Re: Update on stuff
Posted by 74KA on July 10, 2022 at 22:10:39
In Reply to: Update on stuff posted by Riley on July 08, 2022 at 04:14:11:
LOL I read this about Alex and I almost think you could be talking about me. I'm super shy, an introvert and have been dealing with really severe anxiety and social anxiety for many years now. I did work up the courage to be in a dunk tank for the first time a couple years ago, and I bet people reacted the same way as you did to seeing Alex in a dunk tank, wondering w-t-f I was doing up there.
FWIW, if Alex is anything like me, here's something I've discovered about myself that may be useful for you. I often find it really, really hard to get into a social situation. When you describe how Alex was pacing outside your house instead of ringing your doorbell, I do that exact same kind of thing. Its super super hard for me to put myself into a social situation. BUT... once I do that, it ends up being very easy for me to stay in that situation. So for example when I was in a dunk tank, I was super nervous about it, to the point that I was almost making myself physically sick worrying about it. BUT once I climbed up on the seat, all that anxiety slowing went away, and I ended up being totally fine with it. But for me its like that for literally every social interaction. So if Alex is the same way, probably the best thing you can do as a friend is help him feel comfortable just getting into a situation in the first place, for me that is definitely 100% of the time the hardest part.