Recognizing social anxiety in other people

[jajingna]

I've been blind to this, um, condition, in others. Lately it's dawned on me perhaps my brother suffers from it too. I don't know for sure. How can you tell? He's not much of a talker and he doesn't socialize much. That's the same as me. Of course I've been aware of it in my own experience for decades.

Don't assume others know what you're going through. This one is often misinterpreted.

List of people with an anxiety disorder - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Bluejay7500]

Social anxiety can manifest in many ways. Thinking of everyone in a room with all kinds of social defects just gives me high anxiety, but its also calming. Knowing people suffer with similar illnesses. Its relatable in a sense that if someone makes a gesture that they're uncomfortable you can get an idea of where they're coming from and maybe they have social anxiety too.

 

[jajingna]

Yikes, I got a high score on this... Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale

But only a moderate score on this.. Social Phobia Inventory

 

[Nukelavee]

I can usually tell people with social anxiety just by body language.

 

[jajingna]

^ What are the telltale signs for you? Like, not making eye contact?

 

[Nukelavee]

Or really quick eye contact.

A lot of people with SA also try to "shrink" themselves, they keep the limbs close, restrained gestures. Sometimes they have very quick gestures or movements.

Socially anxious people do little things to minimize how much they stand out from others.

 

[jajingna]

Ah, I never noticed much of that. Well, if we don't want to be noticed, it makes sense to be bland in manner and appearance.

 

[Nukelavee]

Ah, I never noticed much of that. Well, if we don't want to be noticed, it makes sense to be bland in manner and appearance.

Well, I do the blend in thing, too, sorta, and I may have hyper vigilance - I'm really sensitive to/observant of body language. I pay attention to people and their mannerisms.

 

[ManDss]

Some people just sit alone and dont look at people, and when they talk with people they do it in an "odd way", the talk fast, they slutter. And even they face tell they are a bit ashame to talk or being notice.
This is in more severe cases of social anxiety.