Worried about my behavior in social situations

[StephWAII]

Hi, I have a few questions. I'm new when it comes to looking for information on anxiety but I'm looking for any help/insight. I'll try to describe the situations as best as I can.

During my work days, I go in and out of the office. When I'm there, I get extremely tense when I have to walk into a room with anyone else in it. I get especially nervous when I have to use the phone to clock in and out, which is an awkward moment of silence to me. I have this fear that I'm making some kind of noise involuntarily that 'everyone' else can hear. (Chatter of my teeth, gas I've accidently passed,...) I don't believe I do any of this, but I get so nervous and try so hard to NOT make a single sound.

Another time I get really really nervous is when I'm driving in my car, which I do almost all day long. Whenever I'm stopped at a light, I worry about making involuntary movements, such as twitching of my arms, or clenching of my jaw. I try so hard to do something 'normal'; I stare at my fingernails, fidget with the radio stations. I feel like I have to be doing something otherwise someone's going to think something's wrong with me.

I also get extremely nervous when I'm standing in line. Here, I worry about making both involuntary noises and movements. I worry I've passed gas and someone else has heard, or that my legs are twitching abnormally. I also worry about having something stuck on my back, or on my pants.

Help please, it's all so tiring to me, I would like to NOT feel awkward around people.

[alankay]

Steph, Your overly self conscious it seems and probably don''t like being the center of attention or attracting unwanted/negative attention. This is common. Many of us get tics or little tremors. To be honest the best thing for that thought process was an ssri...for me anyway. I use a beta blocker(propranolol) for these during interviews/meetings/speeches but I used to have the same issues while in traffic/walking in a mall. I'd get a jerking feeling if someone was glancing/looking at me and wondered what folks would think if they noticed this, etc, and that worsened the whole deal. When I first went on prozac(on lexapro now) that's the first thing I noticed about it. When my pdoc ask what "it was doing for me" after a few weeks on it, I said in a nut shell I feel much less self conscious, which started a positive effect. The less I worried, the less I had these feelings/concerns so the less I worried, etc. It led to a positive result. I would say it put that sort of thing in a much more "proper" perspective. Consider it and ask your doc about an ssri even at a low dose, it could help. Message me any time.

[StephWAII]

Thank you for responding so quickly! I would like to bring it up to my doctor, but I feel like she'll think I'm crazy. I don't have any physical symptoms, it even felt hard describing it on this forum. I'm glad that you found something that worked for you, and I'd hope that could help me out as well. I don't think I even make any of these noises or movements, but like you said, I'm really worried that I might, and that whoever it is will notice. How did you bring this up to your doc and how did he/she react to you initially?

[alankay]

Oh well they've heard it all before. Particularly a psychiatrist but a GP will have too. Just let them know you think you might be having some "social type anxiety/worries" and tell them what you've described. The key point being that you're worried(ruminating)on these points. It may be mixed anxiety with a little General Anxiety(common deal really). Often anxiety will manifest(show itself) via exactly the things you describe. You know you aren't making any noises, etc, but are WORRIED you might be and what folks will then think, etc. This feeds to your discomfort, etc. Is that right? Key is the WORRY is there first for no real reason(we have ALL burped, passed a little "aromatic charmer", etc, and embarrassed ourselves, etc). OF COURSE!! Thing the doc needs to know is it's distressing you as you've described. Hopefully with a say 6 months course of an ssri you'll get desensitized to all this and stop the med or stay on it as I've have since it so SAFE, helpful and most are dirt cheap in generic. Here's a secret. I bet a few of your coworkers are on one for very similar issues or other things! Ask your doc and you'll see! Print this post out if you'd like for him. Message me any time.

[Weekday crazy]

Steph - I am floating in the same anxiety boat.

I struggle with every social situation - even situations where I know I should be confident. Yesterday, I sweated just waiting for the bus :(
I find talking about it helps.
I haven't had the courage to see anyone yet but talking about it makes me feel like I'm not alone.

Just-a-little-weekday-crazy

[dravid]

I m well aware about this problem because i had the same kind of situation 2years ago.But i control and get over it on my behave.Mostly persons suggest that we have to go to some cycatrist and like that,we could do it my our own self.I did all things which i afraid off and deal with that don't try to run from the situation or avoid it.Join gym to increase my concentrate level and active my body which confused alot 2years back.

[chugalug]

I almost had a panic attack during one of camps and it was scary! Has anyone heard about the fight or flight response? It felt exactly like that, I was perspiring profusely(only me) and felt like I needed to leave. I felt as though everyone was watching me and I felt really awkward... I did leave in the end and I'm now afraid of how my acquaintances would judge me. But I did tell my close friends that I had urgent matter to attend to so I had to leave earlier.

[troy294]

I know exactly what your talking Bout. U get dizzy and fell faint and heart starts racing its very scary . It's a hard thing to deal at you just need to concentrate on breathing it will take your focus off the panic attack

[troy294]

I gonna cut and copy what I posted .but I know what ya mean I just had a small panic attack...

Im writing this from my car as I have this app on my I phone . I just finished grocer shopping and I had a little freak out my self but I walked through it . U know how ya start freaking a bit round people then ya feel all dizzy and things appear different and ya legs feel weak and ya heart starts to race well that was me just then and I walked through it . So it can be done i just kept saying . " you won't win this has happened before " I kept saying it over and over and I still feel a bit anxious but it's a win . And as I was saying it for a bit the symptons hit harder but I just kept saying it over an over and I walked through it .