u/Curious_Strike3950

Whenever I feel really anxious, I play with my hair or try to pick at the skin on my fingers.

Actually, I hardly ever make mistakes when speaking, but I still find myself involuntarily thinking that I’ll look really weird if I can’t finish my sentence or if I make a mistake, and that thought sends me into a panic. I hate this. Does anyone have any advice?

I’m a 27-year-old lawyer, and I’ve been dealing with social anxiety for a while now. I’d like to make some new online friends.

I get really nervous when I talk to someone face-to-face and make eye contact. I feel it especially strongly when we’re close together. It’s probably because of some trauma I’ve experienced, but I don’t know what I can do about it.

I experience this especially when explaining a long topic. I think, “I have to finish the sentence, or else I’ll look weird,” and suddenly what I was going to say slips my mind, and I panic.

Just being there—having someone watch me so closely—really makes me nervous. I feel like if they look at my face, they’ll notice my social anxiety. When it’s time for a shave, the whole process turns into a nightmare for me. Do you have any advice on this? Or do you go through the same thing?