Do you think I have social anxiety?!
Question: I always feel like everyone's staring at me. My mom had to go in the grocery store and I was going to wait in the car, but she parked right across from a car full of 5 people. I felt like they were staring at me and I just wanted to disappear. It happens whenever I walk down the halls at school, or in a grocery store, or walking down the street, or at the dentist in the waiting room, ect. I'm wondering if I'm just paranoid or maybe I have social anxiety. If I see someone I know from school, I've been taught to always say 'hi' but I'm too nervous a lot of the time. I'm not nervous all the time. If I'm at home or with my friends I'm okay, but if it's someone I don't know that well, I get nervous.
Answers: I always feel like everyone's staring at me. My mom had to go in the grocery store and I was going to wait in the car, but she parked right across from a car full of 5 people. I felt like they were staring at me and I just wanted to disappear. It happens whenever I walk down the halls at school, or in a grocery store, or walking down the street, or at the dentist in the waiting room, ect. I'm wondering if I'm just paranoid or maybe I have social anxiety. If I see someone I know from school, I've been taught to always say 'hi' but I'm too nervous a lot of the time. I'm not nervous all the time. If I'm at home or with my friends I'm okay, but if it's someone I don't know that well, I get nervous.
Yes, I think you at least have a mild case of social anxiety. I know this from personal experience similar to yours. If you're willing, you could try medication to see if your life is improved when you're around people - talk to your doctor about this. You've identified that being around people causes you to become anxious and feel as though you are being watched, so this is a strong indicator that you have social anxiety to some degree. Once you feel better, you will realize that living in a state of anxiety is not normal and not necessary. Good luck.
yes, ask ur doc about Zoloft.
A good thing to tell yourself:
Don't give other people a second thought. They aren't giving you one.
1. They are most likely NOT staring at you.
2. They may be looking at you the moment you look at them. Perhaps they think you are attractive, they like your haircut, or they like your shirt and are thinking about getting one just like it.
In any case, you are still thinking about them, but guaranteed unless you have a foot growing out of your ear, they are not thinking about you right now.
Next time you are in a situation similar to that, have fun with it. Look at them and smile. Watch them smile back. It's fun! You'll never see them again anyway - give it a shot!
You're way ahead of the curve for noticing that about your self. You have to truly commit to releasing the fear. Fear will paralyze you in life, and "social anxiety" is just a medical term developed so big drug corporations can sell more drugs. Be FEARLESS in your life and you will set yourself free!
hi my name is james and yes i think i have it to yea i feel almost evry symptom you have for real. We might also have social phobia to well email me at Jamespeterbrown@yahoo.com and we can talk about this your not the only one out there bro.
its a mild case of mild social anxiety. its nothing serious. sometimes u just dont like being watched by people and thats normal. I deal with the same thing too but if u know someone just say hi, it wont hurt