another me issue

[finalf72]

im terrified of ppl!

 

whenever i see ppl, i want to run away! its like i cant even concentrate at all and i just get so nervous and tense and just want to leave!

 

wtf!

 

its affecting my life so harshly! i cant even study my CDCs at all cuz i worry too much all the time.

 

and it makes me not hang out with my closest friends as much as i would as a normal person would! i mean, when i was home on leave for a week, i was too afraid to see my friends that i missed while in the military!

 

wtf is wrong wit me!

 

also, its gotten to a point, where going to the chow hall is a challenge cuz i have to face ppl there.

 

like today i saw this other dude at work i know, and im like "****!" and like avoided eye contact and got the food to go..

 

wtf! i know the guy! im afraid to even sit and have lunch with someone???

 

and it ruins the fun of friendships i have! like, i know theres another me, a me that doesnt have this issue, and this me has infinite joy and fun in store for him and his friends, but i cant be that james cuz of this .,.. anxiety!

 

like, ill call my friend up, i wont sound enthusiastic, ill be scared the whole time, in face, im so anxious around anyone, even my own friends, that it makes THEM uncomforttable as well! i feel like a party pooper! i duno why my friends even hang out with me.... i gues its cuz they are true friends..

 

i just ruin the fun out of anytime all our friends are together cuz i make em uncomfortable...

 

and when i leave the room, and go upstairs to get a pepsi or somethin, i hear them talk louder, and they all seem more relaxed, and when i get back downstairs, they kinda get quieter....

 

ive had this issue my whole life....

 

whats wrong with me?? what do i do??

 

someone tell me.. plz?

[confused2007]

final,

 

I can relate to everything you've mentioned. My anxiety level is extremely high around people and it greatly affects my life everyday and the decisions I make.

 

I have learned to cope with it on my own and have been quite sucessful lately. I believe a lot of the anxiety, with me, came from caring so greatly what others thought about me. I was afraid to say something stupid, or nervous about how I looked, etc.

 

Now, no matter what I say or do (Even if it comes out in an embarassing manner), I have confronted it and not ran.

 

For example, a coworker asked me a question and i got extremely nervous and gave a silly answer which resulted in me being embarrassed. Instead of thinking I'm going to avoid this person from now on, instead I will say hello next time and try to engage in a conversatoin again.

 

This has worked for me and it's slowly increasing my confidence because my goal with this method is to ultimately not care about what people think about me so I can have a social life again.