Weird things to cope with anxiety in public?

lyricalliaisons

lyricalliaisons

Well-known member
Does anyone do any weird things to cope with anxiety while in public? Specifically those with social anxiety, agoraphobia, etc.?

I do. Besides daydreaming constantly, I always take pictures of everything with my phone. For some reason, taking pictures & staring at the world through the little screen on my phone helps me feel less terrible for being outside. I also try to talk to my mom almost continuously from the time I leave until I get to wherever I'm going. If I can't do that, I IM people on my phone. There are a lot of other things I do, too & I guess those might not be considered "weird" lol, but they seem weird to me for some reason. Especially when most "normal" people don't have to do things like that just to deal with being outside their house.
 
N

nunvangus

Member
Whenever im out im always on my phone... I will constantly be texting or a talking to someone on the phone (hence my high phone bill lol)!!! I think it helps as it give my mind something else to think about other than what everyone else thinks about me. x
 
Mythos & Logos

Mythos & Logos

Active member
I don't own a cell phone but when I'm out on the bus or train & always have a book & zone out into it until I get where I'm going to cope
 
spect01

spect01

Well-known member
I put my hands in my pockets and just don't look at anybody unless they look at me first
 
GhoulsNightOut

GhoulsNightOut

Well-known member
When I'm walking I'll either look down or at something far away so I don't make eye contact with anyone. And when I want to order some food I'd make a very brief eye contact with the cashier at first, then stare at the menu while making my order the whole time.
 
Social-E-Aukward

Social-E-Aukward

Well-known member
GhoulsNightOut said:
When I'm walking I'll either look down or at something far away so I don't make eye contact with anyone. And when I want to order some food I'd make a very brief eye contact with the cashier at first, then stare at the menu while making my order the whole time.
Click to expand...

I do the exact same thing. I don't like ordering anywhere. It always makes me uncomfortable and I rarely make eye contact or even look at the person waiting on me. When I'm out with someone, I will sometimes look at them while placing my order. I guess directing myself towards someone I'm familiar with makes me feel less uncomfortable.
 
PunkRotten

PunkRotten

1
I just embrace being weird in public. I think to myself, being or trying to be normal is hard and also lame. I think its better to be weird and unique, thats what life is about. Theres only one person like you in the whole world, you are unique.

Some distractions too are talking to people.
 
I

IAMN

Well-known member
Over the past six months or so I've done two things. #1. I repeat a poem or some paragraph in my head. I find this distracts me, to an extent, from feeling self-conscious... #2. When sitting with a group of people, I rest both hands on the arm rest and slump a little-- this allows me to feel a little less tense and again, a little less self-conscious. None of these will halt a full blown panic attack. The very best thing for me is exercise. A two hour bike ride/jog gives me about half an hour of calm, and I do mean a 3/10 on the SA kind of calm. Hopes some of this will be useful, good luck.
 
Silentknight

Silentknight

Well-known member
Whenever I'm outside I have to have my headphones on regardless if my iPod is playing music or not the headphones are in my ear. I think it's my way of tuning out the world.
 
BlackPuma

BlackPuma

1
I concentrate on nothing more then nature. Essentially looking through the city and people like glass.

If that fails I play little animations in my head. Like imagining a path where I'm walking, and also a path where other people are walking. Try to estimate a car's distance by sound alone. If there's a crowd I try to count everyone in sight. Guess the weather by feel. Count my steps. And there are many, many more.

You actually gather allot of information that way, and you'll be far too busy to concentrate on anything else. :3
 
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FountainandFairfax

FountainandFairfax

in a VAN down by the RIVER
I pretend I'm a celebrity disguised as me. None of the people milling around me realize they're rubbing elbows with a professional MMA fighter. Ha Ha

It makes me feel more confident.
 
cobalt_bluester

cobalt_bluester

Well-known member
my problem is that I don't know which eye to look at, and I am constantly trying to control my gaze to the point where it stresses me out so much that I wish I would just disappear forever. Jeez what is the point of all this??
 
EscapeArtist

EscapeArtist

Well-known member
hahah FountainandFairfax that's a tricky one.

I end up trying to escape into my thoughts...they're all circles and rants, and trying to see the world 'truly', relating primal man to present man and picking out the flaws and horribly weakening adaptions that are soon to come upon us. Circulating thoughts of dissidence to society, only anger allows me to completely escape the present. I also use the future, constantly thinking about what dream I will acheive, what adventure lies ahead of me. Sometimes I have to persuade myself that i'm "better" than some people, usually preppy giggly people of my grade, to get around them without too much anxiety (horrible :().
I try to make myself also look busy with my thoughts, frownish face, eyes not settled but moving every now and then and resettling.
Also have a habit of scratching my face. Not sure why.
If I can listen to music, I do, but of course not too loud or people will hear it... If i'm not listening to music but have an ipod and it's off, I pretend to be flipping through songs so I don't have to play the eyesight game.
 
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Damaged

Damaged

Well-known member
Ah if i feel like im becoming a bit panicked i just put my music on and focus on the lyrics so much in my head, seems to calm me down a whole lot and forget about everyone.
 
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