Social Anxiety Support

toffee · 10-27-2009, 01:56 PM

Haha. I do it all of the time. Usually in situations when i feel that people are staring at me. Eg. when walking into a restaurant, when getting onto a bus, ect.. it makes me feel less self conscious and makes things less awkward.

Daxter · 10-27-2009, 01:59 PM

I've done it when I freaked out and saw a former highschool crush and a former classmate at the bus stop. I pretended to not see them (although it was fairly obvious) and started pretending to text people.

Worst example was when I was at camp and had no social contacts because I didnt know anybody and didnt have the balls to get to know people. So I just played with my mobile phone in the bigass tent where everybody slept.

Banzai · 10-27-2009, 02:03 PM

I don't think I've ever done this and I generally don't like "flashing" my mobile phone about in the open, probably due to the area I live in is the type of area where, if people see you with a nice phone, chances are, they're eyeing it up to be on their mug-hit list.

shadowmask · 10-27-2009, 02:07 PM

Yeah, I do it a lot, usually as way to avoid eye contact without seeming weird or rude, or appearing busy so I can avoid unnecessary small talk.

Prakas · 10-27-2009, 02:13 PM

If only I got a nickel for everytime I did this. I'll yank out my cell in certain situations, and just look at the time, or pictures of my dog to look occupied and avoid eye contact.

JMX · 10-27-2009, 02:42 PM

Whenever I realize I'm walking in the wrong direction and there are people around me, I usually stop, act like I'm reading/responding to a text, and walk the other way, to make it look like somebody told me to meet up somewhere else.

semidetached · 10-27-2009, 02:53 PM

All the time. My reason for doing it is usually to lower my anxiety of being in a room with someone and yet not talking (I can't talk, I'm so busy texting!). Funnily enough it actually usually ends up increasing my anxiety because I start worrying that they can tell I am texting no-one (don't ask how).

Good times.

epril · 10-27-2009, 04:00 PM

I don't use a cell phone, ipod, or any other electronic device I could hide on, but I've thought about how people must use them to look busy. I used to use books or homework to hide in.

ktbare · 10-27-2009, 04:04 PM

Yes I do this when I'm waiting to pick my son up from school, so I don't have to make eye contact with the other mothers and so that none of them try to talk to me, either that or I wait til the last second to get out of the car to get him.I use this example because that's really the only time I'm ever sitting down near people, I just avoid anything else like that.

blueblizzard · 10-27-2009, 04:09 PM

sometimes I scroll through the calendar on my phone and see how far I can go without getting too bored.

haha

thepretender · 10-27-2009, 04:33 PM

I do this a lot too, especially when I have to sit/stand in one spot near a bunch of people. Like the other day at the mall, my brother wanted to eat at the food court and I'm too anxious to eat with that many people around so I said I wasn't hungry and just looked at my phone the whole time while he ate. I probably seemed really rude...

shyvr6 · 10-27-2009, 04:35 PM

It's also a way to deal with boredom. Now that texting is around, I guess it beats pretending to be on the phone where you run the risk of the phone ringing.

Lumiere · 10-27-2009, 04:41 PM

Yes, it's the only use I have for a mobile phone, to be honest.

Ing · 10-27-2009, 05:26 PM

Yes, I do this all the time. I usually just fiddle with different tools that the phone has or look at old texts.

VIncymon · 10-27-2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMX

Whenever I realize I'm walking in the wrong direction and there are people around me, I usually stop, act like I'm reading/responding to a text, and walk the other way, to make it look like somebody told me to meet up somewhere else.

Isn' that what phones were made for ? LOL

Everytime i feel am about to do or in the middle of doing something silly, I pull out my phone and fiddle with the keys while aI quickly gather my thoughts.

coldmorning · 10-27-2009, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shyvr6

I guess it beats pretending to be on the phone where you run the risk of the phone ringing.

lol.

SandM1827 · 10-27-2009, 06:23 PM

I do when I'm around a lot of people and don't want them to talk to me.

ApatheticJalapeno · 10-27-2009, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMX

Whenever I realize I'm walking in the wrong direction and there are people around me, I usually stop, act like I'm reading/responding to a text, and walk the other way, to make it look like somebody told me to meet up somewhere else.

+1

Tristram · 10-27-2009, 06:45 PM

I do this sometimes, usually if I'm entering a place where there are a few people not talking and especially if I'm waiting for something and the are other people there. I just keep my eyes totally fixed on those intriguing menus. And like JMX, I use my phone to "conceal" any potentially embarrassing behavior.

brokensaint · 10-27-2009, 07:22 PM

Haha. Ah, all the time.

10-27-2009, 01:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
toffee Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: England Gender: Female Age: 17 Posts: 181	Does anyone ever pretend to text on their mobile/cell phone in awkward situations? Haha. I do it all of the time. Usually in situations when i feel that people are staring at me. Eg. when walking into a restaurant, when getting onto a bus, ect.. it makes me feel less self conscious and makes things less awkward. __________________ Everywhere i look, you're all i see.. just a fading ****ing reminder of who i used to be.

10-27-2009, 01:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
Daxter Status: Free Speech Advocate Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Getting closer to an SA-less life Gender: Male Posts: 211	I've done it when I freaked out and saw a former highschool crush and a former classmate at the bus stop. I pretended to not see them (although it was fairly obvious) and started pretending to text people. Worst example was when I was at camp and had no social contacts because I didnt know anybody and didnt have the balls to get to know people. So I just played with my mobile phone in the bigass tent where everybody slept. __________________ ...without love, without anger, without sorrow, breath is just a clock... ticking.

10-27-2009, 02:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
Banzai Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Posts: 917	I don't think I've ever done this and I generally don't like "flashing" my mobile phone about in the open, probably due to the area I live in is the type of area where, if people see you with a nice phone, chances are, they're eyeing it up to be on their mug-hit list. __________________ When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bike. Then I realised that The Lord doesn't work that way, so I stole one and asked him to forgive me. -- Emo Philips

10-27-2009, 02:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
shadowmask Status: Seeing stars Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: TN Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 1,085	Yeah, I do it a lot, usually as way to avoid eye contact without seeming weird or rude, or appearing busy so I can avoid unnecessary small talk. __________________ Basically, I'm complicated I have a hard time taking the easy way I wouldn't call it schizophrenia But I'll be at least two people today

10-27-2009, 04:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
epril Status: sa challenger Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: arizona Gender: Female Age: 45 Posts: 2,654	I don't use a cell phone, ipod, or any other electronic device I could hide on, but I've thought about how people must use them to look busy. I used to use books or homework to hide in. __________________ "Nobody's ever asked me to a party before, as a friend! Is that why you dyed your eyebrow, for the party? Should I do mine, too?"

10-27-2009, 02:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
Prakas Status: Failure - Life Sucks Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Delaware Gender: Male Age: 21 Posts: 434	If only I got a nickel for everytime I did this. I'll yank out my cell in certain situations, and just look at the time, or pictures of my dog to look occupied and avoid eye contact.

10-27-2009, 02:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
JMX Status: SAS Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indiana Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 299	Whenever I realize I'm walking in the wrong direction and there are people around me, I usually stop, act like I'm reading/responding to a text, and walk the other way, to make it look like somebody told me to meet up somewhere else.

10-27-2009, 02:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
semidetached Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 37	All the time. My reason for doing it is usually to lower my anxiety of being in a room with someone and yet not talking (I can't talk, I'm so busy texting!). Funnily enough it actually usually ends up increasing my anxiety because I start worrying that they can tell I am texting no-one (don't ask how). Good times.

10-27-2009, 04:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
ktbare Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Melbourne Gender: Female Age: 25 Posts: 40	Yes I do this when I'm waiting to pick my son up from school, so I don't have to make eye contact with the other mothers and so that none of them try to talk to me, either that or I wait til the last second to get out of the car to get him.I use this example because that's really the only time I'm ever sitting down near people, I just avoid anything else like that.

10-27-2009, 04:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
blueblizzard Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Gender: Female Age: 19 Posts: 55	sometimes I scroll through the calendar on my phone and see how far I can go without getting too bored. haha

10-27-2009, 04:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
thepretender Status: I am Jack's wasted life. Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: North Mississippi Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 188	I do this a lot too, especially when I have to sit/stand in one spot near a bunch of people. Like the other day at the mall, my brother wanted to eat at the food court and I'm too anxious to eat with that many people around so I said I wasn't hungry and just looked at my phone the whole time while he ate. I probably seemed really rude... __________________ "I'm so happy, cause today I found my friends. They're in my head." Facebook - Xfire - Xbox Live

10-27-2009, 04:35 PM	#12 (permalink)
shyvr6 Status: Makin Waves Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Somewhere on a map. Gender: Male Posts: 9,645	It's also a way to deal with boredom. Now that texting is around, I guess it beats pretending to be on the phone where you run the risk of the phone ringing. __________________ Music

10-27-2009, 04:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Lumiere Status: learning... Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: London Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 220	Yes, it's the only use I have for a mobile phone, to be honest. __________________ "How strange it is to be anything at all"

10-27-2009, 05:26 PM	#14 (permalink)
Ing Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: United States Gender: Female Age: 19 Posts: 61	Yes, I do this all the time. I usually just fiddle with different tools that the phone has or look at old texts.

10-27-2009, 06:23 PM	#17 (permalink)
SandM1827 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Washington Gender: Female Age: 19 Posts: 212	I do when I'm around a lot of people and don't want them to talk to me. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/user/SandM1827 http://www.myspace.com/sandm1928 http://www.bungie.net/stats/halo3/de...ayer=SandM2718

10-27-2009, 06:45 PM	#19 (permalink)
Tristram Status: Worst poster, hands down Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Finland Gender: Male Age: 24 Posts: 204	I do this sometimes, usually if I'm entering a place where there are a few people not talking and especially if I'm waiting for something and the are other people there. I just keep my eyes totally fixed on those intriguing menus. And like JMX, I use my phone to "conceal" any potentially embarrassing behavior. __________________ I’m tired of all of this back-slapping "ain’t humanity neat" bullsh**. We’re a virus with shoes, OK? That’s all we are. -Bill Hicks

10-27-2009, 07:22 PM	#20 (permalink)
brokensaint Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Halifax, NS Gender: Male Posts: 202	Haha. Ah, all the time.