Do you have social anxiety? Every time I'm about to go a social event I get huge anxiety. I start contemplating whether I should go or not. My body starts physically reacting, my heart rate increases and the center of my chest feels something (don't really know how to explain it).

In less than an hour I'm going to meet a guy I met off craigslist. It's strictly platonic (he's straight) we're just looking for friends. All we're going to do is play cards and some board game he's bringing at a cafe.

The rational side of me knows it's going to be okay. I'm probably going to have a good time. If I don't have a good time then I don't have any obligation to see him again so I'll just move on with my life. But I can't shake of the feeling of anxiety every time I'm about to do something social. Most of the time I enjoy myself too so I don't know what the big deal is.

Do any of you guys also suffer from this and how do you deal with this? I hate having this feeling because it caused me to become very anti-social and now I don't have many friends, if any .

You have to be trolling with that craigslist thing..

Extremely so. I used to be extremely outgoing and fun... and then something happened that I won't go into.

But why the **** are you meeting up with someone from Craigslist?

Yes, i have it

i have every kind of anxiety & no irl friends so i have no advice to offer
but be careful meeting someone from craigslist

Yes. I've learned to manage it better, but I don't think it'll ever completely go away for me.

Yes to a certain extent I really don't think you should meet this stranger tho

What's wrong with meeting someone off Craigslist? He's around my age and we're meeting at a social place. We both have similar interests and would like a friend so why not see if we hit it off?

Yeah same here. But I'm in therapy right now. I can't say that it got better tho. And everytime when someone criticize me I feel like I'm about to die

I think so.
If I walk past a group of people on the street my eyes tear up
I don't even like walking on my street.

Yes. When I'm obliged to be at a social thing, I drink to overcome it.

What has your therapist said about it? Any good advice?
omg same I love taking walks but I'm afraid I'll see someone on the street

Surely there are healthier ways to help with this.

i used to do the same

I think it's good. I know craigslist has a reputation, but if you're someone who's got social anxiety and lost nearly their whole social life, you need to do things like this to start making friends. Also, it takes a lot of courage to do this. I used to have social anxiety, and I would've never had the guts to meet up with strangers.

Could go on about this forever, but I don't have time to type out an essay, but feel free to inbox me if you have any questions Tea.

YES! But the place it's worst is at school, I absolutely hate it everyone is so stuck up and I have nothing in common with anyone, it's a really depressing environment tbh. I have no friends and am quiet but when I do talk no one listens so what's the point.

Thanks, i'll probably message you later tonight.
Even if it's with people I do know, I get anxious. When I still lived with my parents we always went to family-friends places for holidays and prayers. This is something that happens multiple times a year and I'm very familiar with the people there and always enjoy my time. But every time I get anxious and wish we could back out, especially in the car ride there. For me, most of the anxiety comes before the actual event.

Yes, quite badly. I'm pretty anxious about everything, tbh. There was a time where I was just so free and oblivious to these ****** things, but it bogs me down so much now. It's had a big impact on my life, tbh.

I also used to have SERIOUS issues with eye contact with people on streets aswell like mentioned above. It's not as bad now, but some groups of people get me nervous.

Yes, to the max. I get so nervous whenever I am about to meet someone I start pacing back and forth and sometimes I feel like I can't breathe and I start to back out. If I do end up meeting them I drink before so my nerves won't be crazy. I also hate going to class because I always feel so anxious and socially retarded lmao.

One time I had to give a speech for this stupid top ten dinner and I was so nervous I turned right up there and was stammering and my heart was racing, I guess some of the other parents told my mom I looked like I was about to pass out.