pjo
New member
Hello,
I came upon this Web forum while doing searches on various social anxieties. I don't have a traditional social anxiety -- I'm kind of an introvert, but I don't have too many problems socializing or being around people, and in fact I've come to find it pleasurable. (It used to be a chore.)
My problem, though, is fear of conflict and confrontation with people I do not know well. I can handle family conflicts and such, but negative interactions with people on the street, loud people in movie theaters, clerks, bureaucrats, etc., hurt me on a deep emotional level that I do not understand. I remember even the most minor incident literally years after the fact -- minor altercations on the subway and such stick with me for years. I even have some of these feelings about events 15 years ago! It's as if they just happened -- and still now, I'm MORE upset about them than would have even been merited at the time.
These are usually not instances where the conflict has anything to do with me personally, but I take them very personally. It makes me more and more afraid of leaving the house or doing anything outside the norm.
Has anyone had these experiences? What helps?
I came upon this Web forum while doing searches on various social anxieties. I don't have a traditional social anxiety -- I'm kind of an introvert, but I don't have too many problems socializing or being around people, and in fact I've come to find it pleasurable. (It used to be a chore.)
My problem, though, is fear of conflict and confrontation with people I do not know well. I can handle family conflicts and such, but negative interactions with people on the street, loud people in movie theaters, clerks, bureaucrats, etc., hurt me on a deep emotional level that I do not understand. I remember even the most minor incident literally years after the fact -- minor altercations on the subway and such stick with me for years. I even have some of these feelings about events 15 years ago! It's as if they just happened -- and still now, I'm MORE upset about them than would have even been merited at the time.
These are usually not instances where the conflict has anything to do with me personally, but I take them very personally. It makes me more and more afraid of leaving the house or doing anything outside the norm.
Has anyone had these experiences? What helps?