SA is worse when Im alone

[Hemosapien]

Does anyone else feel their social anxiety is worse when they are alone, with time to think about things?
When Im with my friends or boyfriend, my social anxiety isnt an issue. I only seem to get anxious about my relationships when my mind wanders and I start to over think things. Doubt creeps into my mind and things that probably arent even true, take over my thoughts.

 

[Entangled]

Yes. When I have time alone, with no outside distractions, my mind seems to become my worst enemy and my anxieties and worries increase.

 

[reslo]

Hi hemosapien,

I am so different when I am around people I'm comfortable with! I can go to stores, restaurants, etc. without a lot of hesistation, but when I have to do it alone, I just wanna put it off.

I like to sleep with the lights on because if I just sit in the dark and "relax" all these negative thoughts come to mind and I just end up crying. if i have someone to sleep next to, i feel so much better. I'm not afraid of the dark, its the lack of distraction that makes all my negative emotions come out.

 

[Predacon]

Being alone does give me more time to worry about things, but on the whole I'm usually more relaxed.

 

[JuiceB]

I would say it is worse when I'm alone but it can be pretty bad when I'm around people as well. When I'm alone I cannot help but think about all my shortcomings and failures. When other people are around I tend to compare myself with them, thinking how much better are they compared to me. It can be a hard battle to fight sometimes.

 

[MissPsychNerd]

Yep! Like right now. Ugh, deciding not to take classes for the summer was a bad idea lol! My mind keeps traveling back to certain memories and I keep overthinking things

 

[Bubo]

It changes for me. Some days yeah, I do feel a lot more anxious and on edge when I'm alone, and just the thought of interacting with people makes me want to curl up and sob/scream. Or I think about past events and screw ups and my self-esteem goes right in the toilet. And when I get like that, I don't find being around people to be too bad (unless they start asking if I'm okay, then things go south pretty quick). Other days I feel completely at ease with being alone and think it's the best thing ever, and being around people is unbearable.

 

[coyote]

it's like one of those little perpetual motion bobbing bird toys

when i'm interacting with others, i can stay outside my mind and away from the thoughts that fuel my anxiety

but it builds to a tipping point, where i become overwhelmed by the stresses of interacting, until i have to just be alone

but then the anxious thoughts return and build until i can't stand to be by myself any longer

and it tips back the other way....

 

[Bustn Justin]

I am the same way. When it gets too bad I just have a beer.

 

[PhantomPod]

Hmm, I'd say that my SA is the worst when I am alone, yet with others.

There is this cool indoor trampoline place that I want to go to and I've been thinking about just going by myself since I don't have a single friend to go with. But it just seems like one of those things where I'd be there by myself, yet I'd be surrounded by groups of people having fun together and that would make me start feeling down and bad about myself since everyone around me would be having fun with their friends and I'd be there by myself trying to have fun.

 

[Gaucho]

hello, yes defenetly.

i realized tat that when I'm alone i fall in severe depression in just a few days!!! I'm a person who can't be alone, but I'm many weeks or months alone!!.
when I'm with my mother for example, i can't use the pc the whole day, i have to work, i have someone to talk to, even if i don't have a friend, i don't fall into this life misery.

 

[Invisibleman]

it's like one of those little perpetual motion bobbing bird toys

when i'm interacting with others, i can stay outside my mind and away from the thoughts that fuel my anxiety

but it builds to a tipping point, where i become overwhelmed by the stresses of interacting, until i have to just be alone

but then the anxious thoughts return and build until i can't stand to be by myself any longer

and it tips back the other way....

+1, Im the exact same way. Its interesting that this happened to me today. Ive been alone for a while and a friend actually called me to hang out today. It was so great to interact with somebody and I felt happy and free. But once we hit about the 5 hour mark I started to become soooooo physically and mentally exhausted that I just wanted to be alone. But now that im alone, I want to be with people again because my terrible and negative thoughts are beginning to creep back into my head

 

[SoScared]

When I’m home alone in the morning waiting to go out I can get all stressed and anticipate the awkwardness that I will feel once I start bumping into the public. This can be very negative time.

When I’m out and about with friends my SA is virtually zero which proves to me that it is all in the mind.

 

[Hemosapien]

I guess with me, its the anticipation of having to be social with strangers makes me anxious, but while Im actually being social, its okay for a while; as soon as I have a minute to think, I start overthinking and get anxious. After, I'll spend aaaaaages going over things that happened and conversations, wondering if I did or said something wrong.

 

[Survive001]

Mine is worse when I'm alone as well, as I just ruminate like crazy, doesn't help I have ADHD to go with my social phobia, My SP, goes away when I'm with friends, but seeing as I don't have any - any more, and my attempts at making new ones has been futile, I just try and escape through media, music, gaming,

 

[Hellhound]

I'm more scared about something bad happening, having a panic attack and having no one to turn to.

 

[Meggy0001]

Yeah I feel the exactly same way