My phobia is gettig worse!

[joshueg]

Where i work, i have to deal with many people, many tourists, because i work at a tourist office and i like very much my work, but my phobia is growing very quickly and i am feeling more and more anxious.
Although it is a little hard for me to talk with tourists, i prefer it to having to deal with work mates.
I actually work alone, but have a problem, as i work at a tourist office that is inside an airport, i have to deal daily with many other airport workers and sometimes some workers come to my office and try to talk with me, and i talk with them, and as soon as i begin talking, i begin feeling uncomfortable and they realise and feel uncomfortable too.
This sensation is really very unpleasant.
Does this sensation ever happened to any of you=?
Why should i do?, how should i act?=
Thanks for your reading my message and sorry about my English, it is not my mothertongue.
Bye!!

 

[vv]

Hey joshueg,

From what you've described it doesn't seem like you have social anxiety disorder -- yet. If you feel that your phobia is getting worse, then try to stop it as soon as you can! If you think it'd help you maybe you should talk to a psychologist; if it's bad enough, meds could help (again, not everybody approves of using meds)

I know exactly what you mean when you say you feel uncomfortable which makes your coworkers feel uncomfortable. But remember that almost always, people with social anxiety overanalyze what others think of them -- even if you think they feel uncomfortable, they most likely don't care and won't even remember in a few hours

If you really think that they are uncomfortable, even if you don't talk more, just try to smile more. Smiling makes you appear happier and therefore, easier to be around

Also remember that you're not alone with this; just in this community alone there are hundreds of people with SA who you can talk to anytime. And, SA is defeatable. It sometimes seems like it's impossible to escape, but it is. Good luck getting over your SA!

 

[joshueg]

Thank you very very much vv, for your anwering to my post.
I will try to smile more often.I have not tried to smile so far, it could help me.
When i said i feel uncomfortable i really meant i feel very, very uncomfortable!.
So, i will try to smile, though it is not very easy , because when i am nervous or anxious, my face muscles get rigid , but anyway, i will try.
Thank you,vv.
Take care!!

 

[red_reagel]

I feel the same way too actually. But others usually making me feel uncomfortable when they watch me talking, like a speech when its just a conversation. I think it's great that you're working in a job filled with many other people. It helps get used to being around them and maybe socializing a little more. Maybe the best solution is, relax, breathe, and make a small talk that shows your friendlyness?

Sorry I'm not much good at advice, but I wish you the best of luck. Being in a job like that might get you more used to being in a social situation. I dont even have a job yet, so am always home.

 

[joshueg]

Thank you, red_reagel!, i am trying to count up to 10 before answering, that way, i feel less anxious.
Getting relaxed is more difficult.
It is curious that with tourists i am not very anxious , because i like languages and i know how to do my work, but i have anxiety when dealing with work mates or with people who speak my language.
I think that happens because i have fear of close contacts, of people who could become friends of mine.
I don' t really know.
Regarding you, yes , i understand what you say, it happens to me too, it happened to me this very morning, in my work, i went into a chemist, in order to buy some homeopathic relaxing pills, and a was talking to the person at the chemist, i was a little nervous and anxious, but got a lot more, when i realise a persona came into the chemist.
Then i started paying more attention to his reaction than to my being there, at the chemist.
It was very uncomfortable.
Well ,see you, !!!!
Good day, and good luck!!!!

 

[sa_sweaty]

Your story is very interesting actually. You meet so many tourists, need to talk quite a lot. It's a situation that you would expect your anxiety would fade away. Nevertheless, you say it grows, that is the very opposite! I don't want to be any dis-encouriging, but a smile every now and then or some small talk, I don't think that will help in any way. The thing is, if you act you feel comfortable with a smile or a talk, then what will happen is that people will talk to you for longer and longer, which will (read from your story) make you feel most uncomfortable!

Living with SA for so long time, I think I have been in most situations myself. Some situations disappear, new ones arrive. They come and go, and don't always happen (that's the interesting thing to analyse). The best solution I think is to really have a great weekend, with your mind set to all the good things, you will see that's enough to pass half the working week. The other half should come from somewhere else..