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“My Anxiety Has A Loophole”: 50 Memes About Social Anxiety That Explain How Certain Minds Work
Social anxiety is like a tiny gnome in the back of your head; it might be sleeping, it might be as active as never, or… it might be forcing you to go over the way you said “here” that one time during attendance. One thing is clear, though—people without one will never know what it feels like to have it affect every single social situation you’re in.
The r/socialanxiety subreddit is a safe space for those feeling distressed in a social environment. People here share memes that other members might find a been-there-done-that kind of situation.
Bored Panda has created a list of relatable social anxiety-induced moments. Whether it’s thinking of better arguments for that conversation earlier or finding the perfect eye-contact-to-floor ratio, some people might feel more at ease knowing they’re not alone.
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I Genuinely Love This Subreddit
I'm too nervous to go to Subway. If my daughter wants to I just give her the money and let her choose my sandwich. Luckily she knows exactly what I like and so far I haven't had any weird food.
That’s sweet of her! You raised a lovely person. It must be kind of fun too, for you-because you don’t know what you’re getting but you know it’s going to be tasty!
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https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/dw8f8c/i_have_very_bad_anxiety_and_would_like_to_try/
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I remember the first time I ordered at the counter at McDonalds for myself. I was 18 and there completely alone (first time alone). I practiced ordering in my head as I stood in line. I never thought of this as anxiety. I was always shy. You know until I get to know you. I want anyone with anxiety to know practice really does help. That doing things out of your comfort zone really is good for you. Also want them to know everyone gets embarrassed, everyone knows how it feels even if they don't act like they do. Every makes mistakes. And nobody is thinking about your mistakes or embarrassment except you. I only feel this way now if it's a situation I've never encountered before. You know I work best if I know what to do in that situation.
wow I think I needed to hear that, thank you. I never switch up my subway order, and if I'm feeling okay enough to order in front of people instead of online, I have to make sure the shop is empty lol
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I am glad McDonald’s has screen ordering. All fastfood resto’s should have one too to make it easier for us introverts.😊
Yet it’s scary and anxiety producing for us oldies who have no idea how the heck to use them.
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I had have horrible anxiety. And I'm an experienced meditator. It bugged me so much that I couldn't overcome it. So HHL I go to the psych, and they find I have a serotonin deficiency. Bottom out in seratonin and have a panic attack! So Zoloft is an SSRI, a selective serotonin re-up take inhibitor. It leaves more of it in you. Way less panic! Its chemical, not personal, is the point. I am glad I got some help with it.
Step one: Walk out of Subway and go to Jersey Mike's, or any other sandwich shop that actually has good sandwiches. 🙂
Better yet, skip any chain shop and find a good delicatessen.
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Anxiety disorders can be extreme. Some people can't hold down jobs or form lasting relationships.
Subway never came with instructions even when they first opened. The hardest part for me is the many choices of bread!
Subway - gotta insist that they do things in the correct order, like “black olives first” and lettuce-tomato last so the good stuff gets pushed down into the meat… which can cause friction with the sandwich artist. Introverts and the socially anxious may not want be bossy and assertive with strangers
Even for us war calloused veterans, subway is a scary place, no joke! I swear they teach their sandwich makers where the extra sharp eyebrow glare is kept! I usually just say a "whatever" drag it through the garden but no hot stuff, add sweet Vidalia sauce. If I could just get the sweet Vidalia sauce,I probably would just get a roll with that but how weird would that be?
My dad sent me to tropical smoothie for lunch with some money and I almost died. And it didn’t help that some random a*s dude came and stood next to me
My Mom gets super-anxious every time we go to Subway - she fears she will be too slow and the employee will get impatient. This is due to a bad experience we had in Germany. I always gently remind her that it will be alright and try to give her little tidbits of advice. Also, I let her place her order first so I can be her "buffer zone" to any potential customers behind us. Best of all, in our most recent visit to Subway, we discussed the issue of her anxiety with the very friendly woman behind the counter, who repeatedly reassured her it was no problem at all. We walked out of there with Mom feeling better about the whole thing :) Hope it will carry over to our next visit!
I used to have to make phone calls for my adult daughter. Dr appts, insurance questions, internet and cable companies, her apt manager. She would sit and listen and is now able to make the calls herself. It just takes patience and love, one task at a time. That's another thing I would tell her- one task per day and if you feel up to it, make another call
My youngest has bad anxiety and panic attacks. I knew they had to learn to do things on their own, so every time a new or challenging situation was coming up, we rehearsed possible scenarios and conversations. They couldn't avoid everything, but at least they felt more prepared to try things.
I need this! I’m always terrified and apparently the comment is deleted. Can someone help me out please??
So happy this person was seeking to conquer anxiety and asked for help so he/she could tackle it instead of enable it. Brave and healthy. Shout out to the person that gave the directions and supported rather than enabled. We must battle it and we can!
I can totally relate to this. I wanted to start cycling to work but I didn't understand how the bike lockers worked, where the showers were and the best route to take. It took me WEEKS, non bike visits to the bike lockers and two early Sunday morning rides to figure out the route before I could bring myself to do it. I don't know why things are hard like this?
Subway stresses me out sooooo much!!! I like a sub now and then but would never dare to go with anyone but hubby. They ask so many questions! And there are so many decisions to make! And no matter how often I've rehearsed what I want to say I always end up staring at the subway person like he's an alien as soon as he asks me a question. Thank god the guy at "our" subway is very laid back and even gives recommendations if you are unable to decide
This has made online/app ordering such a blessing! I've been to so many places I'd never go to before because I'd feel self-conscious about holding up the line. I even stopped going to my favorite fast food chain (Pollo Tropical) many years ago when they started offering options (think, "make it your way") on my favorite item, where before it was basically just " choose your protein" instead of "choose everything"! Now I'm back all the time. Went to subway once (pre app/online ordering) and ordered a teriyaki chicken sandwich - they asked me what I wanted on it, and poor me just replied, " whatever's supposed to be on it." (It looked and sounded good on the ads) Dunno if it's anxiety or just being paralyzed by choice.
My husband and sons are finally realizing that they need to just let me explain whatever it is that needs explaining, in my own slightly neurotic way. If I give them a grocery list with bullet points, it's not because I don't trust them to get the right things (mostly) - it's because that's how my brain keeps things straight. It's like this for anything I need to figure out and if you ask me for instructions or a recipe or directions, you shouldn't be surprised when I hand you instructions equivalent to the page count of "War and Peace". I guess my point is - never underestimate well detailed instructions. Good instructions are our security blankets and people like me love people who understand and humor us.
Could someone do the same for me but then with the car wash? Genuine question.
I was socially awkward when I was younger. I got a lot better at around 30 when I had a child and became her advocate. Subway became a breeze when she was about 7 because asking the staff there for exactly what she wanted was way easier than explaining to my kid that I had got her sandwich wrong.
I love this every time. That'd be so useful for me honestly this person is an angel
Also known as social phobia, social anxiety disorder (SAD) is the persistent and excessive fear of being around people or in specific collective situations. It differs from person to person but there are some common traits. They might include worrying about meeting new people and starting conversations, tending to avoid social gatherings and eye contact, overthinking about judgment from others.
It might sound like everyone feels that way every once in a while. However, for those with social anxiety, these negative feelings are constant and way stronger. In some cases, they can lead to high levels of stress or even panic attacks.
This Is How You Dismantle An Ego
Thank You!!!
SAD is part of the group of generalized anxiety disorders (GAD), which is actually the most prevalent mental illness in the United States. The National Alliance on Mental Illness states that around 18% of people in the US live with some sort of an anxiety disorder.
According to the Recovery Village, 264 million people worldwide suffer from it. Their data shows that younger people are more affected by it than the older generation. Just over 22% of people aged from 18 to 44 suffer from these conditions while for people 45–59 years of age, the number drops to 20.6%. Out of people over 60, only 9% deal with anxiety disorders.
This Is Too Real
Or when you finish a assignment in class and you wait for someone else to turn it in first so that you know it's now okay to go turn it in too
I Hate When This Happens
Despite rather large numbers of people living with GAD, not a lot of them tend to look for professional help. The Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) states that less than 37% of people with generalized anxiety disorder receive treatment, even though it is believed to be very effective. ADAA also revealed that 36% of people suffering from social anxiety waited for 10 or more years before seeking help.
Here’s Some Abuse
"Imagining myself in situations that will never exist" seriously like 25% of my life is me reading a book but accidentally going off-track and not realizing
I’ve Never Related To Anything More
It's Like I Forget I Have Sa For A Second
I think it’s because social anxiety centres around you personally, and when it crosses over the focus shifts on someone else and it’s not about you anymore, it subsides and you can do the thing, probably how i feel too
As with other anxiety disorders, SAD can develop due to numerous reasons. Some of the main factors include inherited traits, brain structure, and the person’s surroundings.
It is believed that certain mental illnesses or disorders can run in the family, making it one of the possible causes behind developing social anxiety as well. It might also be related to our environment, as family or close people usually have an impact on our surroundings from an early age. Therefore, if a member suffers from certain disorders, their behavior might end up reflecting in ours.
People Like This Deserve A Special Place In Heaven
Never Were Truer Words Spoken
I Know This Feeling Too Well
I've done this. It's hard maintaining relationships when you don't want to be a burden to the other person. I feel you.
The founder of Washington Center for Cognitive Therapy, Vincent Greenwood, Ph.D., has expanded on social anxiety in a video online. He stated that there are three subtypes of social anxiety, based on its main triggers. The first—and the most common—one is general fear of social interactions. This might affect the day-to-day acts as simple as engaging in small talk, entering a room filled with strangers, participating in group activities.
Too Sensitive?
This
The second type of social anxiety according to Dr. Greenwood reveals itself when performing. Whether it’s sports activities, art performances, or giving presentations, some people might have difficulties dealing with the additional stress of being the center of attention.
Always
Show Me A Better Duo, I’ll Wait!
In his video, Dr. Greenwood names the phenomenon known as observational fears as the third type of social anxiety. It is based on the angst of being judged or feeling embarrassment. People affected by this type might feel anxious while doing things when others are watching, whether it’s signing a document or cooking dinner.
"Social Anxiety"
That’s my life. Because when I signed up for it I really wanted to do it lol times comes for it and I hate myself for signing up for it.
People with social anxiety share some common behavioral disturbances that can appear in both emotional and physical forms. The emotional ones comprise excessive worrying about others judging them, intense and persistent fear of communicating with people, anticipating certain social situations expecting the worst, among others. Some physical ones include but are not limited to heart palpitations, profuse sweating, blushing, trembling.
This Is Terrific!!!
Teachers : *surprised Pikachu*
I Saw This Earlier And It Couldn't Be More True
THIS!!! This is so true..... I'm gunna go cry now cus this is calling me out
Luckily, there are ways to cure or minimize the impact of SAD. First and foremost, if certain symptoms feel like it could be social anxiety, it is important to seek help from professionals. They can help diagnose it and appoint the appropriate treatment, whether it’s medication or alternative types of medical care. In addition to that, methods of occupational therapy or other practices, such as yoga or meditation, can be helpful as well.
Aye, Contact Sucks
I Have Stitched No Truer Words 🖤
Another solution that might help some people deal with social anxiety is connecting with people in a similar situation. The negative feelings caused by the disorder might make one feel lonesome, but there are people suffering from anxieties, getting in touch with whom might alleviate the load of it all.
I’ll Be Attending My First Protest Saturday
So Accurate
I miss CollegeHumour. The comments section was constantly full of jerks and trolls and jerk trolls but their content was great - especially the comics.
Every Time
Social anxiety is a serious topic, but people in certain online communities manage to find ways to present their lives with the disorder in a rather lighthearted way. Quite a few great examples can be found on this list. Whether it’s an outlet for the emotions caused by SAD or a way to connect with people going through a similar thing, some of these will definitely find a person or two who can relate.
A Little Hyperbole To Remind You You're Not Alone
that is not a hyperbole. If I was weird at 60 yrs old I would still be thinking about it for 20 years after I die
"Don't Dwell On Things" They Tell Me... Meanwhile
Either Too Shy Or Annoying
Why is this so TRUEEEEEEE!?!?!!?! Seriously, as soon as I'm comfortable being around you, I am so freaking annoying.....
... :/
I have been known to duck into a corner when I hear other people coming…. Not for any particular reason, just because apparently seeing strangers on the street is scary
Oh... I
I know I already said this but all of these are so relatable I am actually crying. People actually get it somewhere out there! (edit) thanks to all of you in the comments!
Now Time To Hibernate
Yes! Just yes! I cannot express how much I relate to this
Getting A Call From A Unknown Caller
My dispatch from my last job had no caller id. So it always came up as ''unknown'' worst time of my life. I was obligated to answer every call that said ''unknown number'' 🫤
Never Related To Something More
My friends parents think I'm such a good influence but they just know the awkward, socially anxious side of me and not me when I finally open up to you
Haha Relatable, Now Cry 😟😔
*checks Excuse Book*
Naw, this is just me in the mornings before school after sleeping peacefully
Always Embarrassing Myself
What's It Gonna Be Today Folks
Everytime
Thanks Brain, Very Cool
My Life In One Picture
Plus Thinking About How You Sounded Afterwards
Anybody Else?
Can Anyone Else Relate?
It’s A Vicious Cycle
Why Are You Like This
Anyone Else?
Note: this post originally had 133 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Me rethinking every comment I made because I was repetitive and annoying but can't delete because then everyone would know
I related to a lot of these but realized that it was my younger self. Seriously does ease off as the years roll by. I'm much more social now I'm in my 60s. You realize it is all in your head.
Sorry. I'm 69 years old & the only thing that's gotten better is I don't have to attend school or go to work.
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I grew up in a world without SM and BP so I didn't realise there were so many like me out there and I wasn't just a total freak. But how do i find these people in the wild so we can pretend to be social together whilst sitting in silence thinking in our heads about all our past mistakes?!
Why is there no meme for this? You are at a restaurant with friends. You need to leave, but no one will pay attention to you long enough for you to say "it was good to see everyone but i must go now. Bye!" So you get up and leave without saying anything to anyone.
After reading this, i don't know If I should be happy that there are so many "anxious friends" or sad because most of the things in here relate to me and I'm not very proud of it.
It took being with my now husband to realize that some people really don't live like this.like my husband just exudes a whole different energy, like you can tell how comfortable he is around other people (he even initiates conversation with strangers while we are waiting to be seated at restaurants). Meanwhile I'm over here practicing my deep breathing exercises and playing with my fidget toy in my pocket just to seem relatively normal. But he gets me, and always says we don't have to go anywhere if I'm just going to be anxious and miserable the whole time.
For those of you who overthink everything I've got a tip that might work. If you stare at something and don't move your eyes at all it stops your thought process. It might be a temporary solution but it helps me when I'm trying to fall asleep and I think about something I did three years ago
I've started listening to podcasts and audio books that are supposed to help you sleep. Sleepy time tales on Pandora is a good one (he reads from text books as well as regular books. In one he reads a employee handbook from an old post office), but there's also some fun short stories on audible. I have "Dr. Who: time Lord fairy tales" by Justin Richards, and "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them" that are my go tos, cause you can focus enough to keep your mind from spinning, but not get so invested that it keeps you up. I use sleep headphones so it doesn't bother my husband.
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THESE ARE SO RELATABLE AND NOW I'M FREAKING OUT BECAUSE DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE SOCIAL ANXIETY??
I don't have social anxiety but this really helps me understand my introvert friends better.
introverts arent all socially anxious 🙄 we just have a limited social battery & have to have time to ourselves in order to recharge. i'm an introvert & i have a lot of self-confidence in social situations. i know i'm intelligent, quick-witted, & polite. i'm not full of myself, but i'm not crippled by irrational fears either. i know that nobody cares how i said "here" during attendance & i know that the cashier will forget me as soon as i leave the store. i literally don't give a s**t what people think of me because i & my loved ones know who i am & that's good enough for me. but after a full day of socializing, i need a day or two without my friends so i can regain my energy, & then i'm good to go again. that's what being an introvert means. it does not mean having a panic attack over accidentally saying "thanks, you too" after being wished a happy birthday.
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I'm finding that the amount of government bodies that don't seem to think Social Anxiety exists or isn't an issue is astounding.
If I had a nickel for every time I almost cried during my haircut today, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t much but it’s weird that it happened twice
Before cell phones i would wear headphones and pretend i was listening to music so i didn't have to interact with people on mass transit. But that was partly a different kind of anxiety. I was young and cute and probably looked naive. I had gotten tired of men being gross. One time i was walking home and had a guy my dad's age following me asking if i lived alone, would my roommates be home, etc. I caught the bus for the one block i had left. Another time i had two guys at a mall tell me they needed me to come to their van with them.
Introvert is just a personality trait - Shy Extrovert is the other one- obnoxious I'd like to be in the middle of that
should be a period between shy and extrovert. Meh, as you get older you care less about everything
Load More Replies... Oof balls all I can say is that I have cats and hopefully soon to be a emotional support animal legally duck for a reason and that reason is I am a very lonely, tired, anxious, depressed and traumatized bean
Okay, okay, please. Tell me. What the hell. Do I say. When someone knocks on the door stall I'm in. Like it's locked and I'm just sitting there thinking how I respond without being awkward and I just don't say anything, praying for them to leave 😭😭😭
I say "just a moment please", and then pray they don't bust the door down😅 lol. I feel this, and I hate it, but it really is just a moment, and it'll be ok 🙂
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Me making so many comments because I know most of them will get covered by better comments but what if they don't and I look like an annoying idiot who comments on everything but should I take it as a compliment because nobody thought of something better to say or should I realise that everybody had something better to say because I'm not that brilliant and omg I'm having a panic attack just writing this but yeah I'm great.
ICK(not about being bi)...REALLY?! TMI/NOT COOL
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Me rethinking every comment I made because I was repetitive and annoying but can't delete because then everyone would know
I related to a lot of these but realized that it was my younger self. Seriously does ease off as the years roll by. I'm much more social now I'm in my 60s. You realize it is all in your head.
Sorry. I'm 69 years old & the only thing that's gotten better is I don't have to attend school or go to work.
Load More Replies... I grew up in a world without SM and BP so I didn't realise there were so many like me out there and I wasn't just a total freak. But how do i find these people in the wild so we can pretend to be social together whilst sitting in silence thinking in our heads about all our past mistakes?!
Why is there no meme for this? You are at a restaurant with friends. You need to leave, but no one will pay attention to you long enough for you to say "it was good to see everyone but i must go now. Bye!" So you get up and leave without saying anything to anyone.
After reading this, i don't know If I should be happy that there are so many "anxious friends" or sad because most of the things in here relate to me and I'm not very proud of it.
It took being with my now husband to realize that some people really don't live like this.like my husband just exudes a whole different energy, like you can tell how comfortable he is around other people (he even initiates conversation with strangers while we are waiting to be seated at restaurants). Meanwhile I'm over here practicing my deep breathing exercises and playing with my fidget toy in my pocket just to seem relatively normal. But he gets me, and always says we don't have to go anywhere if I'm just going to be anxious and miserable the whole time.
For those of you who overthink everything I've got a tip that might work. If you stare at something and don't move your eyes at all it stops your thought process. It might be a temporary solution but it helps me when I'm trying to fall asleep and I think about something I did three years ago
I've started listening to podcasts and audio books that are supposed to help you sleep. Sleepy time tales on Pandora is a good one (he reads from text books as well as regular books. In one he reads a employee handbook from an old post office), but there's also some fun short stories on audible. I have "Dr. Who: time Lord fairy tales" by Justin Richards, and "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them" that are my go tos, cause you can focus enough to keep your mind from spinning, but not get so invested that it keeps you up. I use sleep headphones so it doesn't bother my husband.
Load More Replies... THESE ARE SO RELATABLE AND NOW I'M FREAKING OUT BECAUSE DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE SOCIAL ANXIETY??
I don't have social anxiety but this really helps me understand my introvert friends better.
introverts arent all socially anxious 🙄 we just have a limited social battery & have to have time to ourselves in order to recharge. i'm an introvert & i have a lot of self-confidence in social situations. i know i'm intelligent, quick-witted, & polite. i'm not full of myself, but i'm not crippled by irrational fears either. i know that nobody cares how i said "here" during attendance & i know that the cashier will forget me as soon as i leave the store. i literally don't give a s**t what people think of me because i & my loved ones know who i am & that's good enough for me. but after a full day of socializing, i need a day or two without my friends so i can regain my energy, & then i'm good to go again. that's what being an introvert means. it does not mean having a panic attack over accidentally saying "thanks, you too" after being wished a happy birthday.
Load More Replies... I'm finding that the amount of government bodies that don't seem to think Social Anxiety exists or isn't an issue is astounding.
If I had a nickel for every time I almost cried during my haircut today, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t much but it’s weird that it happened twice
Before cell phones i would wear headphones and pretend i was listening to music so i didn't have to interact with people on mass transit. But that was partly a different kind of anxiety. I was young and cute and probably looked naive. I had gotten tired of men being gross. One time i was walking home and had a guy my dad's age following me asking if i lived alone, would my roommates be home, etc. I caught the bus for the one block i had left. Another time i had two guys at a mall tell me they needed me to come to their van with them.
Introvert is just a personality trait - Shy Extrovert is the other one- obnoxious I'd like to be in the middle of that
should be a period between shy and extrovert. Meh, as you get older you care less about everything
Load More Replies... Oof balls all I can say is that I have cats and hopefully soon to be a emotional support animal legally duck for a reason and that reason is I am a very lonely, tired, anxious, depressed and traumatized bean
Okay, okay, please. Tell me. What the hell. Do I say. When someone knocks on the door stall I'm in. Like it's locked and I'm just sitting there thinking how I respond without being awkward and I just don't say anything, praying for them to leave 😭😭😭
I say "just a moment please", and then pray they don't bust the door down😅 lol. I feel this, and I hate it, but it really is just a moment, and it'll be ok 🙂
Load More Replies... Me making so many comments because I know most of them will get covered by better comments but what if they don't and I look like an annoying idiot who comments on everything but should I take it as a compliment because nobody thought of something better to say or should I realise that everybody had something better to say because I'm not that brilliant and omg I'm having a panic attack just writing this but yeah I'm great.
ICK(not about being bi)...REALLY?! TMI/NOT COOL
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