What Social Anxiety Feels Like

“There’s much more to me than my silence.”

Download the Whisper app for more anonymous confessions:

Check out more awesome BuzzFeedYellow videos!

MUSIC
Facing East
Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.

VIDEO
Film Footage courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.
Used with Permission

GET MORE BUZZFEED

BUZZFEED YELLOW
Tasty short, fun, inspiring, funny, interesting videos from BuzzFeed. From hilarious social segments to amazing how-to's and DIYs, BuzzFeed Yellow will entertain, educate, spark conversation about all the little things that matter in life. Just like BuzzFeedVideo, but more yellow.

[RainbowAdlina]

I hate when people call me rude. I'm just very scared. I'm sorry.

[haltatx]

- Always regrets talking
- Always regrets not talking

[nicholas]

What I deal with
- blushing
- sweating
- can't make eye contact
- low confidence
- low self esteem
- ignoring people I know when seeing them in public

Everytime I go to work I'm terrified I'll see someone I know, I feel like everyond thinks im a rude freak, I just wish I could talk to someone about how I feel, it is awful being alone.

[miweergrum]

The fact that your own parents cannot understand what you're going through and immediately assume that you are rude is just painful. I believe my sa stopped when I just lost the will to care.

[BianaBee]

I hate when people say things like "just say hi" or "just start talking to people" as if it's that easy...

[deryagur]

When people think that you're so boring but you just can't talk ...

[kristinasworld]

Social Anxiety is not a joke . I suffer from it .
Think of someone judging every move you do and feeling pain in your stomach . Huh ya its not just being shy!

[astral]

“Getting ready to go out it’s like getting ready to go into a battle”

I couldn’t relate more

[cassidyc]

I wish I didn't have social anxiety. I'm missing out on so many things...

[halliefarrell]

did anyone else cry at how much this reminds you of yourself

[wasabi]

"there's alot more to me than my silence" DAMN

[haej]

I feel extremely nervous about little things. Writing in front of people, eating in public, using my phone in public, holding anything in public. I feel like people are watching me and I’m on a stage or something. My hands shake. And I feel like people look down on me cuz I’m getting nervous for such small things.

[nofamous]

I never go to the bathroom at school because I'm too scared to ask the teacher.
I can't throw a piece of paper away because I'm scared that people would notice me.
I never participate in class and that affects my grades :/
I get anxiety attacks every morning right when I reach school.
I skip out on parties and special events with family and friends even though I wanna go and have fun.
I lie and tell people I enjoy being alone and staying at home when I really don't.
I always to try to hide my sneezes and coughs.
I'm too scared to ask for what I want and up missing oportunities.
I hate sitting alone in public because I feel like everyone is judging me.
I never eat in public.
I never answer my phone.
I can't look people in the eye.
I always walk strange when I feel like I'm being watched by everyone.
l always feel like people think I'm too boring to hang out with.
I can't look at myself in the mirror in public.
I hate taking pictures so I'm never in any of them.
I hate looking at a picture of myself because I would get an anxiety attack.
I'm always quiet in large groups of people because I don't have anything to say and my comments would probably be ignored anyway.
I'm scared that one day I'm gonna end up alone.
And if someone points out any one of these things I I'll keep thinking about it throughout the whole day until it destroys me.

[kelly-msvc]

- feeling embarrassed all the time
- not talking bc ur afraid people will judge u for what u say
- totally ok with staying home all day
- worrying that ur teacher will call on u during class
- eating in front of people (sometimes)
- making phone calls
- paying for things
- asking for help
- ALWAYS PREPARING WHAT TO SAY
- bumping into people u know
- being the quietest in group chats
- when people ask u for help
- cant put ur thoughts into words
- reading ur text over and over again before sending
- stares a selfie for an hour before posting but then u change ur mind and decide not to (self conscious 24/7)
- regret talking
- aLsO regret not talking
- feeling useless
- worries about being judge so u rarely express ur thoughts or opinions

[fvveb]

When you can't even walk past people because you're too scared. Shit's real.

[ramas]

I can relate to every single comment😭
And whenever I actually TALK to people, I fake my personality :(

[maniaczack]

"All I ever wanted is to know what self confidence feels like"

that sentence made me burst in tears because it's so relatable.

[josieg.k.]

Little things we have to deal with:

-Sweaty palms
-Blushing constantly
-Stuttering or mumbling
-Practicing conversations in your head over and over
-People constantly asking you why you're so quiet
-People constantly asking you if you ever talk
-Panicking about the future because everything involves confidence
-Teachers/professors/bosses constantly telling you that you need more confidence
-Having no one to help you with it because you're too shy to ask
-Being ignored even when you try your hardest to speak up
-Trying to tell people that you get incredibly lonely and want people to talk to
-People thinking you want to be this way
-The constant, never ending fear of not having a fulfilling life because social anxiety controls you
-Blaming yourself

Good luck to everyone who has social anxiety. It deserves way more attention than it's getting and I hope you get through it one day. <3

[KB-zsot]

You forgot
-the overwhelming loneliness
-extreme awkwardness
-being so sensitive it hurts
-the daily exisistential crises
-inability to hold a conversation without coming off as.... off

[KimberlyJose-sisv]

I was traumatized years ago as a teenage, got diagnosed with ADHD. Spent my whole life fighting ADHD. I suffered severe anxiety and mental disorder. Not until my mom recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.