# Anxiety is keeping me from having fun.



## Lonelyfalcon (Apr 28, 2014)

Long story short me and a few friends where going out yesterday-today but in the last minute I said I couldn't come "insert poor excuse here". It turns out my friends had a great night and had a bunch of fun. 

It's not my friends that is the problem, there was going to be a ton of people around and my social anxiety stopped me from having fun. So what did I do insted? Well I sat home playing video games drinking a couple beers alone. 

Now I am sitting here feeling bad I didn't go out with them and I wonder how I can prevent this from happening in the future?


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## digitalbath (Feb 1, 2012)

You can't prevent it from happening in the future. S***ty but true. You just have to build up enough good experiences, and then keep reminding yourself of those experiences next time an opportunity comes up. Or soon enough, people will stop inviting you to things because "what's the point, you weren't gonna come anyway".

Try over-committing yourself so you have no choice but to go. Tell friends and family that you're going out that day so they remind you when the time comes (trust me, it helps, especially if they know the sort of avoidant little hermit you are). Buy a ticket if that's the kind of place you're going to. Make sure it'll take _more work_ for you to stay at home than it would to go out ("oh now I have to sell this ticket/my mother is inviting all of her friends round since I won't be home/etcetcetc"). You get the idea.

It's sad that we have to force ourselves to literally go outside and have fun, but that's the way things are.


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## Lonelyfalcon (Apr 28, 2014)

Thanks, good answer and good tips. I'll try to overcome the anxiety next time and make it harder to stay home.


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## HanSolo (Jul 5, 2013)

just go for a bit, and if these people r close friends, u don't always have to make up excuses, u can always tell them u just aren't used to socializing much anymore is it can be tiring (like tired if thats spelled wrong)

I've briefly hungout and chatted with 2-3 old friends the last few months. 10-15 minutes is nice here and there. I met 4 girls that way, 2 I would date


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## misanthropy101 (May 11, 2014)

Take a leap of faith and just say yes every time (Be a yes man). Eventually you are bound to have fun.


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## Kalliber (Aug 18, 2012)

Me too I stay home.. And it sucks


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## jesse93 (Jun 10, 2012)

You have to force yourself to do it, because chances are once you go out and actually hang out with your friends you'll most likely even forget about the anxiety and start enjoying yourself.


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## Maiq (Dec 1, 2011)

Yea like others said you just have to force yourself out sometimes. It'll be uncomfortable at first but that's because you're stepping out of you're comfort zone. You're not going to get over your SA from just sitting at home playing video games, you need to actually socialize. And if you get too uncomfortable somewhere you can always just leave.


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