"Levels" of SA

[cocorose]

I realize there can be people with different levels of social anxiety/phobia.. for example someone can be nervous about getting up in front of people, and I know there are some actors with this problem but they are talented, and once they get up there they are fine.. I think Robert De Niro is known for having this problem, I remember seeing him on the Rosie O'Donnell show and he really didn't say much, he seemed very shy and she even said something and I felt really bad watching it.. but for me getting up in front of people is one of my worst nightmares. I had to do this once in class and I wanted to die, and even after I got up there I knew I just made a complete fool of myself, my voice cracked & was shaky, I was unsure of myself and what I was saying and I knew I sounded like a complete idiot. I knew everyone was looking at me like I was a complete idiot. I just wanted to sink into the floor. It was one of the worst experiences, I was completely embarrassed. I wanted to just run out of the room but I had to do it so I had to force myself. I was listening to the other people and even if they were nervous it was just being nervous but they were still sure of themselves & what they were saying. It's like when I speak I have no idea what I'm saying and make no sense whatsoever. What can I do to work on this? To me it's not just being nervous on the outside. It's in every fiber of my being.

 

[Matt88360]

I'd say there are different manifestations of it, yes. I'm actually quite good at public speaking, but find one-on-one personal interaction excruciating. The public speaking is fine because it's more formal and distant, so there's something of a barrier between me and everyone watching. At least that's how I see it.

 

[dmsteyn]

I'd say there are different manifestations of it, yes. I'm actually quite good at public speaking, but find one-on-one personal interaction excruciating. The public speaking is fine because it's more formal and distant, so there's something of a barrier between me and everyone watching. At least that's how I see it.

This pretty much mirrors my own situation. I do feel anxious before giving a lecture, or whatever, but during the presentation, most of that falls away.

 

[coyote]

i reached Level 30 after that incident with the dragon

 

[cocorose]

i reached Level 30 after that incident with the dragon

lol.. it took me a minute.. but with this I think level 30 would be pretty bad.. unless it means the higher you are the more you defeated it. Depends on how you look at it