I want to say I really like my friends. They are good people who have never treated me bad nor would I ever think they would.
Thing is I can't be around them in a big group. I get so anxious I either drink so much till the point of blacking out or not go. I can go out and have a good time with 1 or 2 friends at a time even at a bar or some place similar. More than that and I start to into an attack. Even thinking about being around my friends in a big group starts it up again. I just don't understand why being around my friends in a big group makes me feel anxious?
If you are like me or have any advice I'd appreciate the replies.
Thing is I can't be around them in a big group. I get so anxious I either drink so much till the point of blacking out or not go. I can go out and have a good time with 1 or 2 friends at a time even at a bar or some place similar. More than that and I start to into an attack. Even thinking about being around my friends in a big group starts it up again. I just don't understand why being around my friends in a big group makes me feel anxious?
If you are like me or have any advice I'd appreciate the replies.
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Re: is your anxiety like mine?
Tue, February 12, 2008 - 4:38 PMHi, Nicole--
I am sure that many of us here understand this problem all too well. The best advice I can give you is that you acknowledge to yourself that this is where you are right now, and allow yourself to honor that. It sounds as if you have good friends. I'm sure that you can explain this to them, in whatever ways you think are best. MANY people who would not consider themselves "anxious" don't like crowds, feel uncomfortable in them and would much prefer to gather with only a few friends at a time.
The one thing I would NOT suggest is that you try to talk yourself out what what you are feeling. Our feelings are real and deserve to be respected. Okay--that's my take!
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Re: is your anxiety like mine?
Thu, February 14, 2008 - 4:58 PMEach of us are effeced a bit different, but we are all in the same boat.
Patrick -
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Re: is your anxiety like mine?
Thu, February 14, 2008 - 6:48 PMSo I'm not a weirdo...*whew*. Thanks for sharing guys. I just felt so odd thinking a big room full of friends would make me go into panic mode. It feels so stupid and embarrassing to feel this way. So, unless I can control it then I can't go to a very special celebration my friends will be at. It makes me real sad knowing that this controls me in that way. -
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Re: is your anxiety like mine?
Fri, February 15, 2008 - 10:09 AMYes--I really inderstand about having to miss important things. When I could still work, I was a nanny. One child, I had helped to raise from the time she was 15 months to 13 years old, and, of course, I love her so dearly. I had to miss her 8th grade graduation--something I would never believe could happen--because it was held indoors with so many people. -
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Re: is your anxiety like mine?
Fri, February 15, 2008 - 11:23 PMi have that problem somtimes, part of it is becals i show difrent faces of who i am to difrent peaple, so in a room with peaple who have only seen one side of me and would not understand/like another side of me it is hard to have somone to whom you usualy show another side of your face to. ...
that makes me sound realy duplisitius. but i think you know what i meen.
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Re: is your anxiety like mine?
Sat, February 16, 2008 - 4:41 PMI know whereof you speak. So many milestones are celebrated with big gatherings -- prom, graduations, engagements, weddings, reunions, anniversaries, etc. My friends didn't always understand. "If you loved me, you'd be there..." was their unspoken sentiment. And there were times I'd feel guilty about being "antisocial" or "boring." I didn't want to be like this. But I just was. A few times, I'd go ahead to the party and pretty much struggle through. Then my friend would call the next day because I didn't look like I had a good time. Duh! My friends nowadays though tend to be beautiful misfits themselves with hearts of gold. My old friends -- I still wish them well just as I always did. I was always happy for them; I just can't make it to the party...
