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As a lifelong sufferer of social anxiety, I can finally walk outside with my head up, back straight, and look straight ahead.
Well, at least 90% of the time. It’s like learning to walk again after recovering from a spinal injury.
Before, I used to walk with my head down, no eye contact, crippled with anxiety.
How did I manage to overcome this?
No “zombie pills” or gaslighting CBT were needed.
I simply reasoned with myself:
I’ve walked past all sorts of people: groups of teenage girls, men, women, crowds, etc. With females, I have to tell myself it's pathetic to be scared of a female who you're physically stronger than.
I refuse to make eye contact because I think it's weird. I definitely won't make unnecessary eye contact with another man, that's gay.
The only challenge I still face is an oncoming gang of teenage males. Two of them screamed at me the other day as I walked by. I hope they die from a car accident and burn in hell.
Also, JFL to consider this a ‘milestone’ - something even children accomplish with ease.
Well, at least 90% of the time. It’s like learning to walk again after recovering from a spinal injury.
Before, I used to walk with my head down, no eye contact, crippled with anxiety.
How did I manage to overcome this?
No “zombie pills” or gaslighting CBT were needed.
I simply reasoned with myself:
- I always feel fear and dread around others, yet nothing ever happens. Clearly, this fear is irrational and faulty, so it should be discarded. Plus, I’m so demoralized and angry these days that I wish someone would threaten me, just so I could unleash my wrath onto them. Besides, I’ve often heard that 99% of the time, people are cowards.
- I’m a fully grown man; it’s pathetic that I can’t walk outside without crippling anxiety.
- When I look forward, I don’t actually make eye contact with anyone - I ignore them, and focus on objects in the background because objects won’t judge me or give strange looks. People mistake me for looking at them. Sometimes, people either look down or to the side when I do this, then they give me a quick glance just before they pass me. Is this technique autistic?
I’ve walked past all sorts of people: groups of teenage girls, men, women, crowds, etc. With females, I have to tell myself it's pathetic to be scared of a female who you're physically stronger than.
I refuse to make eye contact because I think it's weird. I definitely won't make unnecessary eye contact with another man, that's gay.
The only challenge I still face is an oncoming gang of teenage males. Two of them screamed at me the other day as I walked by. I hope they die from a car accident and burn in hell.
Also, JFL to consider this a ‘milestone’ - something even children accomplish with ease.
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