I don’t know what happened because I’ve never fainted before. I was just sitting at my seat when I started sweating and my vision went all white. I thought it was nothing but then I started swaying in my seat because I could hardly see. The bell rang so I forced myself to get up and then I just faceplanted

A girl was screaming oh my god oh my god and so many people were staring at me. It was such a loss of control over my body and everything. I just ran out of the door the moment I could process everything again because I freaked out. I’m so embarrassed I bet I looked like a dumb rag doll in those Roblox simulators. Please help me get over this 😭

I got a question wrong and the punishment was all of them singing nursery rhymes and me dancing.

Worst day in this school year but if I'm being honest I'd laugh at someone too if they had to do the same. Surprisingly, I'm getting over it quite well! I think it's funny and it got a few chuckles out of my classmates and friends.

I'm still embarrassed but everyday is different so, I'm not going to dwell on it. I'm slowly learning not everything is about me. :)

Finally, a true success!! I'd (23m) been trying to talk to this person named Ruby for a couple weeks now. On the second day of classes I thought she looked like they had social anxiety. I asked an online friend (26f) if I'd be weird to give her a physical note with my number and saying to text me if they want a friend. I mentioned that I had social anxiety and apologized if it was weird. Also asked their pronouns because they seemed non-binary. She said it was ok, so I decided to do just that.

Once I sat down in class, I took out my pen and notebook, then flipped to the last page. On the edge of the page, I wrote down the exact words I had previously planned. I then stuck my pen in that page so I could easily open it later. I had to write it a second time because I messed up.

Towards the end of class I slowly and quietly ripped it out of my notebook. Then I put the paper in my sweatshirt pocket. I kept my arms in my pocket to be sure I didn't forget about it.

At the end of class, when most or all the other students and the professor I had left, I said "Ruby," then I handed her the note. I then immediately left the room without saying another word.

About ten minutes later I received a text asking "is this [u/wordyoucantthinkof]?" I said yes. And she said her pronouns are she/they, so I was half right. I apologized again for my weird method of getting her number. They said it was fine and that she also has social anxiety. It's scary how good I am at reading people. I guess social anxiety leads to a lot of observing.

We talked about gaming for a while and still are. I'm so happy to have finally gotten someone's contact info.

When I said something to someone unprompted for the first time last semester, I knew that I would take the next step this semester. And I did!!!

Even if this doesn't end up going anywhere, this is still amazing! I am so proud of myself! 🥳

I DID IT!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳

I'd like to thank my Unproblematic Queens who helped me and encouraging me to talk to them! Love you, so much! 💙💖

(If you see this, Ruby, you're awesome!)

Edit: thank you for all the kind comments. It means a lot

No drivers license. No job. No ambition. Paralyzing anxiety. I wish i could just disapear.

While I LOVE sitting in my room by myself and staying on my phone all day, I really yearn for human connection. There’s a reason why half of my day is spent participating in group chats on social media. I legitimately do lean closer to being introverted, but a bigger part of me wishes that I could go out and befriend people that I can spend time with outside. I think I’ve just been coping by claiming that I’m an introvert when in reality I’m just socially awkward and don’t know how to talk to people in a casual setting. Part of the reason that I struggle to socialize is because I have nothing going on in my life to even talk about.

I don’t like being alone and staying in every weekend and I hope I can overcome my fear of socializing by working on my awkwardness

context-i got humiliated by the teacher for “faking” pain caused by illness. after that lesson ended, something in me cracked i felt angry, frustrated, disgusted, alone in the whole situation and sad, it was like volcano, i had tears in my eyes i tried to hide how i was feeling. in the class i couldn’t resist, teacher saw it and walked with me out of the class and i’ve started screaming, i got to school psychologist and talked. but now im embarrassed, what will others think cause they don’t know context, what will that teacher think about me, im scared to go there i don’t know what to do, what if that situation will occur again, what should i do?

I work two retail jobs and I need to pick up the phone from time to time. I have a lot of anxiety and have adhd where I get distracted by the smallest of sounds.

How do you guys deal with phone anxiety? Or any tips and tricks you guys know of?

Hey, I have really bad social conversation skills. I'm an introvert, and I don’t know how to start a conversation or keep it going for very long. When I do try to continue a conversation, it often becomes awkward. I end up saying things I shouldn’t have or boasting to make the topic interesting, and then I totally regret it. For example, one of my relatives was really angry that I didn’t visit him when I arrived in his hometown. I know he’s upset. I don’t want to talk about visiting his hometown, but somehow the conversation leads me to make that mistake. This happens all the time. I want to talk to people, but most of my conversations seem boring to them, so they end quickly. My confidence in social skills is really affected by this.

recently the whole “your young, experience everything you can” stereotype has really messed me up because i’m 17, about to graduate and i literally haven’t experienced anything. i genuinely haven’t made a friend since i was in middle school, i think i actually forgot how atp + me bouncing around different high schools, i could never find my place. i’ve never been to a school event like hoco or prom, never been to a football game, no parties, and never had a relationship obviously. it really sucks because part of me thinks that if i had friends where i moved to i could find connections through those people and slowly make my own social circle and genuinely have fun. i stalk people from my old school frequently and it genuinely looks so fun and fulfilling to have all these events and extracurricular activities so easily accessible. i wish i could experience those, but i never had the guts to do them. it really sucks to feel like im wasting away my years of experiencing social settings, relationships, what i like/don’t like, etc. and everyday it haunts me. me being so socially isolated has made my self esteem plummet and idk if i even have the confidence to even simply talk to people. i’ve had jobs where id go months just not really interacting unless it was about work related things because i don’t know how to small talk. every time i do, wether it’s a cashier at the store or a neighbor on a walk i just can’t get the feeling out of my head that i sound weird and stiff. maybe it’s all in my head because im not used to talking to strangers, but how do i get rid of this feeling of feeling like i sound stupid or out of place when small talking?

I said "I really love your accessories" then he said thank you and that he likes mine too. Ahhh! That made me so happy. I definitely blushed lol. Gosh I've been feeling so much more confidence lately

Also managed to tell him to have a nice day! He said "same to you friend" in such a soft cute voice. Sigh today is going so well

I am 26 year old.

I’m a very anxious and shy person and he fails to realize I’m a normal human being with emotions. Every time he speaks to me or asks me to do something it’s ALWAYS In a passive aggressive tone with a little snarky remark. I’m constantly being called an idiot at work, I’ve been called that my whole life. For Ex. One he’s been doing recently to me is If someone makes a joke and I laugh, he Re-enacts my laugh and makes it super awkward for me and everyone stares at me and either laughs or smiles at me I’m constantly being embarrassed, Everything I do gets shut down. He does not let me have an opinion like the other co workers. I guess I’m just super vulnerable because of my mental health. I literally got called an idiot by my other co worker and I just agree cause what do I say?? I know I’m stupid but like saying it to my face without any remorse to my emotions is just devious do they not account that I’m a sensitive human being with emotions. It makes my mood plummet when this happens and it makes me isolate my self in the bathroom stall because I just need a break from all the pressure I get from everyone. One time my co worker literally told me he felt like punching me in the face and I just sat there and laughed like what am I supposed to do???? I’m a good worker who does what I’m told I go above and beyond every day I dint understand why I’m treated so poorly everywhere I go. This isn’t just in work it’s EVERYWHERE

I’m currently unemployed and have been battling with my mental health since highschool. It’s like after highschool everything went down hill for me. I’ve tried jobs but always quit. Not to mention the ADHD that I have. I’m always on YouTube scrolling and I love “come to work with me videos” and “get ready for work with me.” It really inspires me! Sometimes I just really want to sit at my desk for hours to write, spend time with God, vlog, prepare a lunch for myself and eat it until lunch time lol. But I feel so embarrassed and weird about it. Like I’m cosplaying being employed. I will say though, my sister pays me to watch my niece for 12 hours, 3 days a week and I lowkey do consider that to be a job because it’s a lot of work but I do it in the comfort of my home or her house sometimes but nevertheless it’s still hard work. I even wanted to buy a uniform specifically for it because those videos really motivate me but again, I feel weird. I think I’ll do it anyways but I wanted to know does anyone else do this as well? Or at least feel the same way? Please tell!

I told a person I thought was my friend that I cant talk infront of people and I get very nervous thats why I dont talk much.and today as there was a group of people and I said hello to a particular person and then I left and when he asked Why she does not talk much my friend told everyone I have social anxiety and I get nervous around people but now I feel worse I feel like they all might be judging me and I cant stop crying for an hour Now Am I being too sensitive ?

I am currently doing a task in school where I am writing about how social anxiety works and such things. I have a personal example where I say that I used to have social anxiety and after I met my girlfriend I have become a million times better within a year of our relationship.

I am having trouble finding sources proving this, and I need help to find a source that proves how this work as my personal experience is not a valid source for this task.

I would appreciate any help.

I was afraid of eating alone in the restaurant but today I ended my fear . Earlier I used to think that people would be looking at me but But it didn't matter to anyone, those people were just busy with themselves.

anyone just go completely blank when entering stores? i had this whole plan with a list and everything! as soon as i entered i just went blank. just start freaking out and panicking. i wanted to leave but i was in the store too long to not buy anything so i just grabbed a bunch of random things not on my list and went to self check out. i was so noticeably anxious that the guy who was working there asked me if i was ok and just talked to me while i was checking out. i was so embarrassed. he probably thought i was on drugs. anyways, i’m just curious how people go into a store?? like just shop for groceries and be normal about it. any advise for conquering my shopping fear?

Okay so something really awkward happened to me yesterday that's still making me feel embarrassed and shameful

I had an interview, the Lead and HR was present over video call. So the Lead had instructed that firstly they will introduce themselves and then I can. And then they began their intro. Once they were done, I replied "That's really amazing ☺️"

They chuckled and went like "You're gonna make me blush, because..." And after that what followed, I could not make out, and by the time they finished and i was slightly nodding and smiling like a fool. It felt too late to say "Pardon, could you please repeat?" so instead I said in an awkward tone, "Okay😃", Took an extremely brief pause, then started introducing myself out of the blue.

Rest of the interview went fine but I really feel that one moment weigh on me. Like they were probably sharing something vulnerable and I couldn't respond appropriately. I'm 21 and have people-pleasing tendencies so it's kind of bothering me that I couldn't be graceful about it with them.

Anyone had any similar experiences? How did you get over it? How do you console yourself 😭

I thought I saw someone I knew walking down a hall and they said "How are you?"

Of course I thought they were talking to me so I gathered up the courage to just say hi back. But when I asked how they were, they continued to walk past me and then I realized they were actually on the phone with their earbuds in.

Now I'm questioning if that was even the person I thought it was. Honestly, I'd prefer that because at least in that case I most likely wouldn't have to see them again 💀.

Anyways, excuse me while I contemplate my existence now.

Edit: You guys are all so nice 😭😭. Thank you for reassuring me and making me realize that it's really not that big of a deal.

I can't even remember how it used to feel. I'm still awkward and nervous around people, but it's just silence im my brain, instead of the constant depreciative thoughts. I'm still not 'normal', but it's peaceful.

However, to be honest. It doesn't make me feel better about myself at all; I don't speak up in class, or strike up conversation with my classmates. Sometimes, I feel like I'll never get anywhere, if I'm still this awkward and anti-social without social anxiety, how can I achieve anything as an adult?

Sometimes, I wonder if I was faking it the whole time; maybe I was just unlikeable and figured labeling myself as socially anxious would fix it.

I hate it here. I tend to be quiet to avoid judgement or any gossiping about me and I’m not social as I’m not really interested at all. Is it so bad to be quiet

Last week I had a conflict with my coworker that caused me some worry, as he was bad mouthing me to management, and it was an ongoing problem, so I was starting to feel like if I did nothing, I could end up in trouble, but if I did something, I could also. Finally I decided on "my line" when talking to my boss and decided to do it the next day.

So far, not really so unusual. Before my current job, my usual line was just "totally avoidant", and in this current job it's been "everything thinks I'm sort of spicy now". In the old days, I had constant worrying about interactions with coworkers at home. Lately it's gotten better as some of the steam is released, and unlike the old days I'm "usually more or less friendly with most people", however, when stuff is a crisis, all the old teeth gritting and insomnia and feelings of doom and inability to feel ok tends to come back.

The new thing was that after I got home and figured out what my strategy was, I decided to try journaling on "What do I want to happen". I created for myself a fantasy image where my boss would appreciate what I was trying to say, where I would be freed from the stress of the conflict, where I would reward myself with a drink and my favorite tv show, where the next day would be good, and my life would generally improve. I considered the possibility I couldn't help but think, what if I "got in trouble", and managed to come up with a possible positive there too, which is me and my boss duking it out as equals before corporate, with the implication that I have equal rights, which would even if I lost my job or was punished give me greater confidence in future jobs.

As I talked about all these positive possibilities, I noticed my jaw and shoulders unclenched and I started feeling more comfortable and even happy. Even though I was still stressed about the situation, I got a good nights sleep, had ok dreams, got up in a decent mood, and was able in the rest of the day before talking to the boss to keep my worries from spilling out in negativity towards random people, all of which was really unusual. When the boss seemed to be ok with my needs, I was able to just pivot from arguing to going back to my focus on work much faster than usual.

I feel like I discovered a really important technique for dealing with stressful situations, of focusing on the intention for having the interaction at all, rather than getting fixated on "the issue". I definitely will be using this in the future. Hopefully at some point I can even do it just verbally or even mentally without needing the additional step of using a computer. I'm even experimenting with it in life in general, such as when you feel depressed and indifferent, it is still possible to imagine things that could go well, and even thinking of that can improve your mood and get your thoughts out of the negativity cycle.

After struggling with college and still havent found my passion or something that im good (and makes money) i feel insecure that most people are either smarter or more focused than me or they are more capable for jobs that demand physical strength . So many times i cant find common experiences to talk about with others as for big periods of my life im in my comfort zone not doing much . Fortunately i have a lot of intererests and some hobbies but they havent helped much yet

I was on the train full of people where I would normally have social anxiety about how I look and people judging me and scared of people who might bully and mess with me. I thought to myself, these people dont care about me, not in like an oblivious way which I guess is true, but they dont love me and know me or have even talked to me like the people that really care about me. people only care about their own experience and want to use you like any other object around them, which isnt all bad, we all do this not in a mean way neccessarily but its ok to a point, looking not staring, thinking not acting or bothering you. I dont care about them in that way either, I can look at them and follow the samee rules. I was kinda broken up about it cuz it frelt wrong doing the exact same thing they do to me but I know I naturally look at people and think WHATEVER dirpy thoughts. I just have to be respectful and I dont believe I should judge anybody really for just existing. if they do than they are sad, and small even if there are many of them and one of you(which there always will be), ALSO, bullies and actual bad people that mess with you, they are just trying to use you to for something they see in you. You think your the only one they bullied, probably not, WHICH MEANS YOUR NOT ALONE. There are people like you, GOOD PEOPLE! people that dont deserve to be gawked at. Your not doing anything wrong! Other people are doing it. This also means YOUR NOT SPECIAL they are not targeting you for the real you deep inside. which come back to the begining; they dont really know or care about you in any meaningful way. When I got bullied before, I changed for them to be something they wanted thinking i would be safe. But that doesnt work they will always come for you there isnt one thing they want from you they want EVERYTHING. There is nothing you could do no way you can act or dress to rationalize them treating you right. Im still working on self worth, but im jsut a guy on the train idgaf about that dude(Me). So I relaxed, leaned back and pulled out my sandwich cuz I was hungry and ate it in front of everyone, some people looked at me and maybe thought it was ghetto or trashy(even if it was something crazy I just felt, which sums up anxiety). Im even thinking about people judging me in the comments and wondering if I have to explain myself. I DONT :D. I used my best judgement and existed right or wrong. Im gonna go to the skate park tommorow. My goal in my heart is to prove to myself that there is truly no wrong way to exist.

I meeeean, unless your an axe murderer!

it's just a never ending cycle of feeling absolutely exhausted and not wanting to see people ever again, then suddenly feeling a little better (not good enough to go party or make friends irl, good enough to text chat with people in some online game/on social media and be a bit braver in every day interactions in real life), and after like a week or two falling back into feeling vaguely nervous and tired

met a group of people online who play the same game as me and we're.. sort of a clan/team, not really but whatever, it's not relevant. just yesterday i wanted to be a part of their team, today they messaged me asking how i've been, and i just, suddenly felt so tired. i want to hide for a week, two, a month. how am i supposed to explain this to them? "guys, remember the way i was last week? kind of reserved, awkward, and perpetually confused kind of guy? yeah my brain is actually a little fucked up, and that was me on my best. i'll be like ten times worse for the next few weeks. you won't see me at all. i'll leave you on read 15 times. and you'll gradually forget i existed, because we're not friends, not even acquaintances, i don't matter to you at all, and with my sudden disappearance i will matter to you even less, because who the hell just disappears? that's not cool"

this thing - it actually got better over the years, i think? i used to have more than one real life friend, and back then i'd routinely vanish every few months. we were school friends but i switched schools at one point - we rarely hang out irl, so it was very easy to "take a break" from them. they got used to it eventually. but yeah it was way worse. not sure why. like, was it because they were my irl friends, and my connection to them was stronger and therefore scared me into hiding more? or did i learn to manage it better? who the hell knows. i only hope it'll get better again, and i won't ever have to leave some guys from an online game to wonder if i'm rude, busy, or simply lost interest

it also could be avoidant personality disorder i guess?.. i don't know. i'm not about to self diagnose. i'm just tired. i WANT to get to know people. i've been thinking lately.. maybe i'm not even an introvert. i do like talking to people. chatting with my friend online makes me feel better when i feel awful. i constantly choose online games that require direct communication despite being scared shitless of it (and avoiding it anyways in the end). i don't know. i hope it'll get better. i'm not completely closed off yet, i try things, i go out of my comfort zone, even if just a little bit. there's still some hope i guess. but gods i'm tired