Social anxiety disorders and social phobias take many shapes and forms. And the variety of social triggers for a legitimate social anxiety problem can be quite diverse. One person may be perfectly fine speaking in front of 100 people but experience severe social anxiety that would qualify as a phobia just attending a Christmas party. Very often social anxiety disorders surface in situations we face at our jobs.
College was a tough time for me. Though I was sure that Id be leaving all my troubles behind once my high school days were over, I was just kidding myself. Things didnt improve much except for the fact that we were treated as adults now. Other than that, I was utterly alone. The only good thing was that the juvenile, school-yard bully tactics were now a thing of the past. (more…)
Success is something Ive always found elusive. Working in a hot kitchen day after day for little more than minimum wage reinforces that fact, while Im reminded of things that could have been and opportunities lost. Sure, the job is easy, and Ive become quite comfortable in my rut, but something is missing. The safe situation Ive created is a social phobs perfect solution to the anxiety of a real-world job – a real job with real pay that might allow me to move on in other aspects of my life (house, car, etc). (more…)
In my last post I wrote about how awful it can feel to be intentionally isolated from a group for no apparent reason. I dont know why this bothers me so much; I suppose being rejected by others is the final proof needed to backup my own paranoid suspicions. Its one thing to suspect that Im a social misfit, but quite another to have it proved in such a manner. Though I was 99% sure that no one wanted me around, there was always that 1% chance that it was all in my head. (more…)
My life was miserable as a cubicle dweller in the corporate world. However, in the state I was in back then, any job would have been the same. At the time, I blamed the company for the stressful environment they subjected me to, never looking inward to see if maybe the problem was with me. (more…)
Life was never the same for me in the corporate world after that episode. Perhaps it was just my overactive imagination, but after the embarrassing classroom performance, people seemed to be a little more standoffish. Not that anyone was particularly rude; it was just that I felt very much an outsider. I suspect that the details of my public speaking performance circulated around the company like wildfire, though I didn’t hear anything specific. (more…)
Things were going downhill fast. I was screwing up, and everyone noticed. My face was now bright red. Not the usual mild [tag]blushing[/tag] that everyone experiences from time to time – oh no, this was a bright, crimson-red, bordering on reddish/purple – probably very freakish looking and undeniably noticeable. (more…)
Id like to say that this experience turned out ok and that I got through the course without a hitch, but that wasnt the case. I suppose you could say that I psyched myself out before the class got underway by believing that no other outcome was possible other than complete and utter failure and embarrassment. (more…)
As the instructor proceeded to welcome all of us to the latest company workshop, I was filled with a sense of dread. I figured that the introductions would start in less than 5 minutes. Though I was on the verge of a total meltdown, I couldnt help but notice the irony in the fact that the company expected us to be grateful that they were spending all this time and money on our professional development. (more…)
The once quiet classroom was now filled with loud conversation and laughter – quite a contrast to the serene setting only moments ago. Amazed at how loud a few dozen people could be, I was vaguely aware of the fact that I was the only one not taking part in all the idle chit-chat. Surely, I must have stood out like a sore thumb. (more…)
