this. To make matters worse, I'm also quite sensitive so I'm just afraid of going outside.
On the other hand, although I find outdoors pleasant, I don't think its as interesting or enjoyable as indoors. Still, it doesn't change the fact that I have all the symptoms shown in the video
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education
So im not really an anxious introvert, i watched other of your video that kinds of introvert and i thought i was an anxious introvert but this video, i really understand this because it's just like me, I don't really know that im not introvet first i just thought im just shy but in this video i realized now im not shy or introvert i just have social anxiety now that was so shocking for me, but im aware of my depression, thank you very much for this video because now i know what i am. And sorry for my bad English, and everyone stay strong there we can all overcome this one day for sure.
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So im not really an anxious introvert, i watched other of your video that kinds of introvert and i thought i was an anxious introvert but this video, i really understand this because it's just like me, I don't really know that im not introvet first i just thought im just shy but in this video i realized now im not shy or introvert i just have social anxiety now that was so shocking for me, but im aware of my depression, thank you very much for this video because now i know what i am. And sorry for my bad English, and everyone stay strong there we can all overcome this one day for sure.
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Crafty
mix of the two for me. I don't like walking alone when I know it will be busy, schools out, etc, or making eye contact with strangers or neighbours I like being alone to an extent but will seek out my immediate family after a while and then need to recharge again. I don't mind shopping or eating at a cafe. I dread parties/social gatherings and having nothing interesting to say and don't want to be judged so I don't go unless it is unavoidable. Don't have much of a problem making phone calls, mabye a little hesitant, but dread having to answer/avoid answering if I don't know who it is.
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mix of the two for me. I don't like walking alone when I know it will be busy, schools out, etc, or making eye contact with strangers or neighbours I like being alone to an extent but will seek out my immediate family after a while and then need to recharge again. I don't mind shopping or eating at a cafe. I dread parties/social gatherings and having nothing interesting to say and don't want to be judged so I don't go unless it is unavoidable. Don't have much of a problem making phone calls, mabye a little hesitant, but dread having to answer/avoid answering if I don't know who it is.
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Chris
is it possible for social anxiety to progress into more sociopathic thoughts and feelings of hatred rather than fear? if left unchecked? everyones says i just need to try harder but my feelings get worse. i no longer want to fit i just want fewer persons around. i love nature and animals so much that i do not want to be part of humanity any longer, what we do makes me so sick and am also antisocial pd and possible autistim or auspergers not sure. my mother denied any attemmt to diagnos. how do i make friends when i feel this way? am 43 now, its not a phase lol
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is it possible for social anxiety to progress into more sociopathic thoughts and feelings of hatred rather than fear? if left unchecked? everyones says i just need to try harder but my feelings get worse. i no longer want to fit i just want fewer persons around. i love nature and animals so much that i do not want to be part of humanity any longer, what we do makes me so sick and am also antisocial pd and possible autistim or auspergers not sure. my mother denied any attemmt to diagnos. how do i make friends when i feel this way? am 43 now, its not a phase lol
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Luca
I'm working on it every day, I've just managed to go on a 2 day trip an it went flawlessly and I'm not thinking back at anything that happened, this is huge for me. I be lying if i say that i wasn't nervous but everything disappeared the night before the trip while in my head I was going through every possible scenarios but I said to myself you know very well that none of this will ever happen so, just sleep and that was it, i felt a little more conforted and managed to stay calm. Ty for these videos they mean a lot for people like me.
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I'm working on it every day, I've just managed to go on a 2 day trip an it went flawlessly and I'm not thinking back at anything that happened, this is huge for me. I be lying if i say that i wasn't nervous but everything disappeared the night before the trip while in my head I was going through every possible scenarios but I said to myself you know very well that none of this will ever happen so, just sleep and that was it, i felt a little more conforted and managed to stay calm. Ty for these videos they mean a lot for people like me.
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LoseANDplay
I don't feel comftable around people for 1 simple reason: I need to keep watching my back so someone doesn't hurt me. It's like whenever i go just for a walk, there is so many situations where random people just crash at you, or at store they want to drive over you with shopping cart. The fact that any small injury is huge problem for me doesn't help. So i simply can't be relaxed around people cause i expect the worst from them. I feel just fine with people who don't behave like monkeys
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I don't feel comftable around people for 1 simple reason: I need to keep watching my back so someone doesn't hurt me. It's like whenever i go just for a walk, there is so many situations where random people just crash at you, or at store they want to drive over you with shopping cart. The fact that any small injury is huge problem for me doesn't help. So i simply can't be relaxed around people cause i expect the worst from them. I feel just fine with people who don't behave like monkeys
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Dianne
I am confused l have been diagnosed with social anxiety but l am not sure its correct. My major worry is rejection not what others think of me. I enjoy solitary activities like reading listening to music. I used to have these negative thoughts but less often. Instead when round people l clam up my mouth goes dry and my hand shakes. I find the noise of crowds at Christian meetings overwhelming at times. I am better with one person or small groups.
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I am confused l have been diagnosed with social anxiety but l am not sure its correct. My major worry is rejection not what others think of me. I enjoy solitary activities like reading listening to music. I used to have these negative thoughts but less often. Instead when round people l clam up my mouth goes dry and my hand shakes. I find the noise of crowds at Christian meetings overwhelming at times. I am better with one person or small groups.
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Ian
I'm an introvert and also had a social anxiety. Maybe I got this because of my childhood stage where I always got bullied at school and getting humiliated in public by my parents especially my mother. I'm getting anxious if there's other people want to get along with me but my anxiety kicks in and then I want to leave them if they want to hang out. I'm 32 years of age now still single but still suffering from this and I don't know how to cope it up
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I'm an introvert and also had a social anxiety. Maybe I got this because of my childhood stage where I always got bullied at school and getting humiliated in public by my parents especially my mother. I'm getting anxious if there's other people want to get along with me but my anxiety kicks in and then I want to leave them if they want to hang out. I'm 32 years of age now still single but still suffering from this and I don't know how to cope it up
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Kitty
I Think I have some social anxiety, or I KNOW. Im just not diagnosed but Im not able to eat near people, and only specific people, those Im close to is safe enough for me to eat near. I was worse when I was younger, and I had a good period of time where I felt more or less fine, but now I avoid eating as often again. I also feel uncomfortable around other people than my closer friends
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I Think I have some social anxiety, or I KNOW. Im just not diagnosed but Im not able to eat near people, and only specific people, those Im close to is safe enough for me to eat near. I was worse when I was younger, and I had a good period of time where I felt more or less fine, but now I avoid eating as often again. I also feel uncomfortable around other people than my closer friends
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psych2go
Greetings from Poland. I'm 43 and I got social phobia all my life. A couple of examples: I live on 14th floor and I always prefer to use stairs instead of a lift. I also prefer to use text messages over phone calls. I even skip medical tests. I got no friends, no job, sometimes suicidal thoughts. I wish people treated me with more understanding. Regards.
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Greetings from Poland. I'm 43 and I got social phobia all my life. A couple of examples: I live on 14th floor and I always prefer to use stairs instead of a lift. I also prefer to use text messages over phone calls. I even skip medical tests. I got no friends, no job, sometimes suicidal thoughts. I wish people treated me with more understanding. Regards.
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Beln
I was diagnosed with social phobia at the age of 6 and I still struggle with it now that I'm 28. And it's something not so many people understand, even my family. The sweating and tachycardia before asking a simple question it's tremendous, just to give an example. Thank you for the video, I recognized myself there. I still have to do something about it.
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I was diagnosed with social phobia at the age of 6 and I still struggle with it now that I'm 28. And it's something not so many people understand, even my family. The sweating and tachycardia before asking a simple question it's tremendous, just to give an example. Thank you for the video, I recognized myself there. I still have to do something about it.
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Peregrine
I'm a bit of both. I enjoy being alone and need it to regulate, but I also love interacting with just about anyone. I work in childcare, and it can make things difficult when it comes to I teaching with parents or colleagues, especially if I have to ask for ID to release a child or if I think I've made a mistake. Everyone has been super nice though
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I'm a bit of both. I enjoy being alone and need it to regulate, but I also love interacting with just about anyone. I work in childcare, and it can make things difficult when it comes to I teaching with parents or colleagues, especially if I have to ask for ID to release a child or if I think I've made a mistake. Everyone has been super nice though
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ARQI
Being an introvert is also an issue. people think u have attitude problem. bla bla bla. barely they kno y we dnt like to be social. smtimes we r afraid to tlk people thking like what if I said this and it hurt people what if I say that and it cause. what if what if and what if. kinda thoughts r there in mind and hence silence
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Being an introvert is also an issue. people think u have attitude problem. bla bla bla. barely they kno y we dnt like to be social. smtimes we r afraid to tlk people thking like what if I said this and it hurt people what if I say that and it cause. what if what if and what if. kinda thoughts r there in mind and hence silence
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Toe
I am perfectly okay with doing something like walking down the street. But doing something where I feel like all eyes are on me (like being the only one walking down the middle of a cafeteria) or talking to another person brings me immense anxiety. Shi sucks: / bullying I experienced at school has forever impacted my life.
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I am perfectly okay with doing something like walking down the street. But doing something where I feel like all eyes are on me (like being the only one walking down the middle of a cafeteria) or talking to another person brings me immense anxiety. Shi sucks: / bullying I experienced at school has forever impacted my life.
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Jennifer
TYSM. This has helped me realize and understand that there isn't something wrong with me and that I'm no where near the only one who thinks these things.
Thank you to the people who shared, as I wouldn't have known I wasn't the only one if you didn't do so. Now it feels as if a weight has been lifted off my chest.
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TYSM. This has helped me realize and understand that there isn't something wrong with me and that I'm no where near the only one who thinks these things.
Thank you to the people who shared, as I wouldn't have known I wasn't the only one if you didn't do so. Now it feels as if a weight has been lifted off my chest.
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education
Im introverted and have social anxiety (yaaay. Theres times I can tell when my anxiety is worse because my thoughts will go from introverted thoughts to social anxiety thoughts used in the vid. Life isnt easy but I hope anyone else going through this knows theyre not alone! Im right there with you!
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Im introverted and have social anxiety (yaaay. Theres times I can tell when my anxiety is worse because my thoughts will go from introverted thoughts to social anxiety thoughts used in the vid. Life isnt easy but I hope anyone else going through this knows theyre not alone! Im right there with you!
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Shadow
I'm somewhat outgoing online and consider myself an ambivert leaning towards extroversion but whenever I hear someone say hi, my brain enters into a fight or flight situation, I start sweating, and my heart starts racing, then I give into the urge to run away from whoever said hi
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I'm somewhat outgoing online and consider myself an ambivert leaning towards extroversion but whenever I hear someone say hi, my brain enters into a fight or flight situation, I start sweating, and my heart starts racing, then I give into the urge to run away from whoever said hi
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Teddys
I used too hale horrible social anxiety, but i got help and now its so much better. Whilst i used too have panick attacks twice a week, now i only habe them around once every couple months. And i can talk to people, even though im nervous. Talk to somebody, i promise it helps
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I used too hale horrible social anxiety, but i got help and now its so much better. Whilst i used too have panick attacks twice a week, now i only habe them around once every couple months. And i can talk to people, even though im nervous. Talk to somebody, i promise it helps
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Deadboi
There was a time where I had Social Anxiety in me first couple years of highschool, but I've grown from it since then. Now, I feel much more comfortable in Social situations, but I'm more of an introvert who also doesn't mind hanging with the people he knows.
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There was a time where I had Social Anxiety in me first couple years of highschool, but I've grown from it since then. Now, I feel much more comfortable in Social situations, but I'm more of an introvert who also doesn't mind hanging with the people he knows.
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Shana
I have both social phobia and introversion. I'm not sure how to overcome this. Even now I feel like stressed out. I can't control myself. I can relate this video so much as this is totally me. How can i get a solution to this problem? I really need one
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I have both social phobia and introversion. I'm not sure how to overcome this. Even now I feel like stressed out. I can't control myself. I can relate this video so much as this is totally me. How can i get a solution to this problem? I really need one
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