Wha caused your social anxiety?

I think most of the time it is coming from childhood and from not getting validated by people. For me i remember i was almost always left behind in school and when project had to be done people would never count on me and would rather have someone else do it. It just translated into adulthood aswell. I dont know how to overcome it and its like a shadow, always with me.

You shouldn't really care what other people think about you. If you want to fit in into a group of people, ask yourself first the question why you want to fit in or why you want the validation of others. Question even the answers with 'why' again. Until you get to the point where your real problems are. Doing that is a good step in the right direction and you can tackle the real issue.

Body issues, probably BDD, worrying too much about what other people think because my own opinion of myself is poor.

Johndac said:

You shouldn't really care what other people think about you. If you want to fit in into a group of people, ask yourself first the question why you want to fit in or why you want the validation of others. Question even the answers with 'why' again. Until you get to the point where your real problems are. Doing that is a good step in the right direction and you can tackle the real issue.

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Yes, im aware of this but its like emotions just overflow the rationality.

Interestingly, I didn't develop it until my first year of college which was like almost a year ago. So, I've only been incapacitated by it for about a year. I always had low self-esteem, which I don't know where it came from. I had an extremely supportive family so the only thing I can think of is school which honestly is what made me feel shitty 99% of my childhood. So that became a bad attitude about everything, plus I did some bad things which haunted me for years later. I recognized at an early age that I had an overinflated ego, so I got into the habit of saying mean things to myself to compensate. The problem was (and is) really just a FRAGILE ego so yeah I kind of traumatized myself. I also did a sport in high school for all the wrong reasons and that whole experience reinforced a lot of obsessive hypercritical tendencies despite the progress I made in it. So, basically I think I just finally snapped in college. Nothing in particular happened other than what happens when you suddenly develop intense social anxiety and have to share a small room with a person and you stick through the whole year. It was also in Baltimore so low-key I was fearing for my life every once in a while. I still get crime alert emails from that school. I have a lot of anxiety on my dad's side so I was predisposed to it I think. Also, if anyone has any information about propranolol and how that has worked for you or someone you know, I'd like to hear about that please. I'm still using CBT but it's exhausting to constantly monitor your own thoughts. Thanks! Hope this post helps!

I think I developed social anxiety since childhood. I was always a shy person. Shyness then evolved into social anxiety as I grew older. My parents were also a factor. I have 'helicopter parents'. They never really allowed me to hangout with friends and stuff and as a result, I became an introvert.

Getting bullied from pretty much 3rd grade until like 10th. I was physically weak, underweight and passive. Other males smelled it like blood in the water. I never really developed socially because I was always trying to not draw their attention. And trying to talk to a girl usually prompted ridicule if anyone saw it. I dont like to preach hate, but even to this day I deeply and truly hate them.

I think in general, the bad treatment i regularly experienced at school and in public. Over the years it all just built up. Although i'm much better nowadays, the effects still remain, and all it takes is a trigger situation & i'm right back there for a moment. Losing my fear of people has also made the taunting/ridicule/laughter go away, which has also lessened the fear & paranoia.

I think I just got traumatized as child, that is why I have trouble talking whit people. I think that is general reason.

Thank you for all the replies guys, it really means alot to be able to relate to other people. To me it seems it all comes down to the childhood and how you were treated (not getting accepted or getting bullied), with exception of cases where it appeared later in life (like with closethomosape)

Gunther said:

I think most of the time it is coming from childhood and from not getting validated by people. For me i remember i was almost always left behind in school and when project had to be done people would never count on me and would rather have someone else do it. It just translated into adulthood aswell. I dont know how to overcome it and its like a shadow, always with me.

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I feel the same..

emasomen1990 said:

I feel the same..

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Where are you from Emasomen?

Me not beleiving in myself and always questioning every action led to spiral of negative thinking and ultimately depression.