Social Anxiety, feeling ''watched?''

[Falkor]

Hello.

So, when I'm in front of someone, I constantly feel that the other person is watchiing me, and i freeze up. today it happened again, we were having dinner (me, parents & bro) and i froze up. I couldnt speak clear, I was tensed and feeling self concious. And this happens to me in like so many situations.

So, my question to you guys is...
Did you ever felt this way?, Like you were frozen, and feeling awkward?

Maybe.. Some of you guys.. Know how to deal with it?
Holding eye contact is really hard for me, do you know what I can do to make this go easy?, and how I can sit somewhere, for example a bus station, without feeling ''viewed'' by people?, and just think there is nobody around me?

before i developed SA, was like.. there were no people around me. Of Course they were, but i was in my own little world, i saw the people walking by, but i never felt evaluated by the people around me. So, there must be a way, right?. But I don't know how. In the past I was so different.
Like a child running on a kinder garten playing in the sand, lol.
it's like that feeling, feeling ashamed of my own behaviour, and feeling to present myself. And It's like i'm naked all the time and people looking at me feeling embarrassing...

We should really discuss this topic, because I think this is one of the main problems for Social Anxiety Disorder. Although, for me it is.

Xx Flowery

 

[3lefts]

In my experience, it helps if you try to relax. And you have to sort of let go of the way you look. Yikes, I haven't even been able to get over this, but I know I have managed to be more comfortable in these situations by trying really hard to relax, and being exposed more often in a social environment without need for confrontation.
Sometimes if you forget, that's ohk, but as long as you can remember try to make eye contact and the other person will feel more comfortable. In fact, from research the more comfortable you are the more comfortable people are around you.
Being judged, or rather being watched... you sort of have to let it go and believe in yourself?
I know that if I have a distraction or something to do it's easier to be round people.

 

[BlackPuma]

I used to be bothered by this very much..

But it got better after I started to realize that them looking at me was for the most part in my head. Merely an illusion. While we're self conscious we take things very personally and think that everything everyone does around us somehow involves us. While most, and I don't mean this in a mean way, have better things to do then judge strangers on the street. :3

The majority doesn't watch, and those who do watch, usually don't judge. They just glimpse at you because they don't quite know where to look. It's not like you're highlighted in the scenery or something. :3

The people that actually judge strangers in a negative way by just looking at someone is a very small percentage. And that small percentage of people is not worth a second of your time. Their opinions are based upon superficial things, so why fear what they think? What they think is irrelevant.

 

[DespairSoul]

Flowergirlie,

I feel the same way too watched i feel paranoic already if i start thinking
like that this one look at me like that,this one looked me like that, what i
do wrong im so ugly or what,dirty,or my hands shake today to much,
i just feel watched and i cant stop it this feeling i always try to stand more
far of groups of people but this later look even more unnatural that i even more
think that i pay more attention on myself, in bus im thinking where to seat
everything i must thinking to the detail how to make it the best that i alive the most less uncomforttable situation,everything i must plan and im tired of that so much everything hurt me even thinking...

As u say before SA: was so wonderfull live and still cant believe it that im me that i change so much and have everything much harder...i take nothing easy amd im really very tired...if u need anytime talk to someone i can talk to you..ALso i dont have much frends
coz i push everyone from me away only coz i dont want they find out that im diffrent ,that im scared and nervous,and feel so sad about my self,and my self-esteem is on 0...just i dont want that people think im weird,sicko...but im coz of SP...

 

[DarkPhoenix]

When im feeling watched in a public place, i just remind myself that the people that may or may not be looking at me will most likely forget my face within a few minutes.

 

[DespairSoul]

And I actually tell myself that they will if i meet them again laugh from me or say this is this weird one what was doing this embarrasing confusing moves.
I alone dont why i care so much about people why im longing so much pass to public. Just i want be normal not some crayzy nervous one who everyone remember coz of this.

 

[honeydippedxo]

When i feel that someone is watching every little thing i do and i get nervous i just pretend that ima celeberty! so that way it gives a reason why they are staring at me and when (in my head not in reality) i place myself above them it makes me more comfortable lol. if someone is talking to me and i have a hard time looking them in the eye i stare at their eyebrows and kind of ignore what they're saying i just concentrate on my breathing smile and nod. idk people seem to be nicer and more eager to talk to me when i do this. maybe you could try it and see if it works for you. also dont put pressure on yourself to talk either. if all you have to say is "yeah" go with it and leave it at that. its been working pretty good for me lately. i went out today all alone for a few hours, made phone calls and talked to 6 strangers! im making progress. if my tricks dont work for you just try something else. dont give up. yur one badass chick yu dont need to freeze up for nobody!

 

[deleted user 1]

I have yet to formulate a method for handeling this. Whether it's walking past cars and buses, buying something at a shop, answering a phone, talking to anyone, eating in front of anyone, the whole lot, I feel intensely uncomfortable. Like if you have an itch, ad you try to ignore it, that exact feeling, but eminating from your chest outwards. It's unbearable. You become disorientated, lose complete control of yourself, a total meltdown. As hard as I've tried, it has never gone away, nor dissipated. And just as I try to get over it, some idiot, like clockwork, has to say or do something to break me down. It makes you wonder if it really is worthwhile associating withpeople at all.