Avoiding Activities

[WestS]

Just wanting to know how often you avoid going to things like parties or events or whatever....or if you go and then chicken out and not actually go in, which is something I seem to do.

Like my friend had an engagement party and I said I would go, but then I didn't want to go because I would be going by myself and only really know him and one or two others there, so I ended up saying I was sick. He's having another engagement party, so I get a second chance to go, but I feel pretty stink about lying. But anyway, does anyone else come up with excuses like that?

 

[Nack]

Yes, and some of them i regreted.

 

[klytus]

If you truly do not want to go, there is no reason to. You don't have to lie, unless telling the truth would unnecessarily upset him. However, if you do want to go, just fear that it may develop into an awkward situation, then you have a problem you ought to work on - ideally by just going there.

I usually do not go to parties. Simply because I don't want to. All people do there is to waste their time. I do go, however, to other social activities which I, personally, enjoy. I don't fear it. I wouldn't be anxious about going to a party, either. It's just not my thing.

 

[TheStatue]

Yes (although I rarely get invited anyway). I feel that I don't know what to do there. It is so awkward. I always just end up sitting alone in the corner, or I leave immediately since I don't have anyone to be with.

 

[Emily_G]

Yes, I do both a lot. Moreso in the past...but I still do it sometimes now.

 

[Psychedelicious]

Buy a Bag of Evidence

I never avoid things like that, I'm just never ever invited to stuff like that. I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity if I ever had it. No matter how horrible I felt about it, I know I would go. Well, if someone invited me. I just don't invite myself to stuff or ask other people...

 

[mrb]

hmmm in not really into social stuff , not saying i really avoid it well sometimes i do , its kind of hard to explain .. its like i just dont go to partys and stuff by choice .. i could go but just dont want to ..

 

[gettingbetter]

I was always invited in the past, too scared to go.

These days i dont know anyone, so = no invites anywhere. I would probably still chicken out. Social activities are too overwhelming.

 

[lurknomore]

I've never been invited to things like this in my life- outside of family gatherings- so I don't know if I would avoid them or not. If there were going to be a lot of people I don't know, probably.

 

[AimeeSP]

I have made excuses before like suddenly coming down ill. The thing is i'll be invited somewhere and i get myself prepared to go, but then suddenly last minute i feel physically sick and do not feel like going sometimes and have to put it off. Alot of my friends are not understanding about this which upsets me and makes me feel even worse.

Have a hug from me! *hug*

 

[Bemzy]

Used to avoid activities a lot but then I realized that I'm just making a problem worse.

 

[SpLynx]

I try to avoid most things but I am forced to go to some just to be polite. Then I try to get out from there as quickly as possible.

 

[overcome.]

I avoid it, a lot right now. I shouldn't and I'd go if I didn't have such an intense fear of having a panic attack in public. People are not very understanding, if you open up to them then they believe that you'll be fine, because you're 'with them'. However, although that's them being nice and trying to support, they don't understand the psychological battles we go through daily to partake in routine activities.

 

[lyricalliaisons]

I've been avoiding activities & social events since my pre-teens through early teens. I haven't even gone to a family function since I was 14 or 15 at the most. I've always avoided parties, weddings, everything. I felt bad for not going to my cousins wedding a few years ago, but I knew I would have felt worse if I had gone. It would be the same had I gone to birthdays, holidays, etc. To avoid feeling horrible during & after the event, I avoid going to it at all.

 

[ShyCanuck]

I am incapable of doing anything more then hang out with one or both of my close friends. Every once in a while I can go to a bar with them, getting drunk usually helps, or we partake in "chemical recreation" which always helps with anxiety too. I can go to the movies with relatively low levels of anxiety, too.

Since I don't have a car, though, the whole process of getting on a bus with people and waiting at bus stops with people can be nightmarish.