Social Anxiety Support

marenubium87 · 10-14-2009, 09:47 PM

Sitting on the bus, going home, and the girl across from me looked at me and smiled. And then I reacted in a way I have never before.

I actually looked back at her, made eye contact instead of looking away, and smiled back at her. It was great.

No, I didn't find the cure for cancer. I didn't solve the Navier-Stokes equations. This wasn't momentous. It was pretty pathetically small, and yet I'm still really happy about it. ...one wonders if there's something wrong with me. I mean, besides SA.

Neptunus · 10-14-2009, 09:52 PM

No, not at all. You're a beautiful and sensitive soul, 'tis all. As corny as that sounds.

Gen Eric · 10-14-2009, 09:58 PM

Very corny..... but true. I had a similar experience, which was surprising considering that i was surrounded by gangster talking about "if they don't hit that n***** (sorry), they're gonna get 25 to life." It was a good but weird day.

Suggestion: Don't downplay your experiences just because they aren't meaningful by some external standard, or because they're insignificant in the grander scheme. They are meaningful to you, that makes them meaningful.

millenniumman75 · 10-14-2009, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marenubium87

Sitting on the bus, going home, and the girl across from me looked at me and smiled. And then I reacted in a way I have never before.

I actually looked back at her, made eye contact instead of looking away, and smiled back at her. It was great.

No, I didn't find the cure for cancer. I didn't solve the Navier-Stokes equations. This wasn't momentous. It was pretty pathetically small, and yet I'm still really happy about it. ...one wonders if there's something wrong with me. I mean, besides SA.

Don't minimize this. Do you realize how important a simple smile really is? It probably made her day. It made yours.

Toad Licker · 10-14-2009, 10:03 PM

A small step is better than no step at all. You gotta start somewhere and you did, congrats.

zookeeper · 10-14-2009, 10:08 PM

I love the feeling when that happens!

But it so rarely does, because I suck at life.

gold132 · 10-15-2009, 04:14 PM

If i knew some girl was looking at me i'd probably just look in the other direction, i'm too shy and unassertive when it comes to stuff like that. Believe me if i did what you did i'd be happy too, hopefully next time i'll remember to give it a try

Your Crazy · 10-15-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marenubium87

One wonders if there's something wrong with me. I mean, besides SA.

Like what? You did something that you thought you never could do.

I'd be ecstatic if I held a conversation that lasted more than 25 seconds.

marenubium87 · 10-15-2009, 06:46 PM

I just wanted to say I really appreciate all of the encouragement. As far as not minimizing this... I agree. My therapist has been trying for the better part of a year on that front though, so it'll probably be a while more on that.

I guess progress is good though. But, again, thank you all for the encouragement and suggestions. 'Tis much appreciated.

RaSwa · 10-18-2009, 02:06 AM

that's not small at all! i'm sure it was a great smile too!

10-14-2009, 09:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
marenubium87 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CO Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 79	This is going to sound pathetically small. Sitting on the bus, going home, and the girl across from me looked at me and smiled. And then I reacted in a way I have never before. I actually looked back at her, made eye contact instead of looking away, and smiled back at her. It was great. No, I didn't find the cure for cancer. I didn't solve the Navier-Stokes equations. This wasn't momentous. It was pretty pathetically small, and yet I'm still really happy about it. ...one wonders if there's something wrong with me. I mean, besides SA.

10-14-2009, 09:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
Neptunus Status: Authenticating Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 2,837	No, not at all. You're a beautiful and sensitive soul, 'tis all. As corny as that sounds. __________________ "When I stand before thee at the day's end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing." ~Rabindranath Tagore "Being gentle means forgiving yourself when you mess up. We should learn from our mistakes, but we shouldn't beat the tar out of ourselves over them. The past is just that, past. Learn what went wrong and why. Make amends if you need to. Then drop it and move on." ---Sean Covey

10-14-2009, 10:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
Toad Licker Status: Broken Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: A Fruitloop Daydream Gender: Male Age: 44 Posts: 29,594	A small step is better than no step at all. You gotta start somewhere and you did, congrats. __________________ All will wither, go to sleep The ones you love you may not keep All you touch will fall apart The dreams you kill will break your heart There's no mercy, there's no rest The void will scream within your chest No one knows and no one will So leave this place that makes you Ill - Madder Mortem

10-14-2009, 10:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
zookeeper Status: The floor is lava!! Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Soap Fortress Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 1,066	I love the feeling when that happens! But it so rarely does, because I suck at life. __________________ You leapt into the abyss, but find It only goes up to your knees, ~ Nick Cave

10-14-2009, 09:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gen Eric Status: Pursuing Happiness Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Calgary, AB Gender: Male Posts: 59	Very corny..... but true. I had a similar experience, which was surprising considering that i was surrounded by gangster talking about "if they don't hit that n***** (sorry), they're gonna get 25 to life." It was a good but weird day. Suggestion: Don't downplay your experiences just because they aren't meaningful by some external standard, or because they're insignificant in the grander scheme. They are meaningful to you, that makes them meaningful.

10-15-2009, 04:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
gold132 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 154	If i knew some girl was looking at me i'd probably just look in the other direction, i'm too shy and unassertive when it comes to stuff like that. Believe me if i did what you did i'd be happy too, hopefully next time i'll remember to give it a try

10-15-2009, 06:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
marenubium87 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CO Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 79	I just wanted to say I really appreciate all of the encouragement. As far as not minimizing this... I agree. My therapist has been trying for the better part of a year on that front though, so it'll probably be a while more on that. I guess progress is good though. But, again, thank you all for the encouragement and suggestions. 'Tis much appreciated.

10-18-2009, 02:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
RaSwa Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: USA Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 19	that's not small at all! i'm sure it was a great smile too!