@mischiefinthedungeons replied to your post “The thing about anxiety is that you constantly blame yourself. You...”
Very true. The same is with me too. Not so very long ago, I had to see this woman and she wanted to know why I was anxious and said it was down to shyness. Erm, I'm very sure anxiety and shyness are two separate things. I wanted to walk out of her office. She really didn't understand me at all. I don't know what's worst. I even find eye contact very troubling now and I look at something in front of me as I reply back.
*hugs* I understand you. There are days it’s better and days it’s worse and then there are days when looking someone in the eye is difficult.
@eve1978 replied to your post “The thing about anxiety is that you constantly bl me yourself. You...”
@teacuphiddlesfics replied to your post “The thing about anxiety is that you constantly blame yourself. You...”
All of this. I have massive anxiety when it comes to calling someone. When I had to do so earlier I was shaking the entire time. I felt sick and terrible all of yesterday just thinking about doing it and building myself to get it done. Even just waiting for someone to call me back I have so much anxiety just waiting for that moment they'll call. But trying to explain that to people is so difficult sometimes when they just see it as a simple little phone call.
I thankfully or dreadfully had jobs were calling is one of the main parts. It helps in that I have to face it and it does get easier, but it doesn’t help with all other calls. I also learned that many on the other end of the line have no clue about the call beforehand either and if it is some kind of service or so they simply want to get it done and don’t care about how much I stumble or fuck up (I don’t, it’s just that I fear I do).
And it’s still after years of doing it that I have to take a deep breath and have to mentally prepare myself. For important or just even different calls I really have to set a time that I call. I hardly sleep the night before and I’m shaking and try my best to control my voice.
When the phone rings I have to let it ring at least two times so that I can take a deep breath and mentally tell myself what I’ll say. It sounds stupid, but these 5 seconds make all the difference. If I call someone and they answer immediately I’m shocked silent for a moment and then I start speaking and I think they think me weird and it is all downhill from there.