Anxiety with walking OUT of a room full of people

Page 1 of 1 [ 9 posts ] 

Joe90
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Feb 2010
Gender: Female
Posts: 26,492
Location: UK

07 Feb 2014, 1:56 pm

I know it is common for people (Aspies and social phobics especially) to walk into a room full of people, but has anyone felt anxious about walking out of a room full of people? I don't really mean strangers, I just mean like in the canteen at work, etc. I always worry and feel self-conscious that if I'm having my lunch in the staff canteen with other people, and I perhaps got there first and so will be one of the first to leave the room once my 30 minutes is up, that they might start talking about me as soon as I leave the room. I don't feel like that with everyone at work, but I do more with other youngsters that work there. One or two of the youngsters there can be critical, and I'm probably one of the first types they would critically comment about. I do try to avoid being the first one in and the first out, but sometimes it's not always easy.

Anyway, does anyone else feel self-conscious like that? The reason being for me is I have often been in a room full of people and someone has walked out of the room and then everybody still in the room starts talking about that person. That's why when I leave the room I don't hang around near the room, because I would feel worse if I actually heard people talking about me as soon as I leave the room. No wonder they say ignorance is bliss.

Complimenting me when I have left a room, however, is a different story. That would boost my self-esteem, because there's nothing more flattering than hearing people saying really nice things about you when they don't know that you are within earshot.


_________________
Female


babybird
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 96,102
Location: UK

07 Feb 2014, 2:31 pm

Yes, I do feel like that. But I also know that if people are going to talk about me they will do it anyway, so I try not to worry too much about it.


_________________
we have existence


dianthus
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 25 Nov 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 4,138

07 Feb 2014, 2:31 pm

Yes. I haven't been in any situations like that in the last few years, but in past jobs I hated walking out of the room because I knew they were going to start talking about me behind my back. I knew it because when someone else walked out of the room, they talked about that person behind their back.



Ashariel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 16 Jun 2012
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,779
Location: US

07 Feb 2014, 2:39 pm

I've never felt that way. But I don't feel nervous walking into a room full of people either. It's not a matter of anxiety; I just simply don't enjoy being around people, and only do it if I absolutely have to. And if they talk about me behind my back, I honestly don't care. (I don't know why they would; I'm really pretty boring! Haha)



Willard
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Age: 67
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,647

07 Feb 2014, 3:33 pm

I don't worry so much about what they say, because their opinions are meaningless to me, but I can't stand the sensation of being stared at. The feeling that people are watching me walk across the room to leave makes me uncomfortable, because I always feel like I'm moving awkwardly and looking like a marionette. Of course, cameras make me feel uncomfortable in the same way. 8O



linatet
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Sep 2013
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 934
Location: beloved Brazil

07 Feb 2014, 4:59 pm

Willard wrote:
I don't worry so much about what they say, because their opinions are meaningless to me, but I can't stand the sensation of being stared at. The feeling that people are watching me walk across the room to leave makes me uncomfortable, because I always feel like I'm moving awkwardly and looking like a marionette. Of course, cameras make me feel uncomfortable in the same way. 8O

This. I feel nervous when walking out of a room, not because I think they are going to say bad things about me, but because they stare at me and that's uncomfortable. Also it feels like I don't know how to move my arms, or walk, or like I'm doing something wrong etc



babybird
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 96,102
Location: UK

07 Feb 2014, 5:02 pm

If I feel funny about the way I am walking, I turn it into a limp.

It feels easier then.


_________________
we have existence


Ashariel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 16 Jun 2012
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,779
Location: US

07 Feb 2014, 5:12 pm

babybird wrote:
If I feel funny about the way I am walking, I turn it into a limp.


This happens to me, but not on purpose! If I think too much about how I'm walking, I literally lose the ability to control my muscles, and start doing really weird things. Which makes it even more embarrassing!



maddycakes__
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2010
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 115

07 Feb 2014, 5:13 pm

Willard wrote:
I don't worry so much about what they say, because their opinions are meaningless to me, but I can't stand the sensation of being stared at. The feeling that people are watching me walk across the room to leave makes me uncomfortable, because I always feel like I'm moving awkwardly and looking like a marionette. Of course, cameras make me feel uncomfortable in the same way. 8O


Yes, I feel this way too.


_________________
"There is no wealth like intelligence and no poverty harsher than ignorance."