Little question

[CedrikG]

Hi to everyone !
I am new here  this forum seem more complete than the other I have visited.
Social anxiety had huge impact on my life for the last 10 year ( I am 26 years old )
I never had any problem introducing groupe, and actually it is the opposite, I introduce in any group very easily.

Anywhere I go in social the first hour is fine, and actually I feel good. And then slowly, very slowly my mouth get drier, my eye begin to hitch and then after get weaker to light, get very dry … at some point It make me very tired. I feel stunned, very tired … I don’t want to be there anymore … I have no more fun.
The first hour I was the one talking the most because I feel good and then BANG, im down and I do not talk no more because I feel so bad !

At first like most people I tought I had multiple disease than after many many visit to the doctor I realized I was perfectly healty, and that I was just anxious. I want to control this because for the last 10 years it really always was stronger than I, that said I always fought it.

Now … I would like to understand the PHYSIQUE of the anxiety. What make my mouth and eye very dry, hand and feet cold, feel stunned, tired … noise and sound and annoying, aggressive. What make my body goes … upside down like that ?

 

[lonelee1]

hi, welcome to the forum.
anxiety causes lots of strange things to happen to the body. in your case, when you're in public, your brain tells your body there's danger somewhere and it sends signals throughout it to prepare it to either fight or run away from the threat. you get cold hands and feet, you might blush, have chest pains, or the symptoms you described.

with social anxiety, there aren't really any real threats to us, but our mind tricks us into thinking there is.
what kind of thoughts run through your mind when you start noticing the symptoms? are you worried about being judged, etc?

i know how you feel. sometimes i start out okay when i hang out with a friend i've known for years, then i start suddenly feeling depressed and anxious. i don't know if it's the thoughts that happen first or the physical symptoms and then the negative thoughts. maybe we just become stressed...

 

[squidgee]

Welcome to the forum Cedrik.

Like lonelee1 said, the symptoms you're experiencing could be a result of the 'fight or flight' response, which I assume would be common in people with social anxiety when faced with a social situation, though you should gradually return to normal and feel better after the situation. Do you consider yourself to be an introvert? Many introverts feel drained after these sorts of situations as well. I could be wrong though, there are probably other conditions that cause these physiological responses.

 

[CedrikG]

Thanks both for these answer!
Yes what happen in my head when the symptomes begins is : How do I look like with all these symptom, I must look strange ...

Squidgee : Thanks ! Yes I am a very introvert person

 

[CedrikG]

Squidgee:
I began reading on introvert, and this is EXACTLY what I have ...
I do not have social phoby ... Wow, thanks a lot my friend !