# Anxiety Disorders > Social Anxiety Disorder >  >  What are you avoiding right now due to SA?

## sanspants

As per title.

----------


## QuietCalamity

Going to the break room to retrieve my lunch. I can wait till it's less crowded.... *stomach noises*

----------


## Inscrutable Banana

Everything. Â¬_Â¬

----------


## Misssy

avoiding abuse

----------


## Chantellabella

Avoiding going to church which is something I really want to do. The churches around here have a million people! I want to sit in the back at the end of the row.

----------


## Antidote

Cancelling appointments.

----------


## sanspants

The gym.

----------


## hmj93

Having a steady job.

----------


## Misssy

Eh, I've given in to SA. I do not expect much out of life anymore. I've been avoiding so long it is who I am. Not-avoiding is always a disappointment... I feel that if I avoid people then I am sparing other people pain of dealing with me.

----------


## L

following up on blood test results

----------


## Misssy

icicles_vibrating_wapday-com.gif icicles_vibrating_wapday-com.gif





Every morning I avoid getting out of bed because the house is so cold. It sucks

I have avoided so many things for real though, important things that now it is so long past the point of making any real change... I am tired, I have to sleep this might not make any sense

----------


## Rawr

Working with the public. I had a job opportunity to be a receptionist at a hair place & I ended up being blunt with the manager telling her my SA isn't enough under control yet. Luckily she was nice about it though but such a let down... Finally had a great opportunity & I had to blow it.

----------


## L

Right now I have a meeting to attend, I'm fine when the meeting is on but I'm sitting in the car avoiding the chat people do just before it starts...

----------


## SmileyFace

-Joining the local Zumba class (or simply going to the gym more)
-Singing around/to my boyfriend
-Joining various classes and creating new hobbies.

----------


## Sagan

Getting groceries. I'm down to 2 boxes of Mac n Cheese and a can of tuna.

----------


## FireIsTheCleanser

Getting a job. I know I could get one if I just went out and applied to some places but... you know how SA is.

----------


## loveismyweapon

joining any clubs and going to the mall with a new friend .-.

----------


## Total Eclipse

Making a phone call =/

----------


## Total Eclipse

was suppose to go to the hospital yesterday. avoiding that :/

----------


## IllusionOfHappiness

Christmas shopping. Though I did get a teensy bit done today anyway. I'm never, ever setting foot in a store that busy again. I'll be there the second it opens to avoid the crowds. Now there's just finding the motivation to get out of bed early enough to make that happen.

----------


## IllusionOfHappiness

> was suppose to go to the hospital yesterday. avoiding that :/



that does not sound like something you should avoid  ::(:   :Hug:

----------


## Total Eclipse

> that does not sound like something you should avoid



Most likely not... saw a doctor today, my general doctor isn't going to be too impressed as he ordered me to go to the ER yesterday, then I somewhat lied to him saying I was going to go... then went home for a nap.. >.<

----------


## Suveer Rao

Getting a job.

----------


## panda

Going to work

----------


## GhoulKid

Seeing a film with my friend/crush.. it would've been really fun as well :/

----------


## merc

Phone calls, and an oil change for car.  I would love to hide out from the world today, but I have a few things I need to do.

----------


## cathering

trying out new learning experiences like ballroom dancing or sport or social groups... i find excuses like "I dont have a car, so I can't get home easy or i will be annoying to someone if they feel they have to drive me or pick me up even if they offer I am a bother to them...""

----------


## January

Currently seating in class, basically avoiding eye-contact with anyone. We just came from our winter break and I was not looking to seeing anyone in my class. But when entering the class, I realize I _really_ wasn't looking to seeing anyone. Not happy, nor unhappy, it just didn't mean anything to see anyone again. Felt nothing. Or freedom, in which case it scares me because it could be the real end of my social life. 
Also, I have been postponing internship applications and many emails (sending and answering).
Leaving early any party, when I am invited. But since I am not invited a lot and according to its nature, the previous one (postponing interactions for my studies) is the real problem. It costs me so much effort to even start the computer, getting in the right mindset, and opening the mail box.  So when I start writing Dear Blablabla, I've already given it all. And how can I expect my parents who pay so much for the school and believe in me to understand it?

----------


## cathering

i used to sit in classrooms that way too when the teacher came in and i thought i didn't know enough about anything to be there...

----------


## Misssy

Getting ready to wake up early on my day off of work. I think I will wing it, figure it out in the morning.

----------


## Sagan

Grocery shopping! I uh needa tha food! Sometimes hungry is easier than anxiety attack.

----------


## Kirsebaer

So I thought I was completely over my SA by now, but apparently not exactly. I've met this very friendly spanish girl who takes the same night bus as me after work and she's fun to chat with, we laugh together and talk about everything. I never had a problem with that, I even enjoy her company, but just the other day the thought of having to chit chat with her on the bus after work made me feel quite uncomfortable so instead of waiting for the bus I decided to go home by foot. That's a 40-minute walk, in the dark. And it was cold. Wft is wrong with me? :b

----------


## Liv64

My neighbors!

----------


## FireIsTheCleanser

Having to call to say which college orientation date I'm going to go to because I'll be too scared to be there by myself surrounded by strangers

----------


## enfield

> Having to call to say which college orientation date I'm going to go to because I'll be too scared to be there by myself surrounded by strangers



when i went to mine i was nervous but thankfully i didn't have to call to schedule it. if i had had to call i would have put off making the phone call but that would've just made me think of it more and how i didn't wanna go. i really dread making phone calls. the day arrived and it was a foggy morning. i felt pretty calm from the weather. i set out from home on time and i brought a book with me just in case there was free time when people talked or mingled. we were all eventually seated together in a big room at round tables. some kids had parents and family with them which made me a lot less intimidated. when kids are around their families they're very harmless. we picked out classes at the table. that seemed like a really outdated method to me since i thought everybody does it online. they actually do, just for orientation they make you do it when you come using the catalogues they've printed out to ensure everybody leaves signed up for classes in the fall.

while we were doing that there was a lady on speaker phone that was kinda nice to listen to explaining about college and the relationship between parents and their kids and that we cant be coddled anymore. 

at lunch time there was subway. yum. except i was on a weird diet or felt awkward to take the food and i had brought unsweetened chocolate with me to eat. i sat down and took my bag of chocolate out and started to read and about 3 mins later a girl came up and sat across from me. i continued to read and didn't look up but couldn't focus anymore. then she said hi and i put the book down and we started talking. she was nice and friendly and we talked the entire lunch. after i felt really good that somebody talked to me for that long. i knew i wasn't that great to talk to, but even when orientation was over and i left to take the bus home, i still felt good from that. i never talked to somebody that long all of high school. even since then i never talked to a stranger for that long again. 

thats my story of college orientation and how it turned out pretty good.

----------


## msguy76

Leaving my house at all.

----------


## IllusionOfHappiness

Life in general.

----------


## sanspants

> Grocery shopping! I uh needa tha food! Sometimes hungry is easier than anxiety attack.



This. I don't understand why exactly, but even after I'm over everything else, dragging myself to the grocery store is the toughest for me. I have a friend who usually goes with me on Sundays, and if we miss our usual "grocery-support date," neither of us buy food for the next week, and live on convenience stuff until we see each other again. 

(I say this chewing on a premade sandwich from 7-Eleven)

----------


## sanspants

Oh wait, the other thing I'm avoiding is paying my fine for possession of a controlled substance, because I don't like being scrutinized on my way into the courthouse. Inevitably the security guards say something stupid and I shoot a smart remark back at them. They're easier on me than other people, still. 

I'm like three days late paying on my fine, which is really no big deal. My prior roommate used to put off paying his fine until the sheriff showed up at his house with a warrant to take him to jail. He used them as a taxi to get to the ATM, then handed them the money and they went away. Three months in a row  :Tongue: 

I won't let it get that bad...I promise lol.

----------


## fall_out_sarah

Phoning my friends and family, eating in front of people and being myself  ::(:

----------


## Otherside

Filling out job application forms. I feel like the people reading them are going to judge me. 

I seriously need a job.

----------


## sanspants

Paying rent. Really this is silly.

----------


## lemia

Talking to my close friend whom I have feelings for. . .I feel as though the conversation would be empty and that I would be bothering her

----------


## FireIsTheCleanser

> Talking to my close friend whom I have feelings for. . .I feel as though the conversation would be empty and that I would be bothering her



I feel the same way with just about everyone. Can't initiate _any_ conversations without me feeling like I will be bothering them.

----------


## enfield

pedro* always thinks he is bothering me. he wont start a conversation almost ever from thinking this. on the rare times he does he will ask if he's bothering me or say that he felt like he is bothering me less than 1min into the chat.  -__-

and i always have to YELL at him "NO, YOU'RE NOT BOTHERING ME! YOU HAVE NEVER BOTHERED ME! I REALLY LIKE IT WHEN YOU START CONVOS WITH ME!"

but he still seems to feel this way. is it my yelling? i dont really have the same inhibition to bothering ppl. only if its ones that i didn't talk to in a good while i might. then i sometimes believe we weren't really as close of friends as i thought and maybe we didn't talk for that long because they didn't want to talk to me, and that i would be bothering them to say hi and ask whats up. time sows doubts. 

*im using his name i used to have for him before i learned the real one

==

im avoiding signing up for classes or figuring out my future college plans. most ppl go from the community college in my city to the state school next door (its literally almost right next door) but i already got disqualified from the state school after attending there for 2 years, so i need to go talk to them and beg for a way to be able to go back. which im puting off from doing. i didn't rule the option of going to another school out, but i want to finish college without moving away or doing all that stuff if possible.

----------


## distancing

Contacting a local support center for people coping with chronic mental illness... I finally came out of a long major depressive episode a few months ago, but still haven't taken any concrete steps to getting my life back in order. I can already feel a relapse creeping up, so need to try reaching out before that happens. Unfortunately, my therapist (who helped immensely) left last month, so I've been feeling pretty adrift since then.

In relation to the above, I've also avoided interacting with people on here for a long time (though I've been lurking).  ::\:  Going to work on changing that, too. 

So hi again, all!

----------


## Total Eclipse

Making some phone calls :c

----------


## Equinox

College related stuff in general.

----------


## H2O

Going to graduate soon with my masters so job hunting is in full effect. Definitely dreading it.

I think its time I meet new people as well which I am the worst at.  :hide:

----------


## Kirsebaer

Not because of SA, but because of anxiety pure and simple, I've been avoiding to deal with French bureaucracy (e.g. trying to validate my diploma here). I've had bad experiences with bureaucratic stuff before so now dealing with translations and legalization of official documents triggers my anxiety. Right now I'm in the process of transferring my drivers license to France and it's a pain in the butt, to say the least

----------


## L

Bringing my car to the garage - I think I did some damage to it and should not be driving it - I will try do it tomorrow - today I want a relaxing, stress free day!!

----------


## IllusionOfHappiness

Pretty much everything. Why is it so easy to slip into old habits?

----------


## FireIsTheCleanser

Setting an appointment with the mental health facilities at school. They could help my problems but ironically, my problems are preventing me from seeking help. Also, setting an appointment to get tested at the regular hospital/medical/whatever thing.

----------


## FireIsTheCleanser

Using the computers in the school library to print. It's .05 per page but apparently everyone gets $40~ for printing so I want to take advantage of that. I think I just walk in and find a computer that isn't busy, but I'm worried that I have to do something first and I'll get in trouble  ::(:

----------


## FireIsTheCleanser

So I'm tired of the basic glasses I wear. I was thinking of getting some of those thick-framed/nerdy ones that are in style. I think I could look good with those. Except the insurance my parents have for optometrists only covers the type of glasses I currently wear/have been wearing for the past 10 years. Luckily, I went online and found you can buy cheap prescription glasses.

Problem is, I don't know what my prescription or glasses size is and I'd have to set up an appointment for the optometrist, go to said appointment, then ask for a copy of the information I need. And I only have a few months before insurance runs out and I have to pay for the appointment.

----------


## Inscrutable Banana

Making a doctors appointment for a physical and blood workup, I keep procrastinating on it because I'm staring at the number and dreading having to call and talk to them instead of just forcing myself to do it...granted, I've actually been putting this off for around 10 years now, but I've recently decided that I should probably make sure I don't have secret diabeetus or something.

----------


## fetisha

avoiding getting gas and being hit on at gas stations

----------


## FireIsTheCleanser

> avoiding getting gas and being hit on at gas stations



 ::o:  Is that something that happens to you often?

----------


## fetisha

> Is that something that happens to you often?



It used to happen a lot at another gas station I went to but I stop going to that one

----------


## 1

Visiting planet Earth

----------


## Member11

Making a phone call...

----------


## Otherside

Cancelling a swimming membership I currently can't use. Costing me fifteen quid a month at the moment. Cheers anxiety. 

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

----------


## QuietAndy

Bringing a check to the dentist office....

----------


## fetisha

walking outside for exercise because I have been honked at more often so I work out inside my house now.

----------


## 1

Going outside..

----------


## Otherside

Emailing someone who wants work doing :/

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

----------


## Sagan

Leaving this god forsaken room

----------


## Hexagon

Nothing right now, but I'm nervous about an upcoming intake appointment with a psychiatrist on tuesday which I should be preparing for.

----------


## UndercoverAngel

> Nothing right now, but I'm nervous about an upcoming intake appointment with a psychiatrist on tuesday which I should be preparing for.



Good luck.

----------


## Lilo18

I need to pick up prescriptions but I can't bring myself to go outside. I can see how busy the streets are from my house.

----------


## Member11

> I need to pick up prescriptions but I can't bring myself to go outside. I can see how busy the streets are from my house.



 :Hug:  Did you get a chance to pick them up?

----------


## avoidantflower

Going to the hair dressers.....the last time I went alone I cried in the waiting room ahhhh ::$:

----------


## Member11

> Going to the hair dressers.....the last time I went alone I cried in the waiting room ahhhh



 :Hug:

----------


## 1

Going outside

----------


## fetisha

Being around people in general

----------


## Otherside

Well for a long time I was avoiding cancelling my swimming membership because that would involve calling them up and telling them I wanted to cancel, and they'd probably try and persuade me to stick it out, and that's kinda prety stupid because it's cost me probably over a Â£100 not cancelling it.  :hit wall: 

But I'm back to swimming now, so no need to cancel it I guess. For now. (Seriously will I let something run on for life because I don't want to call someone up and cancel?)

----------


## Total Eclipse

Calls from my family.

----------


## Member11

Paperwork  :bricks:

----------


## Otherside

> Paperwork



Yeah I get that too. Not that I ever understand why I'm avoiding it. :/

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

----------


## Feelgoodkate

Holiday gatherings. Sucks having such bad anxiety this time during the season..

----------


## Lunaire

> Holiday gatherings. Sucks having such bad anxiety this time during the season..



I hope your Holidays went well!  ::teddy::

----------


## lethargic nomad

Looking for work.

----------


## HoldTheSea

I'm avoiding socializing with people my age. I don't like being around people who are in their 20s and 30s. Too much drama, especially with women.

----------


## 1

Going for a walk

----------


## Member11

> hitting the gym - forget it



I think gym is meant to be avoided though  :Tongue:

----------


## Koalafan

Blah so many things >_<

----------


## HoldTheSea

Going to the grocery store and the library

----------


## polarblu

NOT using the tools I know that works;

Exposure.
Gym, sports.
Walks/Hikes.
Exercise in general

If you get anxious, **Shift focus**. It seems to work (for me at least). I've always loved playing volley ball. The first few times I blew, especially when serving. Because I felt all eyes were on me when doing that, and that was made me fail.

But I kept going, as that is how the game works. Eventually I learned that no body really cares. Everyone is the center of their own world, trapped inside their own mind. The other day I thought about that, and I just imagined the opposing team as a blur. Sequentially, I kept going by serving 17 aces in a row.

I'm socially anxious but I love team sports... go figure...?

----------


## maeapothem

Eating  ::(:

----------


## Kimbra

Calling my school.

----------


## PinkButterfly

I am avoiding everything and almost everyone. I am scared of life issues and tired of people draining me and using me.

----------


## Member11

Paperwork, it is sooooo annoying  :drawing:

----------


## SmileyFace

My SA is nowhere near as bad now than it was just a few years ago, but I still find myself avoiding talking to people my age. I have such a hard time relating to folks in my little age range..

----------


## PinkButterfly

Today I am avoiding my shower but I have to take one I am avoiding people as always only because of the agoraphobia not because I don't want to see people but I really don't want them to see me so fat and ugly . I am thinking of what can I eat next but trying to avoid the food but I am failing!

----------


## anxiouskathie

> Today I am avoiding my shower but I have to take one I am avoiding people as always only because of the agoraphobia not because I don't want to see people but I really don't want them to see me so fat and ugly . I am thinking of what can I eat next but trying to avoid the food but I am failing!



Keep your goal in mind.....you are feeling fat and ugly and only you can fix that

----------


## HoldTheSea

Avoiding socializing and leaving the house

----------


## PinkButterfly

thanks

----------


## Member11

Meetings  :Hide behind Sofa:

----------


## HoldTheSea

Wearing makeup and nicer clothes

----------


## JamieWAgain

S.E.X.
I'm avoiding it. It's the truth so I might as well just write it out.

----------


## 1

The Gym

----------


## HoldTheSea

Talking to people

----------


## 1

Going out

----------


## JamieWAgain

Several conversations.

----------


## HoldTheSea

Answering the phone

----------


## Cornholio

Making eye contact with a patient who just came in because I dropped something in front of her and it made a loud bang.

----------


## Sagan

Finding a new therapist

----------


## InvisibleGuy

My therapist. I'm long overdue to see her. She probably thinks I fell off the face of the earth. I really need to see her.

----------


## sweetful

Making a call

----------


## Radovid

Pretty much everything I need to be doing

----------


## 1

Life

----------


## InvisibleGuy

I feel the same, I'm avoiding life right now. I see my kids of course.

I feel like I'm doing the bare minimum. I feel like I should be doing so, sooooo much more. I feel like I should be dating right now. I feel like I should have friends that I go out with, and, unfortunately, they're pretty scarce right now. I don't have many.

I feel like I could potentially be so, soooo much more if I didn't have anxiety. And not just for myself, not just for selfish reasons. I feel like I could be so much more for my kids, and my parents. And I feel like my anxiety holds me back in so many ways. For the thousandth time.

What else is new. I feel like I can only do so much. But I wish I could do so much more.

----------


## JamieWAgain

InvisibleGuy,
I try to focus on what I can do, how far I've come and that if you had told me 5 years ago, 6 years ago, 10 years ago that I would be here, doing what I'm doing, I would have never believed you.
And what I do is not great by any means. It's just ordinary and regular. But I'm doing it.
I'm not trying to give you advise, just telling you how I try to turn around the negative thoughts in my head to positives.

What I'm avoiding is my mother and I feel incredibly GUILTY about it. She totaled her huge fancy car this week and drove into a guardrail and broke a bone in her face. Sigh. This is a huge trigger for me. I feel so guilty because my first thought, well my first thought was "was anyone else hurt" but my very quick to follow second thought was THANK GOD I WASN'T IN HER CAR THIS TIME.

I haven't called her and that is horrid of me.

----------


## JamieWAgain

I need to dig deep into my heart and find compassion for my mother. It's hard for me because she's mean to me. Cruel sometimes. But she's alone and old and hurting. The last time I called her, after she fell, she was so mean. That must be her sickness talking. She loves animals. I'm having a hard time finding compassion. She's alone, her sister is gone, she has no friends, she doesn't have much confidence and she's my mother. I do love her. I don't like her. Where is my love and why can't I find it?

----------


## JamieWAgain

It's 
It's 
I guess I just wish she loved me. 
It's pretty hard to admit my mother doesn't love me and still I have to love myself.

----------


## InvisibleGuy

^ I think you need to forgive yourself, go easy on yourself, Jamie.

My mother was my abuser, for years. There is going to come a time, when it's very possible, even likely, when I might be her own caregiver. Of course I'm going to take care of her. I also have a lot of resentment for the way she treated me when I was a kid, growing up. She was just really, really mean sometimes....like you said. She was just cruel at times.

I'd never be the same way to her. It's just....difficult to find compassion sometimes for people that are so cruel.

I've forgiven her for what she's done, but I haven't forgotten. So...that makes moving on really difficult at times. It's hard, in my experience, to move on with an abuser, even after you've forgiven them. That's just my situation, not insinuating anything about yours. Relationships with your parents can get really difficult from my experience, when you get older. There's gonna come a day, maybe soon, where me and my sister have to care for my abuser, my mom. If something happened to my dad, we are the only ones left. Because, honestly, no one else can stand her....to the point where we don't even see relatives anymore, even on her side of the family because no one can stand her anymore. So, I don't like the idea of being her caregiver but I might have to be.

----------


## JamieWAgain

Thank you. You validated exactly how I'm feeling. All of what you said I understand and it's true for me too. I know that my abuser will need me soon. And I'll do the right thing as best I can. She's horrible to my brothers too, but much much worse to me. Anyway. Thank you.

----------


## 1

The World

----------


## JamieWAgain

I avoided my highschool reunion yesterday. It was a mistake.
I wish I went

----------


## 1

Going out

----------


## InvisibleGuy

I'm avoiding seeing my therapist, again. I don't want to talk about the suicide right now, I just don't. Sometimes I think it's all I think about. I think you can obsess, think something to death sometimes...there comes a time when talking it out won't help much. I have to be in the right frame of mind to talk about it lately. Otherwise it's forced, I'm just going through the motions, and I get frustrated sometimes....because it's the same damn conversation over and over and over with her. It always comes back to guilt. Always.

Also avoiding going out this weekend. I'm totally in the mood to shut myself in.

----------


## InvisibleGuy

I'm avoiding everything right now ffs.

----------


## 1

Going anywhere

----------


## Kopekuko

Having frivolous conversation with my co-workers, going out with friends and actually having friends hahahaha 



Enviado desde mi Moto G Play mediante Tapatalk

----------

