Have you ever been so conscious about every single detail of your actions, thoughts, and behavior or had a mindset that you cannot risk even the slightest chance of getting rejected? Well, this is a common symptom of social anxiety. COVID-19 and other colds are not the only things that proliferated during the pandemic. Due to the online setup, those with this phobia grew in number.
Social anxiety is the fear of interacting with other people and can cause problems with how someone converses. Just the mere thought of socializing can already induce panic in their minds. Psychologists have found that those facing this phobia often experience what is known as the “spotlight effect.” Picture yourself with several eyes looking straight at you after just one word you uttered. Then, thoughts start itching in your head and make you doubt everything and anything you do or say. “Did I say the right thing? What if they hate me because of what I just said?” These questions fill your head and take over your whole consciousness. Without even realizing it, you’re uncontrollably shaking with no way to stop. This is what the spotlight effect does—it makes someone think that they are put under a spotlight and constantly critiqued about their appearance, behavior, and actions. It is because of this that people with social anxiety are extremely fearful of having flaws and committing mistakes.
There are many misconceptions about social anxiety. One is how people mistake it for introversion. Do know that extroverts are also capable of having this phobia. Though introversion and social anxiety have some similarities, these are two completely separate things that should never be interchanged. Introversion simply shows that one would gain more energy from being alone, and is not the actual fear of being in social situations. Another commonly misunderstood thing about social anxiety is that people who have it do not like talking. This is definitely not true because just like everyone else, people with social anxiety do crave company every now and then. They simply tend to struggle with finding the right times to talk.
So, if you’re one of those people who had stressful or even non-existent social lives during the pandemic, do know that everything will be all right. Though it may seem impossible to find the right group of people, rest assured that it just needs time. Try not to overthink and remember that it’s 100% fine to make mistakes. As American speaker Iyanla Vanzant once said, “Beloveds, you are fine, just the way you are! Perfect in your imperfection! You are divine! Growing brighter and more brilliant each day, you can accept the truth of who you are.”
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