# Anyone else feel weird when they walk?



## Falcons84

So basically when Im at home I walk normal and am very energetic and outgoing. But when I go to school or a place with strangers or people I am not comfortable around then I feel like I am walking weird which then makes it so I actually am walking weird. anyone have this problem? I just cant seem to relax.


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## Ambivert

My legs feel like jelly when walking in public, I'm more self conscious too


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## Falcons84

I am always concerned if my arms are moving enough while I walk or if they are moving too much. And also my legs can feel like jelly at times.


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## MMAFIGHTER

Falcons84 said:


> I am always concerned if my arms are moving enough while I walk or if they are moving too much. And also my legs can feel like jelly at times.


x2.

Its not that i feel too lose.. i almost feel too stiff. tense almost. Its hard for me to stand without having my harms resting on something. its weird because when i wear a tight backpack it makes most of this issue go away.

any advice for this anybody???


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## letitrock

YES, I have this problem, especially when I'm carrying something heavy, I almost start to weave side to side cuz I start to lose my balance if I know someone's walking directly behind me.


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## iuseings

I use't to have that problem and it comes back occasionally... I use't to always think people thought I walked weird or were looking at how I walked and I think because I was thinking about it so much I started tripping over my feet occasionally... confirming my anxiety.


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## Falcons84

MMAFIGHTER said:


> x2.
> 
> Its not that i feel too lose.. i almost feel too stiff. tense almost. Its hard for me to stand without having my harms resting on something. its weird because when i wear a tight backpack it makes most of this issue go away.
> 
> any advice for this anybody???


Yeah, I feel really stiff too. And whenever I stand still I feel like I am standing still wrong. (If you can even do that)


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## MMAFIGHTER

And whenever I stand still I feel like I am standing still wrong. (If you can even do that)[/QUOTE]

hahah seriously though huh??? It doesn't even make sense.. I always need to be leaned against a hand rail or holding my phone or something. Talking on my phone while walking band aids the issue but definitely not a permanent fix to it. I feel like i think about how im walking so much that chances are i prbly start walking weird. After I train for a long time this issue is almost non existent until i take a shower and cool down and then it comes back. Very weird...


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## shyvr6

Yeah, you're becoming self conscious. I used to have that walking problem. I don't really remember how I got over it so I can't really help. Maybe keep your mind occupied with something that you enjoy or something that you have to do so you don't think about your walking.


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## Game 7

I sometimes walk funny, or so I think, because I feel like people could be watching me...from their cars, from their windows, from anywhere. I don't think everyone is watching me, just that some people could be...because I do that, occasionally. I always feel on edge because I feel like I have to perform, even a task as simple as walking in a straight line properly, one foot in front of the other, just because someone could be watching me and if I screw up, I'll hate myself.


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## Game 7

I think the answer is probably becoming someone that you want people to see.
When you feel good about yourself, you walk with a purpose, with your head up. You're proud of you and you want people to see you.
Maybe we walk funny cause we don't know where we're going.


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## caithiggs

Yoga. 

Seriously, it really helps you become aware of how you hold yourself. Not just that, it helps you improve how you hold your posture. I can always make myself comfortable in any position (standing, walking, etc.) since I can be aware of where my body should be held. After doing yoga, I felt like I could start being conscious of my body in a good way instead of a bad way.


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## MMAFIGHTER

Game 7 said:


> I sometimes walk funny, or so I think, because I feel like people could be watching me...from their cars, from their windows, from anywhere. I don't think everyone is watching me, just that some people could be...because I do that, occasionally. I always feel on edge because I feel like I have to perform, even a task as simple as walking in a straight line properly, one foot in front of the other, just because someone could be watching me and if I screw up, I'll hate myself.


hahaha seriously... i feel like a tweeker, Im new to all of this. iv suffered from it most of my life but i was finally able to put a name on it yesterday (SAD) its almost funny that i walk around thinkin people are watchin me from everywhere lololol kinda laugh about it now but it still does bother me..


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## JayDontCareEh

Game 7 said:


> I feel like people could be watching me...from their cars, from their windows, from anywhere. I don't think everyone is watching me, just that some people could be...because I do that, occasionally.


lol, that's me too.


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## mikek1121

I dont feel that awkward walking, but if im standing and theres nothing to lean against, i feel uncomfortable. like i dont know where to put my hands or what to look at. i just stare at one thing and it feels like everyone sees how uncomfortable i am.


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## disarmonia mundi

Yep, with everything physical that I do really. I can be alone at night walking down a quiet street then when I notice a car or another person I automatically tense up and feel uncomfortable and overly-aware of their presence, coordination goes out the window... and then I get self-conscious at my lack of coordination which makes me try to correct it, which makes my gait look even more unnatural :teeth

I can't smoke or drink or eat in front of others either for the same reason. Completely fine when alone.... awkward, jerky and clumsy otherwise.

Standing in line at the checkout with people behind me is another unpleasant situation :|


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## MMAFIGHTER

disarmonia mundi said:


> Yep, with everything physical that I do really. I can be alone at night walking down a quiet street then when I notice a car or another person I automatically tense up and feel uncomfortable and overly-aware of their presence, coordination goes out the window... and then I get self-conscious at my lack of coordination which makes me try to correct it, which makes my gait look even more unnatural :teeth
> 
> I can't smoke or drink or eat in front of others either for the same reason. Completely fine when alone.... awkward, jerky and clumsy otherwise.
> 
> Standing in line at the checkout with people behind me is another unpleasant situation :|


me to!!! its weird sometimes i do things that dont make sense. like i dont realize what im doing. EX. say i was puttin silverware away well randomly il jus start walking around with the silverware still in my hand. or just moving stuff around.


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## Saekon

disarmonia mundi said:


> Yep, with everything physical that I do really. I can be alone at night walking down a quiet street then when I notice a car or another person I automatically tense up and feel uncomfortable and overly-aware of their presence, coordination goes out the window... and then I get self-conscious at my lack of coordination which makes me try to correct it, which makes my gait look even more unnatural :teeth
> 
> I can't smoke or drink or eat in front of others either for the same reason. Completely fine when alone.... awkward, jerky and clumsy otherwise.
> 
> Standing in line at the checkout with people behind me is another unpleasant situation :|


I did the same thing, it got really uncomfortable, I got all clumsy and twitchy / jerky. Still have it in a mild form though, I tense up when walking around other people and I can't stop fidgeting when standing still.


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## 2Talkative

I get stiff/jerky movement sometimes because Itend to tense up. No idea why though.


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## pita

Yes. And it doesn't help that I actually DO walk weird. I'm trying to fix my weird walk, but it's difficult.


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## TonyKT

Yeah, like walking across the school campus is almost painful. Some mornings I actually didn't go to class because I didn't want to have to walk to class.


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## lyssado707

I've got it too.


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## BLK13

1


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## WayOut

I get this. But I'm pretty sure it happens to "normal" people too, at least it seems to by their body language. It just happens when you're not comfortable with your surroundings, which happens to everyone, but obviously SA sufferers aren't comfortable in many places... I've found it helps to just think about something you like, or just observing your surroundings will take your mind off of it.


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## sansd

Falcons84 said:


> I am always concerned if my arms are moving enough while I walk or if they are moving too much. And also my legs can feel like jelly at times.


I worry about my left arm not swinging as much as my right and I consciously try to make them swing evenly.


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## heyJude

Yeah, I feel weird whenever I'm walking in public, but only if I'm not carrying around a handbag. I feel better if I'm carrying something, anything, usually my keys or cell, in my hands because I don't know what to do with my hands when I walk.


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## anonymid




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## AkwardNisa

oh my god all. the. time! at school, and everywhere out in public. i mean at home i'm just fine. but everywhere else i'm even worried that i'm _sitting_ akwardly or wierdly.


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## millenniumman75

Game 7 said:


> I think the answer is probably becoming someone that you want people to see.
> When you feel good about yourself, you walk with a purpose, with your head up. You're proud of you and you want people to see you.
> Maybe we walk funny cause we don't know where we're going.


Like a sitcom with VERY high ratings....everybody wants to see what the Millennium Man is cookin' in his latest episode. On today's show, he trips on his briefcase and out pops his headphones! :lol


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## Amanda123

Me too.. It only happens to me when I don't wear long sleeved shirts or jackets. Like if I wear just a shirt or tank top I'll think about the way I swing my arms or if I'm slouching. but when I have a jacket or long sleeved shirt I just feel more comfortable and I don't really think about it. Also if I'm carrying something, that helps too.


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## Amanda123

BLK13 said:


> Wow this sh!t is just to scary...all these things I thought were just in my head keep showing up on this forum.
> 
> I've yet to decide if its a good or bad thing....


I know! I thought I was the only one who went through all of this..


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## millenniumman75

Well, it's good to know that you are not alone. It's bad that one worries about this aspect so much.


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## puyol16ecu

*same problem*

i have the same problem and only in school it happens. I feel like everyones looking at me and will soon make fun of me for something small. Ialso have the problem of sticking my chest out to much i dont know why. I do it aoutmatically most of the times i dont even realize when my chest is puffed out. Thats why i dont like wearing shirts cause it makes it seem so obvious and it gives off an image as if i am some kid of tough guy. Which i dont want people to percieve me that way i'm trying to get a physcologist because i have read that this problem is physcological issue. I really want to walk normal:|


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## Ape in space

I developed this problem in my early teens, and it persisted until only a few years ago. Somehow the problem disappeared, and I no longer have this problem, at least in any significant measure. I have no idea how I got it to go away. Maybe all my other ridiculous anxieties just got so powerful that there was no room left for that one.


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## elle21roses

lol yes!!! I feel so awkward when I walk. I think about it too much and forget how to walk normal. I'm not super embarassed about it, so it's kind of funny to me.


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## cpix

I've always felt weird walking. People have also told me I have this weird limp which just makes me more self-conscious. Now, I focus on my walk whenever I go anywhere. I think I've improved. At least my gf tells me so.


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## ladylone

Yea I do too. I have a naturally fast walk so I worry about looking like I'm always in a rush. And I absolutely hate getting up during the movies, not really because I hate missing the movie, but because I'm afraid a.) I might trip and fall down the stairs or b.) I'll look so stupid walking down the stairs and everyone's looking at me (even though most of them are probably concentrating on the movie, I feel like everyone's concentrating on me.) I also hate walking into class late because it's like everyone's eyes are on me.:shock


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## SaGgY

Yeah in a store i always think about the way im walking, and in line to check out i think i stand to still and people think im like a statue.


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## chuloon

Oh yep me too! It is even worse if there is a group that is looking in my direction. I am clumsy too so that doesn't help me at all either... I keep thinking 'what if I trip!?' I've held my cell to my ear at times pretending I'm checking my messages but that only made it worse!


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## Freiheit

I feel weird because I get a feeling that my walk looks weird to people.


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## small

It helps not to think about your legs and walking.


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## pete24

I do a fair bit. I could be walking fine, then think people are looking and it would make me feel like im walking weird, do have the jelly like feeling in my legs when in public


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## Ixoz

Yeah, but I actually walk a little funny. My right foot points to the right a bit instead of straight ahead, my left foot is fine. No one has ever commented on it though, but that's wanting to be perfect for ya.


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## Misanthropic

Falcons84 said:


> So basically when Im at home I walk normal and am very energetic and outgoing. But when I go to school or a place with strangers or people I am not comfortable around then I feel like I am walking weird which then makes it so I actually am walking weird. anyone have this problem? I just cant seem to relax.


When I was in high school, I held my hands when I walked. I no longer do that but I've been told I walk/stand like a statue.


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## Teal

*Can't Balance*

The same happens to me in public. When I'm anxious or not anxious in the slightest I can't walk straight, and it feels like one leg is shorter than the other. Really annoying and only happens in public. It's probably social anxiety or something. For a while I was worried about it. The only other thing I could think of is that one side of my brain was working harder than the other, creating imbalance.


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## Shooterrr

It feels like I have to force my hands to swing when I walk. It doesn't come naturally. I love when it's colder outside so I can put my hands in my pocket.  Then there's no problem.


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## small

Now that I think about, I walk in a funny way too. Even when I'm normal. I kind of hop too much, and I don't really walk like a girl. But when I don't feel normal, I walk like a robot.  And it's not just when i think about people watching me, it also happens when i become depersonalized so it feels like I'm controlling a puppet or a robot. Does this happen to anyone else?


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## Witchcraft

Yes, I am always conscious about the way I'm walking, especially when I'm wearing high heels, I always wonder whether I do not bend my knees too much, then again I wonder maybe my legs are too straight and I look like a military man. it's crazy :blank


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## nycdude

Shooterrr said:


> It feels like I have to force my hands to swing when I walk. It doesn't come naturally. I love when it's colder outside so I can put my hands in my pocket.  Then there's no problem.


Same here. I also hate walking pass by a group of people just standing there.


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## Djdemic

I can't beleife I found this. I feel exactly the same way. I also think people look at me and think I walk weird like when I cross the street people in cars are watching me. I sometimes like to run across so I can get itover with


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## Eevee

I'm so glad I'm not alone with this. Basically what everyone has already said applies to me too. I deal with it better when I'm walking along side someone and having a conversation, but that isn't always the case.


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## PerfectStrangersx

Yes. I really struggle with being out in public, especially entering a room where there will be a lot of people or walking past groups of people just hanging about. I feel like everybody is looking at me and can see I'm ****ting myself.


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## Eevee

PerfectStrangersx said:


> Yes. I really struggle with being out in public, especially entering a room where there will be a lot of people or walking past groups of people just hanging about. I feel like everybody is looking at me and can see I'm ****ting myself.


I know the feeling. Where I live, there are a lot of thuggy looking kids that hang about in groups outside shops and busy places. I hate walking past them, I feel like they'll shout something at me.


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## PerfectStrangersx

Eevee said:


> I know the feeling. Where I live, there are a lot of thuggy looking kids that hang about in groups outside shops and busy places. I hate walking past them, I feel like they'll shout something at me.


Where I live there are a lot of young people who think they're hard as nails but they don't really bother me, with a couple of exceptions. I get more self conscious in front of people who are probably just minding their own business, but because they look so relaxed I think they must notice how on edge I am.


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## Eevee

I havn't been bothered by them either, not yet. They just really intimidate me because they're so confident and brash, especially in front of their friends.


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## PerfectStrangersx

I know the type of people you mean and they are intimidating. Also, I'm noticing that there are a lot of young kids, maybe age 8-10, who are trying to intimidate adults, lol, but what can you say to a child? It doesn't seem right to tell them off if you don't know them.


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## Falcons84

Woah, im shocked this thread ended up getting this many replies. Looks like its a real problem for a lot of us. And yes still having the problem myself


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## camtrol

*walking funny*

I've had that feeling for a long time, especially if i didn't have anything to carry, even a jacket or whatever, but now i KNOW i walk funny because of the chronic low back pain i suffer, and the anxiety about it has disappeared. I don't worry because my mind is elsewhere-on my back. If you can place the anxiety you have onto something else, even a thought, then that feeling will disappear too i've noticed and you'll arrive before you have time to worry about it.


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## kiirby

I have no idea what to do with my hands.


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## ZeroG64

I don't often get this but yesterday when I was walking to an appointment up the road I thought of this post lol. Yeah you can be self concious when walking, I also find myself holding something in my hand, usually a bag or car keys, something.

I have in the past had what you guys are talking about but not often, only if someone is behind me and I kinda tense up when I walk, it feels very unnatural but it's all in the mind.


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## Severijn

Funny you mention this. I used to have this bigtime but it has improved over time.

When walking past someone put it some extra effort to walk straight and confident, chin up and straight. What might help is not looking straight forward all the time but to the left and right at objects and people, scanning the environment here and there. And always keep breathing relaxed.


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## Rayzza

I had that problem a while back.
Especially walking through town centres it would feel like the whole world is watching me ; the guy playing his bag pipes, that group of girls muckin about, the guy asking for loose change, the cars going past, and all the people sitting in the buses.

It would feel like they all came out to see one thing...ME, the way my eyes shift when i walk, where i put my hands, how i get my fone out n pretend i have a text message, how even my feet are as i walk, whether i walk in a straight line or almost walk into people. I was terrified of looking UP, holding my head up incase somebody looked at me, or i had to look at others staring at me. So i would just keep my head down n walk.

Then one day i had the courage to sit down outside a big shopping centre. It was really awkward at the start, i had to resort to getting my fone out n pretend i was waiting for a mate, bt then after around 10 mins i got comfortable n i put my fone away. I raised my head and actually looked at people that were walking past.

I realised, the guy playing the bag pipes is only interested in whos dropping the coins into his jar, the group of girls is only interested in having a laugh with eachother, the cars are only waiting for lights to go green and everyone else is just getting on with their own life. Nobody has time to stare AT YOU and go LMAO LOOK AT THE WAY HIS ODD HAIR IS STICKIN OUT or OH MY GOD LOOK AT THE ODD SPECK OF DIRT ON HIS WHITE TRAINERS HAHA.

And thats how i got over it. Try it and get back to me.


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## Darkness

Story of my life

This must have been happening for about since I was 12
It REALLY sucks. Especially how I walk when I go past a group of cute girls I just start walking SO weird. Or at school especially. I cannot stand when anyone stares at me while I walk I start hunch back or so on. I tried what the above poster mentioned a little 'trick' to use a few years back but it only works for that day. It's not like you'll get rid of it. I tried it a few more times and it never worked for me. But hey, most people are different.


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## ahref

I walk with 2 mates, if im in the middle i feel retarded, if im on the edge i feel weird. My mates randomly swap positions aswell randomly, I wonder why.

Walking on my own is fine, i do it fast and as im tall no one gets in my way


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## hellofromthegutter

wow i thought it was just me lol. i can never walk right cuz i think im walkin weird and then ill try to change the way im walkin but i just end up lookin like i just had knee surgery or somethin


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## bostonguy1992

i have a problem of thinking of walking weird and getting all tense around people while i walk and i have seen that im not the only one... Does anyone have a solution that helped them get rid of this anxiety????


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## chanel89

*ive suffered from this for years now its reached its worse point ever, when im at home i walk fine but soon as im in a social enviroment i find it difficult to walk my legs become difficult to controll like im going to lose balance and i feel as if everyone is looking and thinking why is she walking like that, sometimes it helps if im walking with someone or carrying a bag, i do sometimes have the odd good day where my walkings not that bad, im going to start excercising my legs to strengthen them to see if this helps, im prepared to try anything.*


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## daarko

ALWAYS when I am outside, it's so bad right now that I avoid going outside. People have many times pointed out that I walk weirdly. This tends to increase when I am passing a group of girls. It's getting worse day by day. 

Maybe I'll try what Rayzza suggested.


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## dhart13

Falcons84 said:


> So basically when Im at home I walk normal and am very energetic and outgoing. But when I go to school or a place with strangers or people I am not comfortable around then I feel like I am walking weird which then makes it so I actually am walking weird. anyone have this problem? I just cant seem to relax.


I am the same exact way!!! at home, I am me, but at school i am so stiff, and I feel awkward when i walk, and should my arms be swaying back in fourth. i found out that chewing gum while you walk really helps (or at least it helps me). I also feel awkward when i stand alone or when I have to walk in public. I feel like people are critisizing me and I can't hear them. I am way to self-concious in public.


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## Daydreamer5

*Funny walking*

Im so self conscious I break a sweat just walking past a queue or walking to the classroom I hate it
Im sure we all walk fine! People that stare are the weird ones


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## pancake111

I always feel like everyone is staring at me, so I keep my head down a lot.


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## johnny93

Me too... Sometimes I even have to stop cuz seems like I forgot how is like walking properly... It's awful and so uncomfortable.

Than I try harder to walk properly and I eventually end up going just weirdo...


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## tohellandback

I'm very twitchy when I stand still in lines at coffee shops, or I am waiting for food. I tend to pulse my knees forward and back, maybe click my fingers, do weird stuff with my mouth, even make weird noises sometimes. When I walk I tend to change how I walk(speed, orientation, face down) when I walk past people. I can usually tell they're looking down on me or commenting on my clothes, face, etc.


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## randomprecision

I used to be very bad about this. In a public place alone (like a mall) it was very bad. Like a puppet with crossed strings or something. I would almost start beliving I couldn't walk. 
Not so bad now but I still have trouble deciding what to do with my hands (in the pockets? By the side? Thumbs in the belt loops?)


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## lynnb

Yeah, I feel like people are watching me. If I think about it, I feel very self-conscious. I try to keep my mind off it, but that can have the opposite effect.


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## Ras2248

I used to always have trouble with walking. For example, I never knew what to do with my hand and always felt awkward no matter where I put them. A friend in my freshman year of high school eventually taught me what he was doing and I caught on. What he would do is, walk with his shoulders back instead of crunched over and just always go in a straight line in the path he is headed toward. If someone is walking towards you, never be the one to move out of the way, let them do that, almost like a game of chicken. As strange as it sounds, it actually does wonders for your confidence. And btw, don't worry about the hands, I don't think anybody really knows what to do with them.


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## Robodontopus

I used to do this a lot, but it's not so bad anymore. Mostly I worried that I wasn't swinging my arms enough when I walked.


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## skateboard enjoi

yeah in school whenever i walk i always think somebody is watching me.. and one of my friends say i have this wierd walking thing going on and i have no idea why i walk like that


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## 0lly

I always worry that I'm not walking calmly enough. I mean I worry about looking too stiff and self conscious (because I certainly feel stiff and self conscious). I try my best to walk relaxed, but it requires constant attention, it doesn't feel natural. Whenever I pass a group of people I think, "I wonder if they were convinced, by my gait, that I'm normal?" or something to that effect.

Listening to music while walking makes it worse, I think, because it makes me feel even more removed from my environs.


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## Cheesecake

Yes, I feel I walk too stiffly. I also get clumsy.


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## RetroDoll

most of the men are looking stra8 at your body when you're walking around too and don't even try to disguise that fact. not that that makes you feel like you're in a display window or anything. no, not at all.


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## Joe

exactly the same as me


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## Cole87

Yea I have the same thing also, every time I'm out in public walking I always feel like I'm walking dumb and I check myself, and it seems fine and yet I still have that feeling, after some time it goes away and then it comes back again when I go back out. I mostly go to the beach a lot and I feel it more there.


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## Andriod18

I feel stiff when I'm walking with a lot of people because I feel like they're judging the way I walk. the worst thing is when I'm walking down the street and somebody is walking in the direction towards me. like, do I make eye contact?? its just so awkward! I usually just pretend to check my phone when that happens. fortunately I bike most of the time so I don't have too many of these experiences......


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## Gunter

HA!!! Yes I Do. I walk pretty normal i guess with a straight back, you know trying to be more confident, but especially when i'n trying to walk down isles or down the halls of my school its like i'm trying to walk like a freakin model, and its like i'm struttin my stuff LOL. and I'm a dude too. I really don't get comments on it though or maybe people are keepin to themselves...idk


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## sansd

I realized today that I probably seem extremely awkward when I'm trying to walk fast in flip-flops. I think that I usually kind of try to not let my hips move when I walk and that leads to awkwardness that then gets exacerbated with the flip-flops and the speed.


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## velvetpancake

Whenever I am in public, especially in places with a lot of people, I can always feel myself tense up for no reason. I know that nobody is looking at me, but I feel like everyone is. I've had this problem for a long time now. My mother told me that I look stuck up whenever I walk in public. I tried to tell her it is because of my anxiety, but she doesn't seem to listen. I'm hoping that I will get over this one day.


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## Kennnie

I walk with a limp sometimes.


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## Ashley1990

*yupps*



counterfeit self said:


> My legs feel like jelly when walking in public, I'm more self conscious too


i feel; as if someone is paying attention to my legs,how they are...and they are going to comment on my walking style


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## Capri87

*walking problems*

Hey

Guess am not alone and either are u, since a very early age I have had the same problem, at home am fine its just when I walk onto the street that my legs become very rigid and I find it hard to walk. Am really anxious too because in a few months I will be graduating and I dnt wanna make a fool of myself when I go up on the stage but I also dnt wanna miss it help wot do I do!!!??????


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## gluten1212

i feel for ya man, i remember worrying about graduating. i took a few shots of whiskey and i didnt give a sh*t anymore. 

im sooooooooooo sick of all of this. ever since highschool i have felt like an idiot when i walk in public, or even when i walk outside to get in my car. alot of times i feel so weird walking in front of people i stop to act like im itching my leg, knee or foot. i currently work in retail and it seems that whenever i first get to work im stressing about how i walk for the first couple hours, but once i start workin and focusing on what i need to do it goes away, and i become the stong person i think i am under my anxiety. 

thats why i like getting drunk. i DONT have anxiety, and i always think that when im drunk i feel the way "normal" people feel. i shouldnt say normal though. everybody has some problem. ive always felt very in tune with my body and everything around me. i think thats why i have so much trouble with this. 

ive tried everything.


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## sillywillynilly

lol that happens a lot to me 
I think this is normal actually, at least when you are around an attractive person you focus too much on yourself..


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## Koopaatroopa

Yea this happens to me too. If you try thinking about walking you'll practically fall over.

Best way to walk without looking weird is to lean back a bit. Not like you have a di*k in your a** but like more upright. also keep your head up. I have a friend who walks like a complete goof and he stairs straight at the ground. it's so bad we have to tell him to watch out if he's about to walk into something that's 6ft in front of him.

Don't look at the ground, if you have to then still keep your head up the rest of your body will follow. obviously you can casually look at the ground so you don't trip.

as for arms keep your hands in your pocket with your thumbs over the outside or swing your arms a little bit.


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## StayingMotivated

I do sometimes...don't want the pervs looking at my ***. oh well I would too.


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## quietriverrunsdeep

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks this, haha. I actually have to think about something people do subconsciously. I have to make sure I'm swinging my arms right and that I'm not hunched over and then I get so paranoid that I feel like I'm walking like a robot. That's why I normally carry a purse, it give one of my arms something to do so I don't have to think about how to hold my arms like a normal person.


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## AM1432

Falcons84 said:


> So basically when Im at home I walk normal and am very energetic and outgoing. But when I go to school or a place with strangers or people I am not comfortable around then I feel like I am walking weird which then makes it so I actually am walking weird. anyone have this problem? I just cant seem to relax.


Yes, I can't explain it, but I feel like I am going to loose my balance or like I am walking on a balance beam. It is not as bad as when I was younger, but I guess if I am in a situation where I feel there is focus on me, like if I am at a meeting and if I were to have to walk through a room of people sitting then this will happen....


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## Jennifer Clayton

I typically only feel weird if one person or a group of people are walking directly behind me. Then I start wondering if they think I'm walking weird. It makes me nervous and freaks me out when people walk right behind me for awhile. I wish they would just pass. Creepy =/


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## cher35

I thought I was the only one.  I always feel like I'm holding my purse awkwardly or my shoulders look tense. People look at me weird.


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## Aly

Mhm.
Especially since my brother pointed out that I perk up my shoulders when I walk..


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## poepoe

Aly said:


> Mhm.
> Especially since my brother pointed out that I perk up my shoulders when I walk..


sounds like the opposite of slouching kinda? I think I have really bad posture in that I do slouch a lot, which I hope people don't notice...

I am self conscious about the way that I walk too. but then again I just think that my behavior is pretty awkward in general.


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## Aly

poepoe said:


> sounds like the opposite of slouching kinda? I think I have really bad posture in that I do slouch a lot, which I hope people don't notice...
> 
> I am self conscious about the way that I walk too. but then again I just think that my behavior is pretty awkward in general.


Yeah, I guess, i think it's just from being so anxious i become stiff or something..


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## The Professor

I get so stiff, I worry about if my arms are swinging too much or not enough, I developed this problem from standing at work too much: my feet point out when I walk and when I try to correct it my whole walk looks so messed up... it's like I'm walking on straight line or a tight rope.

When I walk by people at school, especially good looking girls/groups of girls or people I kind of know I get so nervous and probably so stiff.


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## pubstomper

MMAFIGHTER said:


> x2.
> 
> Its not that i feel too lose.. i almost feel too stiff. tense almost. Its hard for me to stand without having my harms resting on something. its weird because when i wear a tight backpack it makes most of this issue go away.
> 
> any advice for this anybody???


Honestly I think it's mostly just because you're paying attention to it. I find that I feel like I'm walking awkwardly around campus at a university, but I think when my mind is on other things, like if I'm listening to music or something, I walk just fine. It's really just worst when you focus on your legs.


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## Barette

I do slouch and look down when I walk, I'm trying to stand straighter and keep my head up. Other than that, I like my walk.


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## MikeINvalid

I feel the same.

I think it comes from being self-conscious around other people. I just feel always in my own body sometimes when I know objectively that there is no reason to.


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## MGPElectricGuitar

mikek1121 said:


> I dont feel that awkward walking, but if im standing and theres nothing to lean against, i feel uncomfortable. like i dont know where to put my hands or what to look at. i just stare at one thing and it feels like everyone sees how uncomfortable i am.


Im the same as you, I just fidget about until I find a proper errm.. stance, but that is rare. Half of the time I stand with my hands by my sides.


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## Wesses

all the time, when i get out of a car etc etc


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## MGPElectricGuitar

Falcons84 said:


> So basically when Im at home I walk normal and am very energetic and outgoing. But when I go to school or a place with strangers or people I am not comfortable around then I feel like I am walking weird which then makes it so I actually am walking weird. anyone have this problem? I just cant seem to relax.


Don't worry I also get this. Had it today  - I was catching the bus this morning to college, as I was waiting for the bus to arrive I noticed this really nice girl looking at me. So when I got on the bus I sat at the middle, I had to wait until most of the people got off as hardly anyone on the bus lets you go first. Anyways so this good looking girl let me go in front and I thought she liked me.. (she smiled then let me go) as I got off the bus I felt unsettled and my legs were shaky - I also tripped a few times.. lol. I feel I made a d*** of myself but I was probably thinking that I looked more stupid walking than I actually was.

So your not the only one


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## Jamipat

Especially when they're right behid you, you walk as if you're disabled.


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## Whatev

I feel weird walking when theres a bunch of people around me, or when I walk and theres someone coming from the opposite direction towards me. I either look away or make pretend Im texting someone.


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## kanra

Yep. I'm too tense so I awkwardly try to correct it, and then I end up doing too much of it so it looks just as strange or worse.


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## EstoniaGirl

I


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## Reverie18

Walking 'normally' is so tough for me.

I can't relax at all because i feel like everyone is watching me, and thinking negative things about me. 
stupid i know. they dont even know me, but i cant help it.

so i usually walk with my head down, trying so hard to tell myself to calm down and reassuring myself nobody is even looking, but it doesn't really help :/

i think its a self esteem/self consciousness problem?


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## JenN2791

Nah I don't. I used to when I had health problems where I'd constantly get abdominal pain, so I'd be walking hunched over all weird like I'm about to collapse. I used to try to not make it noticeable but some noticed and would always ask me what is wrong. Dark time in my life... :\ Glad surgeries have helped and I'm fine now.

Nowadays, wherever I walk.. I don't exactly feel as if I walk weird really...


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## Aleph1

I got that feeling more often when I was younger.
That I walk weird when being watched.
But I think I have figured out how to walk now 

But apparently, we are not alone with this problem:
http://9gag.com/gag/2457250

Looking at the comments and the number of likes, I assume other people feel that way too


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## northsea

Same here. Especially when I walk through the school gates and there are the same people who always stand there. I feel like they're judging me or something for always walking alone to school. ugh.


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## Smoothie

Even walking when I know that there are people watching bothers me.I feel I don't open my mouth very wide to talk,and my voice is pretty low,sometimes I have to repeat what I say a hundred times,is pretty weird and annoying.


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## Reverie18

Aleph1 said:


> I got that feeling more often when I was younger.
> That I walk weird when being watched.
> But I think I have figured out how to walk now
> 
> But apparently, we are not alone with this problem:
> http://9gag.com/gag/2457250
> 
> Looking at the comments and the number of likes, I assume other people feel that way too


It's great to hear the walking problem isn't so bad for you now :clap
the pics from the weblink where funny, but oh so true 
yeah, it's nice to know that we're not alone with this problem.
best of luck for us mastering our walk! haha :boogie


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## Reverie18

northsea said:


> Same here. Especially when I walk through the school gates and there are the same people who always stand there. I feel like they're judging me or something for always walking alone to school. ugh.


when i was in highschool, yeah, getting past the school gates.. just remembering it.. :afr 
and in reality they probably aren't even paying that much attention to us, but the fear sets in and it's hard to discard it. :|
*comfort hug*


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## Reverie18

BananaCat said:


> Ha, yes I get like this when I'm walking in front of the row of treadmills at the gym.


i can imagine :afr 
and like school, going to the gym would be a regular thing, so you'd experience this quite often. :blank

have you tried anything to feel less anxious when you go past the row of people on treadmills? did anything work, even the slightest bit? :b


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## DubnRun

Totally have this same as OP. I used to have it really bad going to college in the morning, I felt so overwhelmingly paranoid about how I was walking, (mainly sightly odd cos I have an extra set or ribs than normal people) and I could feel the rhythm of me walking change because my legs became really stiff from being paranoid and self conscious. I think its down to being too self aware and aware of surroundings. I still get it now that feeling, its really not fun.


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## DubnRun

Jamipat said:


> Especially when they're right behid you, you walk as if you're disabled.


LOL! totally agree with this. I'm actually really surprised so many people have this issue, I thought I was a pretty rare case.


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## uniiquea

Fact : Ever since last year apparently i walk weird since some one in public mentioned it.. Now one year later all i can think about is im walking funny.. i tense.. i almost feel like i cant barley walk. Its pretty much eating my mind up. Even today 2 people were laughing at me because i was walking funny.. They even intimidated it -.- 
At home.. im perfectly fine but as soon as im in public i feel in secure.. yeah i wish some one would come up with a cure to solve my issue...
Or i feel like i wont be able to enjoy life agen.


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## Durzo

Yeah im overflowing with swag... its embarrasing for other people to witness.


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## Nekomata

Yeah, ever since my boyfriend complained that he always walked weird I started feeling like I had this issue myself, and it's all I ever think about when I go out somewhere ><


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## Secretly Pretentious

Guys!!! What do you do with your arms?!? If I don't have pockets or anything to carry, I'm screwed!!!


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## crystaltears

when I walk sometimes I feel like I'm slouching (probably because I've always carried a heavy backpack and 'cause I'm always on a computer) ...don't really know how to explain it D:


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## falco

I feel weird sometimes, but not because of my looks or walking type, but because I look a lot younger and in some places such as university or during job interviews, it might seem weird to see a teenager


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## Jinxx

Yeah. I just feel so exposed when I walk alone in public. Vulnerable to any freak accident or unexpected social interaction. I feel like a model on a runway. Of course I don't' look like a model. I just feel like I'm on the spotlight like one. That's what I meant.


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## stupiditytries

I feel weird when living.


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## Doubt

Falcons84 said:


> So basically when Im at home I walk normal and am very energetic and outgoing. But when I go to school or a place with strangers or people I am not comfortable around then I feel like I am walking weird which then makes it so I actually am walking weird. anyone have this problem? I just cant seem to relax.


same problem here too if i am self concious i walk like a robot it doesnt feel natural when walking


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## velvetblade

Falcons84 said:


> So basically when Im at home I walk normal and am very energetic and outgoing. But when I go to school or a place with strangers or people I am not comfortable around then I feel like I am walking weird which then makes it so I actually am walking weird. anyone have this problem? I just cant seem to relax.


I find that whenever I walk when around other people, it's almost as though I forget how to walk in an orderly, rhythmic manner. I will often feel "stiff" when walking, or will feel like I'm swaying my arms too much or too little, I'll feel like maybe I'm bobbing up and down a lot, and will become self-conscious about how my butt looks, how my clothes fit, etc. and very often find that it's almost like I don't pick my feet up high enough, because as I bring my other foot forward to take the next step, the toe part of my shoe will drag on the floor. And it's not because my shoes are too big for me, it's just because I've been walking funny, because someone has been staring at me:um It's annoying and I always feel so clumsy when this happens!


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## Firestylejutsu

At home I walk normal, I feel good about myself but in public especially in big crowds, I get scared I feel like everyone is looking at me, I have low self-esteem and all this makes me walk weird like hunchback and the more I think about it, the more I feel like this, can anyone anyone help??


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## pxf

Haha, at the gym i always feel people are looking at me and thinking i'm trying to look huge lol..i tend to slouch forward trying to keep my chest in and keep my arms close to my sides so it doesn't look like i have "invisible lat syndrome". Also just walking by people in a mall or something i feel right stiff near my hips and feel like i'm walking weird....Both irrational and doesn't bother me as much anymore i just laugh thinking about it now


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## Kflex29

*Plz help*

I suffer from the exact same thing that all of you are talking about. It honestly feels like I'm walking with a limp even tho I'm not injured. I seem to be so self conscious of how I walk, that it gets worse and worse and it's me sully draining. It's affecting every aspect of my life and Is beginning to make me extremely depressed. I can't even enjoy the normal things that I used to because I don't want to walk any where because of whatever this is. I have pretty bad anxiety and i know that my walking problems are associated with my anxiety but I don't know how to fix it. Can someone plz help me :/. Are there any cures or any real in depth research on this??


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## mesmerize

i feel like everyones watching my walking i start moving weird.


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## Hexle

Thing is, I never thought I walked weird until recently.. and I walk very oddly. a) I dont "lift" my feet enough.. like mum constantly tells me to pick up my feet. and b) I always stare at my feet/the floor when walking and i constantly bump into things.. and c) worst thing, my arms.. I call it the t rex walk, because I have no other way of describing it.. my arms look like a t rex's complete with the hands hanging down limply.. I ve always had very bad motor skills so it doesnt exactly come as a suprise.. but I never noticed lol. Grandma once told me to " put my arms down and let them swing" ... didnt work for long, as soon as i stopped doing it consciously it went back to "normal". I can only imagine what people think when they see me...^^


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## lost91

Not really, I feel like Im walking normal in public. Im more self conscious about my facial expressions than my way of walking


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## Brasilia

I just realised that about myself today.


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## Savior

MMAFIGHTER said:


> x2.
> 
> Its not that i feel too lose.. i almost feel too stiff. tense almost. Its hard for me to stand without having my harms resting on something. its weird because when i wear a tight backpack it makes most of this issue go away.
> 
> any advice for this anybody???


x3 i just dont know what to do with my arms while walking. :b


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## SVIIC

Yeah, I definitely get this sometimes.

I have pretty much always got that sense of stiffness you only really get when you feel you're being watched and every motion becomes so much more conscious.


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## Michael11

I'd say muscle tension is the culprit here, along with a hyper attention to what you are doing as a result of SA. Good news, as is the case with almost every obsession or anxiety related "concern", other people hardly notice the "enormous" problem you think is so evident. Even when they notice it, they don't care. 

I don't look at a girl who for instance may have an acne on her face and judge her for it, start discrediting them as a person. I don't also think she is ugly, I don't care, my brain doesn't process such insignificant things, the environment has too much stimuli. Meanwhile, if this was an obsessive or anxious girl, she would be thinking every way I reacted to her was due to the acne. Same concept applies with worrying about f*cking walking.


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## felinefreind

*Anyone else feel weird when they walk outside?*

Basically, Yes. What you are experiencing is SA or social anxiety. And this doesn't take anyone with a "mental disorder" to notice how strange it feels. You are picking up on a lot of different various energies. And yes, it may just be in the air so to speak. This is why when you go into crowded places you may feel overwhelmed, excited beyond belief, or ridiculously scared of what other people are thinking of you. It's not necessarily you. But, because you are a person your body is made to sense these things to help protect yourself. Should you really be scared to walk outside? Not necessarily. You just are aware that others out in the world close or far away are afraid of what others think of them. I suggest you to just go through the motions. You may get stares or maybe it just maybe might be in your mind but, just know you are bigger then these things and want to get outdoors and get your exercise! You don't need to actually believe these things about yourself. Just be aware of it, and pretend not to notice. This is what everybody else does too. This is a survival mechanism so you know when you sense danger. But, don't worry too much it will pass and you will be so glad you went outside and went for that walk and that you were out there doing what you really wanted to do in the first place. Dont let people scare you. These people are too caught up into worrying. Usually if your afraid of walking outside it's because you live in a crowded neighborhood. Be greatful you live around people because living around people is alot better then living around nobody at all. Count the good things and refrain from the fears. It's a never ending battle. Just don't take it serious and you'll be okay. Get outside as much as you want peopel will nto remember you at the end of the day you will not be the person they are thinking about. Unless you take your shirt off and walk around or pants :yesif your a guy.lol that was a really bad joke and I dont recommend that. anyways have a good day!


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## DarrellLicht

Folks tell me I walk just like my dad.. That makes me feel weird.


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## MorningRain11

Actually Yes, I do O.O I didn't know others felt this way, too!


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## inerameia

I used to worry about this all the time. I still do sometimes. I just perceive myself looking anxious or stiff or unnatural when I walk. It's so annoying!


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## always starting over

moroff said:


> Folks tell me I walk just like my dad.. That makes me feel weird.


Apparently me, my dad, and my grandpa all have one side that leans down when we walk, like we're being pulled down on one side, not like a cool pimp walk. I really can't feel it all, but people say it's there. It's so weird


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## nrelax11

Had to register for this lol. But yea, I get this a lot. Sometimes when walking down stairs at school, I'll pretend to have a limp because I can't walk right lol. Especially sucks when people are behind you, but I dont always get it.


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## nycdude

yes, all of the time.


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## Turtle

Yeah I have definitely had a lot of problems myself with walking in the past. it's like I can think in my mind, "why do I give a flying shiz what others think of me," but just thinking that rationally, doesn't change my feelings... it sucks. I found this article to be pretty useful to me though, in helping me not feel so alone. Hope that helps.


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## wildinthestreets

I've been told repeatedly that I swing my arms waaay out when I walk. I consciously try to walk "normally" sometimes, but I'm never sure if it works.


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## badlydrawngirl

I feel like I walk like an idiot in crowds. I don't like people walking behind me!


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## newgame

Yeah definitely, I get really self conscious, like.. are they all looking at me? But in fact nobody actually cares :|


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## nuggbubbler

disarmonia mundi said:


> Yep, with everything physical that I do really. I can be alone at night walking down a quiet street then when I notice a car or another person I automatically tense up and feel uncomfortable and overly-aware of their presence, coordination goes out the window... and then I get self-conscious at my lack of coordination which makes me try to correct it, which makes my gait look even more unnatural :teeth
> 
> I can't smoke or drink or eat in front of others either for the same reason. Completely fine when alone.... awkward, jerky and clumsy otherwise.
> 
> Standing in line at the checkout with people behind me is another unpleasant situation :|


I can identify completely. I tense up doing ANYTHING when there's someone near me. When walking past/approaching/lagging behind someone I get really tense. I'm worried it will look as if I'm trying to slam away at their ***. As you might imagine this is a very embarrassing feeling. Sometimes I'll know that someone is noticing because someone will yell "BOOM!" or "that's the guy".


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## keithr351

Sooo iM probably super late..i have this walk/anxiety/stiff problem too..i am at ease now..not really but im glad its not just me..i believe some people are just more of a "thinker" than others hints the thinking about ****.all i can suggest is start to sippin on drink preferably an alcoholic one..if your of age. I am an african american male 6'2 ish with super long arms..eveeyone says i have retarded strength lol.but i dont know what to do with my arms either when i walk.its like im a body builder and people may say "he thinks he's husky" but nooo i just feel their unopened minds judging. And im pretty well known when comes to groups of teens or adults but i cant help it. Im definantly not scared of them.at all! I get mad at myself for it.people say dont think about it just walk. How! I actually do the oppisite to feel better..like look right at your legs when walking.i swear you can feel your nerves in every step and eventually youll get a grasp of how much energy to use in each stride.i look at my phone while doing this so its not any more weird. I really hope i helped someone. Nd didnt potentially make an alcoholic out of them lol.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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