When I used to do squats it made my anxiety disorder worse and I couldn't even get a good breath for days later. I had to change to leg presses on a machine.
Understandable, squats are a lot scarier than leg presses, especially if you have to do them with other people around who you're worried about attacking you rather than helping you.
The leg press is still a compound movement so it should be pretty useful if you focus on keeping your back straight (coccyx down).
You might also consider something like "belt squats" or "goblet squats" since they're a little less scary than back squats.
Assuming you did the "back squat" (barbell on back) you might even experiment with "front squat" because IMO it's a lot easier to bail and thus a lot less scary than a back squat.
Back squat is probably overrated, deadlift is probably a lot more useful and the "trap bar deadlift" is an even better compromise between the two.
Because its a cope.
Even better if you have a HomeGym like me
It's like two-part cope because you have the "hope cope" aspect (deep bluepill, I hope a foid will like my new body) but also the pump-cope where it can directly make you feel better due to endorphin rush.
Plus there's also like a "yoke cope" where if you build a big neck you feel 1-2% more confident people won't pick fights with you, I guess?
On the other hand, maybe looking pathetic is safer because people won't see you as a threat and butt heads whereas if you're more muscular they view you as approaching as a rival and want to punch you out? Dunno
