Social anxiety is different from general anxiety in that it relates more to a feeling of being judged by others vs general worries and fears about life in general. If you struggle with anxiety in social situations, you might not want to go to get togethers or work functions and fear being embarrassed by not knowing what to say, or saying the wrong thing. Other things that you might feel afraid of doing is eating in front of others, using public restrooms, speaking on the phone, talking to unfamiliar people like the cashier or asking/answering questions in a group of people or classroom.
If you find yourself staying at home more often out of fear of social gatherings and what could go wrong, and you struggle to make eye contact and feel uncomfortable doing what other people somehow feel so comfortable doing – then you might be a more socially anxious person. And that is okay! There is nothing wrong with that and it’s quite normal. Or a lot more normal than you think.
There are ways to manage social anxiety. But one way of managing it is not to stay at home. The more you see yourself doing this, the more you need a little help. We’re not designed to live in isolation, and when we do hide from the outside world – often the anxiety just gets way worse. And instead of being open and curious to the world, we start to lose touch with ourselves and the people around us. If you have concerns about how to cope in social situations, start the conversation with someone you trust who can listen to you and help you.
