Walking in public places..

[R3X]

i don't know if anyone can relate but whenever i got out like if i go on a bus or walk into a mall,i...walk....weird..it's like my body sorts of gets stiff and i'm being conscious of how i walk...my hands sways weirdly,my legs sometimes "bump" into each other(luckily i didn't trip lol),basically walking clumsily..Anyone here can relate / maybe can give some tips on how to "walk normally"....it's no wonder i've been getting stares / giggles(like today)....it's because of the way i walk i guess....=.=''

 

[SonicMan]

I know what you mean. I forget how to walk in public. My steps feel awkward and forced and I tend to look down all the time which is giving me a hunchback. I think I try to hard to think about it which probably doesn't help, but trying to be natural doesn't work either. I am so confused.

 

[Feathers]

Well, I was clumsy as a kid already My dad complained about it sometimes when I was younger.. I was never really sportsy (no one in our family is, just some very distant relatives maybe)

Have you taken any dance classes or tai chi or martial arts classes or such?
I've taken some and they may have helped, dunno I felt clumsy there too, he he - it may have helped with overall posture and body awareness and such though..
I'd love to do more dancing and maybe tai chi or martial arts again..
The more you move, the better it will get, most probably.. At least go for a walk every day?

There are also some specific exercises to improve body coordination or body-mind connection etc.

Also, you might wanna check if it's not any neurological problems or such... Some people in our street have had them..

Also know some clumsy people are cute And there are even books written about them, and such!

 

[JamesSmith]

I don't think any social anxiety disorder person likes being around strangers by themselves in public. If we did, then that would be weird. I'm proud of myself though, I've gotten better at not worrying so much about what others think. I used to think it actually mattered what I wear to a grocery store, it was so silly. From my experience, these strangers that see you are people that will never have any bearing on your life whatsoever. Most strangers you see you will never talk to, and even may never see them again. What they think of me is meaningless. The only thing i care about is taking a shower, using deodorant, that kind of stuff so I don't smell bad cuz that would be just plain disrespectful. But besides that, there is no reason why anyone's opinion should matter to me that is a stranger.

 

[Kiwong]

Yes I had this problem. I developed this problem at high school. I recieved some homophobic teasing and I used to worry that I was walking effeminately. So I compensated with a awkward walk. It didn't help matters that some bullies would follow me and tease my walk and call me monkey man.

For many years I would walk funny if people where following me. Sometimes it was very difficult to walk from one side of the room to another.

I haven't had this problem for nearly ten yeas now. I'm not sure how I overcame it. I think doing activities that build confidence helped. Also I limped aprund with a badknee injury for three years, and was too focused on the pain to worry how people percieved my walk.

Now I can run in the top 2% of all people in the big city fun runs, so who cares what I look like when I walk, when I can run fast.

 

[Danfalc]

Yeah I think quite a lot of people can relate to this, I have seen it brought up a few times on this forum so you are deffo not alone. I know I walk almost robot like when I get anxiety attacks In busy places.

Easier said than done :: but the more you think about it, i find the worse it gets. Kind of like when you put lots of pressure on yourself not to blush, and you do anyway.

I'm liking what Feathers suggested, I think they are all things which could help and also maybe breathing techniques and muscle relaxation exercises.

 

[babegolden20]

i do to ppl then stare at you even more...lol my sister makes fun of me. I feel like running i guess it would hard to to run clumsy or like a robot

 

[StandingJelly]

All the time. A bag or something to hold helps me a lot though, as I'm kinda forced one way to walk with the load.

 

[R3X]

All the time. A bag or something to hold helps me a lot though, as I'm kinda forced one way to walk with the load.

haha exactly like me....yeah,it's like you feel "weird" without carrying some sort of load....and if you don't have that "load",the way you walk will look VERY weird looking...

 

[babegolden20]

maybe you can pretend to come in confident and then if they stare at you look at them like why are you staring at me maybe it will work put the blame on them...lol

 

[AlizeD]

omg i'm not alone! i always thought that I would be the only one feeling like that!
i hate it, when people walk behind me, or see me walking. I feel weird and clumsy and i'm always scared to slip and fall or something like that. so I get far to concious of my legs and feet, it's horrible.
but even worse than just walking in the streets is walking in the class. because when everyone sits and I'm the only one who's walking I feel like everyone is watching me. that'S why I try to avoid it. I'm really grateful to my teachers, that they know about my problems and don't force me to write on the board or anythink like that.

my personal best way to get rid of that stupid fear of being watched in the streets is to listen to music. i just walk in the pace of the song, so my steps are in a rhythm and i don't get confused or something like that.
and of cause walking with "precautions". I mean I always look at the street before me, so I know if there is anything in the way and I look at the people around me, so I can predict where they might walk. to avoid embarassing events..

 

[Marlow]

When I was a kid I used to walk fast and didn't realize how I looked while walking that way until a friend pointed it out when we were in High School. From that point on I've been self-conscious of how I'm walking and try to move in a way so that no one else will ever comment on my walking.

I don't zip around anymore but I still think everyone else is moving too slow. Except for people in New York City, when I went there as a kid people were plowing past me like I was standing still.

 

[Luka]

This is one of the worst things I go through. everyday walking to school with a bunch of kids my age staring at me walk all stiff and hearing me breath ug the dread.

 

[anxiety1408]

Hahaha, Im laughing cos I know exactly what you mean.

When I go outside walking I become very self conscious of my body movements/how I look to others/thinking to myself must try not too look anxious. My eyes are vey light sensitive so that doesn't help my cause :: so If I don;t look down when I walk I fear my eyes will get watery and thus I would look like a spaz to others.

 

[man on the hill]

I sort of have this problem. I know in reality my "walk" is just as normal as anybody elses, but like when im out somewheres by myself or even walking along with a small group or a few other people, it feels like im walking in a strain to look normal looking. it feels like everybody is watching me and Im trying not to do something stupid or embarrasing.

I think all this comes from a severe lack of self confidence and self esteem maybe. Cause you know that somebody with lots of confidence sure doesnt worry about the way they walk.

 

[spaceboy135]

I used to be the same, and you will feel like this if you continue to believe that ppl are watching you and judging you...plus the more confident you are the more you will forget about it

 

[EscapeArtist]

I used to have this really badly but I don't anymore... and I don't remember when it left me or what happened to make it go. Huuummm. But it's not permanent and can be fixed.

 

[Etbow23]

A lot of times I feel awkward in public, especially while walking, so i pretend to text or I put in earphones and use my cellphone. Anything to look like i'm busy and unconcerned...

I used to ride the bus , that was the worst. All the perverts honking/following you/waiting for you/cussing you out if you ignore them while youre waiting at the station...*shudder*

now i have a car, so i'm safe...

 

[IcedEarth25]

All this i can relate to 100%, when i'm in town by myself i tend to walk a funny sort of way along with getting sweaty hands, i guess its a worry if i meet anyone i know unexpectedly then i tend to get scared stiff, stammer my words and even mix my words up and take a long time trying to get a phrase of my mouth.

 

[HermitFox]

Glad I'm not the only one...I always end up swaying and almost staggering a bit sometimes when I know people are watching me...or when I think they are. =/

I usually feel a bit better when I'm walking my dog...if the dog's ever pulling me along that's great, since no-one can tell I walk funny. la la. =/