How Adam Savage Deals With Social Anxiety

Does Adam Savage have any suggestions for getting over social anxiety? If he could add any one item from The Earl Hays Press to his cave, what would it be? Adam answers these questions from Tested members Mark Chu-Carroll and SuperDesignermatt, whom we thank for their support! Join this channel to support Tested and get access to perks, like asking Adam questions:

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[beth-af]

Now I just need to get over my fear of failure and start creating things

[patlawler]

I'm a shy engineer. After seeing an article looking for volunteers, I joined a local community theater doing technical stuff in the background of performances (stage manager, assistant, etc.)

I met volunteer actors who had regular day jobs, but rehearsed to become characters in a story at night. This was my brush with breaking social anxiety.

At one point, I was invited to perform for short, simple, parts in shows. For those performances, I had to be a person with a different name, in front of dozens of strangers to help tell a story.

This broke my anxiety boundary: from volunteering with others in simple situations, to reciting a few lines in costume in front of dozens of strangers for several performances. It was fascinating!

I'm still an engineer, and have no interest in becoming an actor. But when I'm in a group of strangers now, I feel comfortable greeting and talking with them. I'm so fortunate to have gone through that experience.

[historicaltidbits]

It's so difficult to have social anxiety in an extraverted world. I think the internet has oddly, put a positive spotlight on the socially anxious. It's given them a voice where one wouldn't otherwise exist.

[Felttipfuzzywuzzyflyguy]

Adam Savage is simultaneously one of the smartest most creative people on earth and yet I feel like you could sit down and have a meal with him and he would still make you feel like the most important person in the room.

[BootsWalken]

Resist the urge to fight anxiety. Just let it happen, observe it objectively, exist in it. Don't judge it as something good or bad, just something that is happening. Something your brain is experiencing. Even embrace it if you can. Ride it like a river, and you may just find that eventually you will arrive in stiller waters, stronger for the journey. Though I still struggle, this has helped me immensely

[redmoonmountain]

Just turned 50! I'm starting to learn that my anxiety is a combo of excitement for something new and fear of making a mistake. Lately when I'm in a new situation i tell everyone right away "I'm a little nervous but I'm excited to get together". This reduces allot of tension. Most people are very understanding.

[krtwood]

I had a jury session with my work and I was super nervous about it and at the beginning they were asking me these open ended questions like "tell us about yourself" and I could barely speak. But then one of them pointed at something I had brought that used a cool technique I came up with and was like "How are you doing that?" and they all echoed him and I was like, oh they homed right in on the thing that makes what I'm doing different and want to hear all about it. These are my people. It was a really positive experience after that moment.

[jphanks]

What helped my son the most- wearing a mask. He was so much out of his shell it opened a new world for him amd then he felt easier about going out and geeking with new people!

[namechange]

Anxiety is no joke. Don't be ashamed to ask for help ❤

[daveh]

Thank you for putting words to something I've been feeling for years. I need to find my people again.

Years ago I worked with a great bunch of people with all sorts of fun technical hobbies - electronics, robotics, RC models, chemistry, ham radio, etc. Then I moved away to take a job with an equally great bunch of people who did none of those things. All I had in common with them was work. Now I'm retired, and I don't even have them to mingle with. I need to find my people again.

[KodakYarr]

"I could tell from the look on their face that I was almost a furry in their eyes"
lmfao

[EyeballOrigami]

When I just go to conventions I get paralyzed by how overwhelming it is and end up doing nothing. Next thing I know I'm in a shame spiral and telling myself I'm not worthy, etc. etc. etc.

Now when I go to a convention I try to set goals beforehand. Pick two sessions I want to attend, talk to two new people. I put low numbers on my goals so they're achievable and I try to avoid doing to much and forgetting to enjoy myself. I make it a point to tell a presenter I enjoyed their demo or I'll comment on a product about how interesting it is.

I tell myself beforehand that I want to keep my comments positive and I watch for cues that they want to move on. If it doen't go well, a demo is boring, I flub a conversation, or I withdraw, I tell myself beforehand that it's ok

[simonbaigrie]

I've struggled with anxiety most of my life but there's nothing like talking to people who are passionate about what you're passionate about. The conversion flows 10 times easier!

[GIBBO]

I for one am one of those people who get extremely anxious before the fact, but once I’m there, I realise that there was a whole lot of worrying for nothing! I do think I personally can overthink situations sometimes, it’s never, ever as bad as what I think it will be…and everyone else is usually going on with their own thing anyway!

[Bargle]

I only learned about Social Anxiety Disorder about 15 years ago. I'm 68 now and knew I had had some sort of problem all my life, but didn't know what it was. Then I stumbled on a description of S.A.D. and the light popped on. It's handicapped me at times, but I've mostly learned to deal with it these days. It's good to see people talking about it and realizing I'm not alone with the problem. Thanks for mentioning it here.

[PhxStrmz]

My level of Social Anxiety was, In school, I literally just never talked. I had my parents tell the teachers to never call on me, because I'd just freeze and turn beat-red and literally lack ability to speak. Super introverted and very to-my-self growing up. This made me into a maker, as by 9th grade I built/owned a 7ft DRSSTC tesla coil and built tons of other coils, railguns, all that shi. Sometime by college I ventured into a maker space. I kinda silently existed there, but felt welcomed. I was around people who were deathly inspired by the stuff I created and really heavily wanted to learn high-voltage. This made me *slowly* open up and feel more comfortable/social, amongst others at the maker space. The idea of a con was still a stupidly scary idea to me at this time. Eventually some years later ( Through the maker space, ironically ) I found/became a furry. Ended up getting a fursuit/costume. The idea of hiding my face behind a mask make me feel more confident to be 'out there'. Which I ventured into public suiting, or the act of running around at local community events in my costume, which attracted random people who wanted photos etc. That interaction slowly got me to adapt and get use to social interactions. Eventually this got me comfortable enough to try out a convention and yeah.. Nowadays I have absolutely no problems talking on a stage, no problems being out in public and interacting with people. Use to occasionally wear a tail around for lols just because I WANTED people to have an excuse to interact and startup fun conversations, etc.

So yeah. That's more/less my personal experience with extreme social anxiety --> Baby steps --> Sorta would define myself as extrovert / love chatting up randoms if they seem friendly/open. I seek it now, where as use to avoid it.

[Cinnamaruu]

i have social anxiety but i met you sunday because i have been waiting years to see you… Adam is really so nice guys my heart was racing and i almost cried cause i thought he had left but the minute he showed up i felt a lot more comfortable it also helps being is cosplay but that’s what works for me… if you have anxiety just remember many of the people there probably have it too and you will most likely never be seeing them again


cosplays with masks are a good way to start at first

[FRXable]

I was pretty much a hermit, not talking to anyone until I found like minded people on the internet. It really helps when you can talk with other people about something specific, that you both like and understand. Talking about very practical things helps a lot to start with. I found lots of very nice people in my life that way. Once you have a connection like that online, it's so much easier meeting in real life. I remember one of the first times I met up with a group offline, other people mentioned that we must have known each other for many years, while in reality we actually just met face to face. I still have social anxiety, a lot. I'm strongly introvert bordering on autism, so that will always be part of it. But I'm now at a place where it's not a real issue in my life anymore. Also keep in mind that if you do meet up with great like minded people, and it's great fun, that you still need to step out from time to time to prevent from getting overstimulated. Even in the best events with the most comfortable people, I often need to walk away and be on my own in quite to recharge. And that's ok.

[spliffburger]

Adam was a part of my childhood and growing up. hearing the words that he spoke really resonated with me from one of my childhood heroes.