Psych2Go Story #7: Sam Struggles With Social Anxiety At School

Revised by: Jaehee Kim

#psych2gostories

[Psychgo]

We heard that many of you want stories around mental wellness. This one is from Sam. Would you like to see more of these?

[paisley]

As someone who has social anxiety in high school I’m glad you made this video 💖

[TheCatGuy]

I also have social anxiety in high school! I'm just glad you made this video. I feel... Less alone. ❤

[chihuahuacerebeus]

Thanks for creating this video @Psych2go. I haven't been diagnosed with Social Anxiety, but I always struggled on dealing with myself, my fears, my harsh self-judgement, and overwhelming loneliness with shyness in the mix. I constantly dream of having real friends, and today, I'm still struggling on the journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, self-love, and being a best friend to myself if there's no one else around. I wish everyone else a good luck on their journeys with mental health, and encourage those to start journeys, to see the light out of the tunnel. I struggle to see the light amongst all this grey shades, but it's there, we just gotta keep walking and walking towards it. Step by step.

[Cats_Are_Scary]

I was completely agoraphobic at age 12. I missed so much school and failed 2 years in a row. Nobody knew I had agoraphobia because I hid it and didn’t even know what was wrong with me. This was in the mid 1980’s.

[eligaming]

this reminds me of myself so much. starting highschool hasn’t been so easy with how nervous i get. i always feel like an outcast.

[deathxofxmemia]

I started tearing up remembering my school days and how my social anxiety made it so hard to make friends and feel wanted in social situations. This is such a great video to share with those who are struggling now. ❤

[Piecesoftheshadow]

34 and have been fighting social anxiety since I was 12. No therapy, medicine or “slow exposure” has ever made it better unfortunately. Runs heavily in my family too. I have only two people in my life who I am truly close to and comfortable with. I’m beyond deeply grateful for them. Before that, I had friends growing up and in high school but was still even anxious with them on many levels and not able to be my full comfortable or entire self with them. Social anxiety has taken a lot from me
:( And has only gotten worse with age on top of being highly sensitive, other physical health issues, and other mental health struggles 😒 I’ve finally accepted it’s just how I am and I no longer push myself to do anything social outside of what I have to, like I used to when younger and trying to fit in, but even with respecting my boundaries, it never makes it easier.

[Cookieloafres]

When i got bullied everytime, i used to come to school I couldn't breathe. I thought it was asthma, but i can survive without asthma pump. Everytime i feel like that something in my throat get tight.

[houstonwehaveaproblem]

I always feel like an observer and never apart of anything

[shamaynebrown-williams]

Growing up, I deal with raging anxiety, questioning whatever I do, and thinking about it, I'm so scared of being judged by the world and my parents, that's why I'm so self conscious of meeting new people..

[mvllrd]

my social anxiety is really high. i panic attack twice in our school, first because of our school event, and second after i got on a bus that is crowded. my classmates helped me and i'm really thankful for them, but it makes me overthink as well because i feel like i'm such a high maintenance friend. my social anxiety keeps getting worse, and i always cry because it concerns me a lot :(

[DanLve]

As someone who has social anxiety in middle school, Sam is just like me, i relate his struggles alot. I also struggling alot to make friends when i was a new student but get approached alot when they saw my drawings. Yeah i feel peace but until then I need to switch to lower classes due of me being the slowest in previous class. I met new people again and exactly that time my social anxiety shows up, making the situation worst. I was having panic attacked when people started to stared at me..those judging faces. I remembered i stared at the floor to avoid eye contact with others almost a hour, i was shaking uncomfortably lol. But gladly someone who sat beside me( he is now my friend) able to make a conversation with me, he make me feel comfortable. Now, im not afraid anymore but STILL I afraid of getting judged lol

[KakashiScarecrow]

I'm glad I came by this video. Usually when I'm at home during the holidays I always think about school and the people In it and it starts to make my heart race all of a sudden thinking about it, It stresses me a lot since I experience some of the non pleasent times at my school. It's just whenever I take a step Into the campus, I start to have thoughts on what their going to say about me, my appearences, the way I walk, It feels like a real hassle since I am alone most of the times..

[sacredd]

I wish it was that easy now. I’m 24 struggling with social anxiety. It’s gotten a little better but I still have a hard time connecting with people.

[stxrryaali]

before the lockdown, i was bubbly, extroverted and friendly. i believe social media ruined my life. i never hated my appearance, i never felt i was inferior before i got my first phone. reading comments on the internet saying “i dislike my face!” “my peers are so much better than me, i’ll never be the same.” “i feel judged by everyone around me.” i felt sorry but the constant negativity that surrounded me grew as i met different people. see, i don’t blame them for how i feel now. rather, i blame myself for being so curious about feelings that were new to me that i completely ignored that they were growing onto me too. i guess i became too self conscious reading insecurities i never thought i had and ended up like this. now, i’m in 7th grade with a low self esteem and hatred towards myself. i beat myself up for everything that i say and do. i have friends (surprise!) but my inner demon keeps telling me they hate me. in class, i change my personality to fit in, to not be judged but every little comment, serious or not, feels like a knife to the chest. i overthink everything once i get back home, “why’d i say that?!”, “i look disgusting! why is it impossible for me to look like —?!” i ask myself. i know i’m miserable and it hurts. i’ve tried to fit in so much, i’m not sure i know myself anymore. whenever i’m given any form of “good attention”, i get ahead of myself because all i want is the same confidence as my classmates. i tremble while ordering food and cry in the middle of presentations. my insecurities have led me to believe that everyone around me secretly despises me. my best friends have wonderful lives, obviously with battles of their own, but in comparison to mine, i feel they have more confidence and a better social life than me. before, it was “her doll is so pretty! i’m going to go play with her” but now its, “her life is so much better than mine, why am i living like this?”. i’m not sure if what i’m describing is social anxiety or jealously, but it’s something.

if you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading my sob story! 💌

[ScreT]

I'm a 13 year old and I have social anxiety since I was 11 and my social life is falling apart I can't even bring myself to speak to my own parents about it😕

[Official_KPOPFANGIRL]

i am Jordyn and I struggle a lot with panic attacks and depression.. And also adhd.I feel like everyone in the world is targeting me has if i an some type of target board, I always get overwhelmed or take things hardly and sometimes it can come as anger and saddness and make me do things wrongly.. i struggle with cyberbullying and parents. And with those things i sometimes feel like im never enough for others so i ball up anger and saddness and so I go into a panic attack zone its hard for me to talk to others as well as if i am not able to talk...

[Tierraaaa._.]

This is so me🫠 I genuinely feel like I need a therapist or something but I’m too scared to even ask for help. I don’t even go to lunch at school because I’m scared of sitting alone.

[banusebian]

I had social anxiety until I started liking being alone.