The HARDEST Question.

[gsmax5]

The hardest "mental" question I ask myself is "Am I intruding"; this is really the root of my Social Phobia and the question I almost always get wrong.

In the past 5 years, I have made a special effort not to approach anyone I don't know EXTREMELY well because they will probably be bothered by my presence. It's really hard because I don't know what they're thinking.

"Do they want me to leave?", "Do THEY THINK I AM A WEIRDO FOR APPROACHING SOMEONE I BARELY KNOW???", "Did I interrupt a conversation"

If I could read minds, my Social Anxiety would be gone so quickly, and I think it would be for everyone.

 

[mart22n]

Hi! That's a typical social anxiety sufferer mindset (and so has been mine, but it's improving already). Method number one to improve your situation is to find a person (the more the better) you trust enough (who will not talk about your problems behind your back and probably won't laugh at you) and ask these same questions. You will see that your beliefs are almost certainly false.

Method number 2 is to find a psychologist and get some CBT.

I've come to realize taht you're free from your phobia when you see that nothing will actually happen you're afraid of. It's like, on the rainy days, the Sun is still out there and you don't worry that it will not come out soon. You just have to dissipate your clouds of negative thinking and beliefs, to begin with.

Take care.