Hi, my name is eb8757!

eb8757

Good morning, any other night owls still up?  This is my first time - I'm a newbie I guess. Anyone out there?

eb8757

Does anyone have social anxiety problems that leads to isolation and loneliness? Anybody any suggestions for how to actually overcome this and meet people?

eb8757

I don't think I've got the hang of this. I thought that I'd started a new discussion, but I'm actually replying to myself. Oh dear. Well, I did say that I was new to this! Anyone else out there besides me?

Tori_Scope

Hello @eb8757 Welcome to the community.

Don't worry, you've been posting in the right place! It'll just have been that other members weren't awake/online when you posted. I'm sure they'll pick it up this morning

In terms of social anxiety and loneliness, it can certainly be a difficult one. Is this something you've ever sought professional support for? Talking therapies can help many people with working through the difficult thoughts that make meeting people a challenge.

Are there specific things you get anxious over? I sometimes finds it helps me if I can break down why I'm feeling anxious about a situation or finding it more difficult to get out, as otherwise it all feels like an overwhelmingly general 'I can't do it!'.

Have you tried anything so far to help you push yourself out of your comfort zone a bit? Online forums are a good one, as they can help you to build your confidence in starting and maintaining conversations, finding common ground, and generally speaking with new people. 

Have you tried any online video call events? Would that be more or less  nerve wracking than an in-person event do you think? 

Sorry for all the questions! It can be a hard thing to work through, but it is possible. If you explain a little more about the problems you're facing, you might find other people on here who've had a similar experience. Many of our members have described feelings of isolation and loneliness for a multitude of reasons, so you're certainly not alone.

chiarieds

Hi @eb8757 - & welcome to this friendly & supportive community. We do have members that have social anxiety, so you may hear from them. In the meanwhile please do look through Tori's thoughts on this. I do think that this past year or so has made matters worse for a lot of people & has made them feel lonely due to isolation. This forum is a good place to find you're not alone with these feelings, & also it often helps just chatting to others in a friendly atmosphere, so I do hope you enjoy being part of this group & do chat here any time.

Cher_Alumni

Hello @eb8757 and a little hello from me and welcome to our community.  It's lovely to meet you.

I agree that the past year has made things challenging for people with social anxiety.  I think it's understandable that many of us are feeling a bit wobbly about going out to meet others now restrictions are easing, as this is something we've perhaps lost confidence in doing.  While there's also a tendency to avoid situations due to fear and perceived risk, but in turn this heightens our sense of loneliness doesn't it?  It's hard and I can really relate to your words.  You aren't alone 

Tori has offered some great advice, particularly around accessing talking therapies and if this is something you want to explore, you could speak to your GP about it or self refer to your local Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service.  

I hope you are keeping well today and it'd be fab to see more of you on our online community.  Take care and speak soon.

Ross_Alumni

Hello @eb8757

Welcome to the community, I'm sure you'll find this to be a very supportive and welcoming place I hope to see you around and getting involved!