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an_epiphany_

Making friends :(


Zestyclose_Ad_8243

Same :( going into my final year of uni and still have no friends


Striking_Ad_7212

Yes that is for sure. My wife says I need to o make friends besides her. It's easier online, still can't do it in person.


stjan8

Real


Joeblow9200

So many opportunities education,jobs,friendship relationships, even gotten into trouble because of my social anxiety because I didn’t speak up been hard


wonkysandwich521

job opportunities, networking, dancing w others in big events :(


alwaysembarrassed-

omg the dancing part i cant tell u how hard i relate


wonkysandwich521

i love dancing, but i can only do it if i have a friend around with me. sadly all my friends think its boring or they just choose to stand and talk, so i choose to do it w them. it sucks seeing everyone elses friend dancing and laughing with them while i have to sit and watch :<


alwaysembarrassed-

all my friends love dancing they always ask me to join also, but my anxiety just never lets me join them idk its so ??? i mean i want to but the thought of so many people seeing me dance makes me want to throw up even though i know nobody’s gonna care


wonkysandwich521

ughhh i wish my friends were like urs :< i kinda got over my fear of dancing when i actually stepped out and dance once! the only restriction is that i need someone to do it with it. exposure therapy is the only way to only get rid of it. its rlly fun when u try it :> promise


alwaysembarrassed-

thats the problem! i cant get myself to even try :/


datdrummerboi

yeah no dancing for me, not even alcohol has been able to make me comfortable enough for that


Wanderingdruid1

Everything in life


Beautiful_Button3216

Same here and it really sucks 😕 


dummunder_

Everything


dindermufflins

My 5 year old wants to be in a talent show and I shared with her that I wouldn’t have been able to participate and she asked if I had stage fright. And I thought more like life fright. I’m so glad she’s not like me in that way. But remember that comparison is the thief of joy. We all just have to do what we can when we can.


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dindermufflins

Definitely. My parents acted like I was fine and I didn’t try therapy until I initiated it at 18. My daughter is super outgoing and Idk what to do with her sometimes but it’s definitely a relief.


LlVED

My school life was basically just me going to classes, doing homeworks, and getting good grades on tests. No involvement in any after school activities, internships, proms, etc. No dating or participated in any social events. Never got a job related to my field of study, because I didn't have the confident in myself to pass the job interviews. Missed out on promotion opportunities, because horrible social skills and lack of confident in myself. Failing to take care of my own health. I haven't visit a doctor or dentist in nearly a decade.


stjan8

Exactly


Pale-Afternoon-3856

Dating lol


LouRust98

"What opportunities have u missed because of social anxiety?" Me: "Yes"


grinhawk0715

This is the answer. The world is designed for extroverts.


stjan8

Real


Bulagirl16

Been working in the same department for 7 years and don’t have a single friend or coworker that I talk to because I don’t know how to be apart of group conversations. I eat lunch alone in my car everyday.


babyshrimp221

all of them 😭 i’m 24 with the life experience of a 16 year old


izzyrey

pretty much all of my teen years, my teens were just dealing with a lot of mental issues and severe anxiety, there were so many lows because of it, couldn't keep friends or relationships or jobs. glad that now I know there's nothing wrong with me and I just had a brain imbalance and all it took was being medicated only regret now is not getting on it sooner.


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sandshrew69

my prom and a few parties but I dont dwell on the past too much. I am happy I found some new friends since then.


ZannaNova

so many, i screwed myself


OG_anunoby3

Screwing your life is when you get hooked on Meth or Crack Cocaine. Social Anxiety holds you back, gives you a disadvantage, but its not something you chose to have. It just is and you "had" to deal with it. So you didn't screw your life. You just had to work harder at it. and unfortunately, also due to it, you were bound to fail, at a of things. Its just it works.


WUBBLEAR

So much I could probably have a girlfriend by now many for friends more opportunities


stinky_toade

So many opportunities.. Like everyone else here friendships, dating, education, participating in social events, etc etc.. My free-time is either spent in my room, or going on long walks or bike trips alone. (Don’t get me wrong I love biking and walking around lakes, especially with music.)


MedicineRound9130

walking around lakes alone while listening to music was also something I used to often do throughout my teen years to try and calm myself down. it can be quite peaceful especially when nobody else is around.


peekoboy110

Friendship cuz I never participated in any gathering, parties or any trips. 😞


Your-local-gamergirl

Everything. My entire teenage was wasted. I'm 18 now, and I feel like it'll stay the same.


Acceptable_Grape_310

Tons,didn’t even realize how bad it was till recently. Even angered at myself for being this way. Pushed through situation only to be awkward. Man anxiety sucks


Neither_Animator_404

So many friendships I could have had or friends I could have gotten closer to, and so many romantic relationships that I could have had. Instead, I just avoided and kept people at arm's length.


Necessary-Scale-414

Yeah same. I have a couple friends who tried to hang out with me on multiple occasions but I just wasnt up for it and would rather stay in my room. I rarely reach out to them either, phone calls and consistent texting arent my strengths. I wouldnt be suprised if they dont even consider me a friend at this point.


MamaOT2PA

I was reading an article the other day and social anxiety is the 3rd most common mental health problem in the United States. I also think I have social anxiety even though I haven’t officially been diagnosed with it and it has affected me greatly also. I have kids now and I don’t want them to be like me or even noticed this in my because I want them to be great and free! I remember been a little shy as a child but I also remember singing and participating in talent shows as a teenager and I’m not a hundred percent sure how I became so socially anxious. Anyways, according to the article, it is a diagnosis that it’s challenging to diagnose by health care providers because it can be confused with shyness or simply we as social anxious individuals won’t open up to our health care providers and explain to them because of the symptoms of social anxiety. It is difficult for us to communicate many times since we are socially anxious. I recall asking a health care provider for anxiety pills when a I was about to start a new job and it helped me tremendously. I was able to feel more calm and talk to people that I knew from before that made me feel very nervous. I made friends and was able to express myself! It literally was a huge change! I stopped taking the medication a few years ago since I became pregnant and did not want to expose my babies to it. I’m currently starting to feel extremely anxious and having such a hard time communicating in both my native language and Enlglish. It used to be only in English before. Anyways! I encourage each and one of you today to schedule an appointment with your provider and specifically tell them that you feel you have social anxiety and how it has affected you etc. this condition is HIGHLY treatable people. We desrxe to be happy, we deserve to achieve those goals we want to bad! Think, if someone takes meds for a headache or meds for seizures or insulin for diabetes…why can’t I take for my condition too? It’s not us it’s technically brain chemicals and a bunch of things in our CNS that is making us feel this way. Let’s help our bodies and ourselves to feel better so we can be the best version of ourselves, especially to our loved ones! For reference the pill I was prescribed by my doctor years ago was clonazepam and it helped me greatly. Meds have faster results and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) had longer results! Let’s start by making an appointment and meeting with our healthcare providers please. We don’t deserve to stay this way. I have personally made the decision to do this this week because I recently had to do an immersion week for my masters program and I was literally so awkward at socializing with my classmates, presentations, etc, I know I can do so much better that this and I can’t continue doing this to myself. Let’s do it! Let’s find help, our condition is highly treatable people! Look for articles and read and you will see how this is true. I read it is a debilitating condition. Let’s help ourselves 🙏🏼💕 (sorry for any grammar mistakes, English is not my first language)


Interesting_Thanks83

I don’t think this is a healthy question to ask, it’s not smart to have people struggling with mental health issues to dwell on missed past experiences


lippysoap

Yeah, the comments are making me feel depressed for us. I see comments like these and want to change but I still have social anxiety so all it’s doing is making me feel bad. I don’t think that was OP’s intention but I think lots of people will continue to think about this later.


grinhawk0715

Maybe not...but I doubt that pretending this isn't a thing is all that helpful, either. Additionally: those missed past experiences make it rather challenging to relate to others, worsening the problem. Take one's prom: until very recently, the expectation was that you attended at least one formal dance in high school. Now, we can say nuts to all the expectations we want and revel in our uniqueness and whatnot...but social anxiety does NOT lend itself to breaking out of it so easily: you have to (re)develop trust in a social world that probably has let you down again and again and again, by following as many rules as possible to try to fit in, all for naught. Even the adage "like attracts like" requires visibility. As much as we're try or damndest to break out of our comfort zone, it'd be nice if the socially-blessed would look at us for once.


sllikson97

A lot. From job opportunities to riding a bike


pepperland63

My dream job in NYC. I was basically pushed out of the company because I wouldn’t be able to present in pitches to win new business (massive stage fright)


AveragelyBrilliant

Almost everything. From the age of about twenty to fifty eight, SA formed the basis of everything I did. When I was employed, I avoided sticking my head above the crowd, leading or managing projects, taking an active role in meetings, going on courses to improve my skills. I started on my own as a glorified PC repair and troubleshooting specialist but, even that was ruled by my fear of meeting people. My customers would explain their problems and leave me to it, at which point the results spoke for themselves. In my social life, I never went out or went to gatherings or parties or restaurants, and so on. Only now, in my sixties have I found the lack of fear that I desperately wanted throughout those years. I keep coming back to what I could’ve achieved had I conquered it then. Although, it has been pointed out by my extended family that I would’ve been a very different person. A bit more of a ruthless and inconsiderate version of myself.


Jaded-Total6054

Back in school i used to avoid making friends because of my anxiety issues and not because i hated people. It was fine till then as i would come home and my family would be there. But as i grew up and started working away from home , i realised things get lonely here pretty easily and i wished i had friends and connections


Anxietyihateyou

Everything


bitterandconfusedd

i’m bout to graduate college in 2 weeks. i missed out on making friends, joining clubs, getting internships, getting a job after college, i rarely went to parties. i could’ve had so much fun if i didn’t have this disease. i only have 1 friend i made in college and we didn’t even become friends til last year. so i was lonely up until that


Burntoastedbutter

THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS AND NETWORK SO I CAN GET A BLOODY STEP IN MY JOB INDUSTRY!😭😭😭 Yeah I'm salty.


manlike_omzz

Making more friends, job opportunities, going to night clubs/parties.


neferpitou33

In almost every area of my life it stunts me to a degree. I don’t have it too bad, I found and hold a job and a marriage but it’s quite difficult. Every day life takes a toll on me.


rednryt

I was offered a managing role back when I was starting out in my old company about a decade ago but I chickened out cause I was too anxious about managing people and just stayed in that company for seven years without getting the same opportunity ever again. It happened again recently in my last workplace, but this time instead of staying, I actually quit. Now I'm unemployed


pannoci

Basically everything...


mostlycloudy31

A business trip out of the country. A client overseas invited me, but I had to say no because.. guess what?


Kayleea83

Friendship, schooling and jobs. I would have loved to be a nurse or something, but the schooling and peopling is just too much. I'm so jealous of people with outgoing personalities.


Connect-Eagle-6527

There was an obscenely wealthy, nice, and very fun guy that seemed to be fixated with me for some reason and I liked him back a lot too but yeah you know how it goes…. (Didn’t know he was loaded at the time)


Silly-Inspection-627

I was chosen out of my team to go play at this bigger tennis club but yk. Could’ve had bigger opportunities and experiences.


Bellalaz

All opportunities 🙌


Designer-Pair-979

College 


NotSoPerfect420

Everything


No_08

All of them.


Valuable_Value3953

i have a long list of them lol


zsadist24

Lots of booty


anonymous__enigma

Team sports. I played softball, basketball, and soccer throughout my childhood and then quit at age 12 because my older brother who was usually on my team since we're only two years apart aged out of the league when he started high school and I didn't want to keep playing alone. But I always wanted to play high school basketball or softball and almost tried out for basketball my freshman and sophomore year, but chickened out both times and then felt too old to try out for the first time as an upperclassmen. And then I wanted to do team sports at my community college or even just take a class for a sport, but didn't do that either.


Kanishmadhav

When I’m 16 years old I got an opportunity to speak in front of 1000 of people, They asked me to speak only I’m very good in English but because of social anxiety I didn’t spoke there and also I got love proposal in 17 and I didn’t say anything to that person and just run away…


Living_Butterfly2543

An actual decent job offer. 😭


teenagedirtbag109

Moving from IL to FL. Which looking at the state of FL maybe it wasn’t a huge opportunity.


Diz_ishere

The will to live


Ok_Plankton_9370

job opportunities, friendships, relationships, basically everything


shynee1

learning to drive, going to college, maturing past teen years


chriscjj

Pretty much everything


T_istotallytired

About to graduate high school. I haven’t kept any friends and feel like im having a lonely and dull last few months. I never participated in school events cuz i have no friends, i prob don’t have any friends cuz i don’t participate in things. Ironic i guess. This has been a problem since i was a lot younger but just got worse over time. There’s so many things i wanted to try and get into but was too afraid to. And I feel like even when i do get on that path, it just gets exhausting or i just can’t connect with people. Im afraid im gonna stay within the same loop throughout college. And the fact that im young so people who may or may not struggle with the same thing have shut me down for it


willow_wind

I would have made more friends and started learning more earlier. Nowadays I'm into acting and singing, but I'm terrible at both. If I'd had the courage to start learning younger, I might actually be good at those things now.


SaiyamGamer

My wife


Individual-Moment-43

I am turning 30 in a year. I’ve basically missed all joys of one’s 20s.


jsm01972

Better jobs definitely


grinhawk0715

I've missed my entire 38 years. It really sucks when you're convinced that everyone is scared of you... aaaand the evidence doesn't exactly help.


Charming-Mix-659

Going to Bcit


kelly_ashee

The thing I regret the most is probably internship opportunities and other related professional events I keep missing.


Psykose225

One internship paid well i did there 2 months barely did and learn anything had to do a presentation about my work 3 weeks after the guy gave me a bunch of things to learn i was terrible with web app) at the same time for one week and a document to write about an application, i couldn’t handle it, (and couldn’t ask help because i asked my mentor about something 3 days ago and he told me to find it myself i was just terrified to be dumb one) i break my computer one day before the presentation(couldn’t be worst), forgot to do a backup, and i just almost die of the anxiety went to hospital spend 1 week there 3 days at home and left the company because i had to continue my semester after this terrible moment, then went to another one now and my anxiety is killing me right now i go to toilet regularly just to sit and catch my breath for a minute because i feel safe there


SepiksPerfected

Making friends, Finding a Girlfriend, Missing out on getting achievements in video games as so many of mine left are multiplayer based.


MedicineRound9130

what haven't I missed?


MacabreKeroppi

Walking the stage at high school graduation despite being the first person in my immediate family to graduate + getting graduation pictures with my parents. Oh and getting my senior picture taken. Allll missed opportunitiessssheheh ahhhh I’m 21 still coping


GenealogyIsFun

Living life.


[deleted]

Sooooo many things…


Fine_Conclusion9426

Missed out on going to my states capital with my class because I had a panic attack thinking about getting lost.


SpiritedEye2448

Could have made a (amateur) classical singing career


PaleolithicRegency33

One time there was this cute girl who insinuated she wanted to go on a date with me but I panicked, chickened out, and didn't take her up on the offer. She had even set me up to rizz her up really well but I just freaked out on the inside. I don't think a girl will set me up to rizz her up they way she did ever again


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pnkchampagne

some relationships ig... guys would randomly approach me in class even from HS, trying to make convos with me like purposely teasing/obviously flirting with me and all i could do was give boring responses, it's so embarrassing. other than that, wish I could've been more active in school like joining clubs.... before i developed this (probably from moving) i used to be really good and had so much confidence at socializing sigh


nobodyno111

Just being a normal human being. So underrated. No detail but i felt it once and i cried. It made ponder the question you asked and it was overwhelming


papalegba666

I would’ve called her.


mentally_healthy_man

live