1. The world of social anxiety
Imagine being surrounded by acquaintances, friends or people you love, and yet you feel so suffocated that it gets hard to breathe. Imagine panicking due to an expected phone call or getting overwhelmed with the mere thought of addressing guests at home. Cannot relate? Welcome to the world of someone suffering from social anxiety.
2. What is social anxiety?
By definition, social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is intense anxiety or fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social or performance situation.
3. The misconceptions
Contrary to common misconceptions, social anxiety isn’t JUST about living in your own bubble. It goes way beyond feeling shy, awkward or being uncomfortable in social situations.
If you want to have a sneak peek at the life of someone who is struggling with social anxiety, here are four things you really need to know:
4. You avoid people you know on the streets
When you are struggling with social anxiety, the mere task of going out and getting groceries can be daunting. You don’t want to run into someone you know and strike up a conversation. From taking an entirely different route to faking a phone call, you will go to any lengths just to avoid making any conversation with a random neighbour.
5. You come across as rude
Imagine meeting your partner’s friend and not being able to strike a normal conversation. You are so perplexed that you fumble for words and are just not able to keep the conversation flowing. It may not only make the interaction a tad bit awkward but you may also worry about not making a good first impression. People may often misinterpret your anxiety struggles with being snooty and rude.
6. You cancel plans at the last moment
You say yes to all the plans in that tiny moment of bravery, but when the day actually comes, you are the first one to back out. While it may annoy a lot of your friends, people don’t realise that you do it for your own sanity. You pull out of events for the sake of your mental health and prevent feeling overwhelmed.
7. You are the silent one in the group
From blunt answers–because you cannot really elaborate–to avoiding eye contact while talking, people may judge you for being an introvert. No matter how hard you try, free-flowing conversations are not something you are good at. Even in a large gathering, you find solace in a corner with your earphones plugged in.
8. The bottom line
The next time ‘that friend’ cancels the plan, remember that he/she might be suffering from social anxiety and may find these gatherings a little too overwhelming. It is not that they don’t enjoy meeting you or going out with you, it is their anxiety that comes along at the last moment, like an unwanted guest.
9. Support them
It leaves them crippled and makes it harder for them to push through the cloud of negative thoughts. Remember, sympathy and empathy go a long way when you are talking to someone with social anxiety. You may not understand what they are going through but you can always support them.