I’m only recently coming to a realization. \u00a0I’m still confused but I’ve had difficulty making sense of myself for quite a while. \u00a0My best guess for myself is that I’m not shy. \u00a0Neither am I an introvert. \u00a0I want to talk with people, make friends, and be in the crowds. \u00a0But that’s where things fall apart. (>_<)<\/p>\n
If you ain’t seen it, here’s what I say in my profile…<\/p>\n
I’m not as outgoing as I may seem. I’m actually dealing with quite a bit of social anxiety. I tend to do well on forums and crowded groups. I can just sort of “be there” without demanding any one person’s focus or having any one person in my focus.<\/p>\n
Usually when faced with any one-on-one contact, I can get very tense.<\/p>\n
I don’t roleplay. Not that I can’t or I won’t. I just don’t. The kinds of interactions that come with roleplay trigger some of my worst<\/p>\n
If I’m not sending IMs or even not responding to IMs I get, it’s not because I don’t want to talk. It’s more likely that I’m just afraid and probably over-thinking a lot of things. The more I consider you a friend, the more I tend to over-think things.<\/p>\n
This doesn’t grant me a free pass to be a jerk. If I am being a jerk, feel free to call me out on it.<\/p>\n
Long story, short: I’m not ignoring you. If you have been my friend, you still are my friend. My silence is a matter of anxiety and fear.<\/p>\n
Please don’t misunderstand.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
… and that covers it. (._.)<\/p>\n
See, the thing is the more time I’m spending with people, the higher my anxiety drives. \u00a0The worst parts of my mind take over and I start seeking out a means of escape. \u00a0Not knowing whether my presence or absence would be more of a burden to others, I can really start to freak out inside… And that’s even after I’ve found a way to be around people. (>_<)<\/p>\n
Getting there can be the hardest part. \u00a0For anyone who follows my profile feed, it can be too difficult to notice that a majority of my pictures come from my room in my main SL house. \u00a0Odds are, I’m really actually waiting. \u00a0I can see a person or two on my friends list who I’d really like to visit. \u00a0But as much as I want to, I just can’t get beyond myself to reach out to them. \u00a0So, I’m stuck. \u00a0At the same time, I’m being an indirect burden by holding this expectation that they’d reach out to me. \u00a0So, it’s like a lose-lose. \u00a0If I’m with them, I’m a burden through the tension I build around me. \u00a0If I’m away, I’m a burden because they know I’m here but unsure of where I really want to be. (._.)<\/p>\n
All in all, I make for a pretty horrid friend. \u00a0Worst of all, I don’t even know what to do about it. \u00a0I’ve been to social anxiety group therapy where I basically learned that the anxiety I feel while in the group interferes with the intended treatment of the anxiety I’m there for in the first place. (>_<)<\/p>\n
I’m sure this makes me annoying to be around and likely due to the bulk of pictures in my profile coming from one cluttered little room. \u00a0If I could find a way to be better for the people I want to be around, I’d take it. (._.)<\/p>\n
I’m not shy. \u00a0I’m just freaking out. (._.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I’m only recently coming to a realization. \u00a0I’m still confused but I’ve had difficulty making sense of myself for quite a while. \u00a0My best guess for myself is that I’m not shy. \u00a0Neither am I an introvert. \u00a0I want to … Continue reading