I'm heading back to the work world after studying abroad, and want to overcome my long-standing social isolation. Where should I move to? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 5, 2009 - 13 answers

Does anyone know of some good reads on conversation and social skills? I'm not suggesting that you can learn these subjects entirely by a book, but what I'm looking for is some methods to make communication a little bit easier when meeting someone or groups of people. [more inside]
posted by Garden on Oct 30, 2009 - 8 answers

I'd like to be less sensitive to rejection, as well as situations that aren't actually rejection but that I take as such. I've had social anxiety for as long as I can remember (I'm nineteen), and I have only come out of my shell in the last few months. Because of this, I'm incredibly sensitive to what others may think of me, since I've never really had friends and don't want people to dislike me. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 26, 2009 - 23 answers

What are the best English-language books in existence on improving one's social and conversational skills? [more inside]
posted by cotesdurhone on Oct 24, 2009 - 8 answers

Has anyone gone through a period in their life where they've just become too overanalytical and serious? I started therapy a little over a year and a half ago and it has been great. I've gained a lot of additional understanding of myself which has been helpful but at the same time I think it's actually detrimental in other ways. [more inside]
posted by Garden on Oct 23, 2009 - 11 answers

I asked This question a couple of months ago. Since then I've gone through one of the worst periods of depression of my life. I'm seeing a therapist and taking anti-depressants but they're not really helping. I'm depressed about my complete lack of meaningful relationships and experiences and the depression has made me more isolated and unmotivated than ever. I feel like I need to do something drastic to force myself to get out of my head and start living my life. I want to be in a situation where I have no choice but to work hard and interact with people. Volunteering abroad appeals to me a great deal but I have no real skills and I'm guessing my mental health problems would make it hard to get a placement. Would volunteering abroad be possible or advisable and is there anything else I could do?
posted by anonymous on Sep 20, 2009 - 33 answers

One bachelorette party, ten miscellaneous female guests, one extremely introverted organizer (that's me!). Activities are set, but what little things can I do (or how should I behave) to keep things cohesive and lively, instead of awkward or lame? [more inside]
posted by yersinia on Sep 17, 2009 - 9 answers

I have had self-esteem, confidence, and anxiety issues my entire life. Lately, my confidence has been getting much better, but it is still very unstable. More than anything else, I want to be able to feel good about myself consistently. Is this possible, given my background (see inside)? If so, please share your success stories or advice on what I can do to feel good. [more inside]
posted by ahrara_ on Aug 31, 2009 - 14 answers

It's my first week in a college dorm. I feel alienated and out of place. Please help me adjust -- advice or encouraging stories appreciated. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 25, 2009 - 34 answers

I use to self-medicate with marijuana for my social-anxiety and low-level depression...can that fact be used to direct me towards a specific antidepressant? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 3, 2009 - 13 answers

I spent my teens and early twenties struggling with undiagnosed social anxiety and depression which I dealt with by shutting myself off from the world and avoiding anything anxiety provoking (school work, social life, jobs, dating). I basically spent 7 years doing nothing but watching TV and reading stuff on the internet. I'm getting treatment for depression and my social anxiety has improved alot but I still spend most of my time doing nothing. I managed to get into a decent university (at the age of 21) but I just barely passed the first year and I almost had to drop out due to depression. I have no close relationships outside of my family and I've never had a girlfriend. How can I get my life back on track after missing so much?
posted by anonymous on Aug 3, 2009 - 14 answers

Long-term cabin fever, please help me get out of the house. [more inside]
posted by Danila on Jul 31, 2009 - 17 answers

I haven’t been to a doctor in nearly 10 years. 100% of this is due to what I believe is social anxiety. To get a real medical opinion I’d like/need to speak to a doctor. I cannot pickup the phone. (1) Looking for primary care physician recommendations near Columbia, MD and (2) advice on what to say to the person answering the phone. [more inside]
posted by syntheticfaith on Jul 22, 2009 - 22 answers

Where can I find, order and purchase, by this evening, a T-shirt that says "Lurker" in big white letters? (Or would that be a bad idea?) Alternatively: please help me find ways to minimize or avoid social anxiety awkwardness at the PDX meetup. [more inside]
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape on Jul 18, 2009 - 28 answers

Can anyone help a person who has had moderate to severe mental health problems find employment? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 6, 2009 - 9 answers

What steps did you take to find your partner in spite of social anxiety or severe shyness? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 2, 2009 - 33 answers

Help me deal with high stakes situations without turning people off and giving myself headaches. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jan 11, 2009 - 8 answers

Currently, I have few friends. I've always had problems making friends. I've had even bigger problems keeping them. I don't know where to start, or how to remedy. ....... [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 23, 2008 - 14 answers

Would it be viewed as strange to go to a life drawing class if I can't draw very well? [more inside]
posted by Not Supplied on Oct 7, 2008 - 26 answers

This one is for the extroverts. As someone who has struggled with social anxiety/shyness to varying degrees my entire life, I'm very curious to know what your inner dialogue is like? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 19, 2008 - 32 answers

What's an effective way to describe social anxiety and panic attacks to people who are unfamiliar with these concepts? Sometimes, there's little choice but to attempt an explanation, on the spot (let's assume you're not carrying around literature with you). How would you handle that? Metaphors? Anecdotes?
posted by zennie on Jul 18, 2008 - 26 answers

What are some over-the-counter drugs (or herbal medicine) that can be taken to treat severe anxiety until I can get some health insurance? [more inside]
posted by Rhadamanthus on May 7, 2008 - 32 answers

Social anxiety and depersonalization...How do you get out of your head? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 10, 2008 - 8 answers

Recommendations for treatment of social anxiety disorder in or around Boston or Cambridge, MA? [more inside]
posted by lucky mollusk on Mar 18, 2008 - 1 answer

How do I know when I'm being self-assertive vs. being a jerk? [more inside]
posted by treepour on Mar 11, 2008 - 11 answers

How do I survive a presentation-laden semester w/ social-anxiety? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jan 14, 2008 - 15 answers

Pretty soon I’ll be going out of town to visit a good friend, and said friend has just invited me to the Xmas party with the folks she works with since it’ll be held while I’m out there. Problem is, they’re very cool and I’m very NOT. We’ve met before and I’m pretty sure most of them think of me as my friend’s dweeby, awkward, strange pal. This only compounds my anxiety and will likely make me act even MORE dweeby, awkward, & strange this time around. Please help me with damage control! [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 28, 2007 - 21 answers

How do I tell someone that's actively recruiting me I have social anxiety and other problems that may make it hard for me to do my job? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 19, 2007 - 44 answers

How can I get over my social anxiety when at SO's work gatherings. OR how do I fake proper behavior? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 7, 2007 - 26 answers

How can I help my teenage sister deal with her horrible social anxiety? [more inside]
posted by logic vs love on Sep 27, 2007 - 19 answers

I don't know what to do with my arms and hands when I'm nervous. [more inside]
posted by HotPatatta on Sep 11, 2007 - 15 answers

How can I feel more gregarious? How to more deeply appreciate fellowship? [more inside]
posted by levijk on Aug 28, 2007 - 8 answers

Help me with these crippling mental disorders.. please. [more inside]
posted by CliffDiving44 on Aug 12, 2007 - 27 answers

Why do I have a mental block about birthdays? And what techniques could I use to be more respectful of others' birthdays? [more inside]
posted by jeanmari on Jul 11, 2007 - 22 answers

Most procrastination advice seems to include something along the lines of "Break up tasks into small manageable bits" and "Keep a to-do list." I procrastinate on tasks that are too small to break up and I already have a to-do list. It's getting worse and worse. I think it has something to do with social situations. [more inside]
posted by chelseagirl on Jun 7, 2007 - 26 answers

How do you feel about whistling? Specifically, how do you feel about people who whistle songs in public places? [more inside]
posted by crinklebat on May 30, 2007 - 70 answers

Last fall, I met for the first time a Rwandan woman who was in the U.S. for work, and I made a really unfortunate culturally/racially/ethnically charged remark. I've been kicking myself ever since, but I never had a chance to do anything to remedy the situation because I haven't seen her again since. Now, more than six months later, I will be seeing her again. How should I handle this? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 19, 2007 - 36 answers

What more could I do to stop going crazy? [more inside]
posted by hypervenom on Mar 8, 2007 - 41 answers

Is there a way to tell clients I want them to communicate with me through email instead of the phone that doesn't make me sound weird? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jan 31, 2007 - 39 answers

Late-bloomer-filter: I was a painfully shy, geeky, withdrawn guy with almost no friends and no social life. Over the past few years (I'm 28 now), I went to therapy, got a new job, moved from my sleepy suburban town to New York, got tons of people-practice, made new friends... and then this year, it all suddenly and magically clicked. It's unreal, but instead of nights alone with my laptop, I'm out almost constantly with tons of friends, hanging out, going on dates, drinking, dancing, and generally having more fun than I ever believed was possible for me. But I need your advice before I create a monster. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 2, 2006 - 22 answers

What careers would suit an introverted but intelligent person? I am working through several careers books but have difficulties settling on careers to research further. I have social anxiety as do most of my friends (met through self help sites) and we are mostly in the same boat. Everyone seems to be looking for extroverted types, where do we introverts succeed? [more inside]
posted by AuroraSky on Nov 10, 2006 - 28 answers

I have a friend (seriously) who has serious problems with social anxiety, to the point she is sometimes paralyzed with fear or depression. She cannot hold a job because of it, and therefore has no insurance for medical attention - what can she do? [more inside]
posted by twiggy on Mar 31, 2006 - 15 answers

How can I become more socially adept/assertive? I'm now losing money because of my social anxiety. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 27, 2006 - 21 answers

I'd like to be nicer to people. I'm generally anxious, socially awkward, and don't enunciate very well. I have trouble with spontaneous conversation and small talk, and get flustered by clumsy social encounters. As a result I've developed a reputation as aloof and unapproachable. What can I do to be a more pleasant person?
posted by anonymous on Dec 19, 2004 - 48 answers