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Showing posts with the label introspection

Is it Social Anxiety or Something Else?

Perhaps I made the mistake of referring to an "introvert problem"  in it, but it has been interesting to receive friends' responses to a newspaper article about my struggles with general and social anxiety disorder. Some responded to me "you don’t strike me as introvert, you are friendly and sociable". An employee in another department even responded by describing me as “outgoing”, but he saw me in small groups during the college's Service Day or “Hoo-rah Day". I responded to him that for me it is very contextual, if I’m in a comfortable setting with a friendly audience, I'm more likely to feel at-ease and engage. I like to help others feel comfortable, and if that involves me being social, that’s what I attempt to do. However, I prefer not to compete with others for attention, and if there are too many individuals competing for attention or for their voice to be heard, I’d rather be somewhere else. It’s very interesting and sometimes troubling ...

To not fear fear itself

I always enjoy an opportunity for some creative output; I have been thinking about something post reflections on, maybe the recent death of Irvin Kershner and memories of the Star Wars saga, my love for 1970's and 1980's sci-fi movies and TV, or something else about pop culture. However, perhaps something more personal is fitting. As I have crossed into the early stages of middle age, I have reflected on how my attitudes about things have changed over the years, namely fear. Probably many of us have an (inborn?) aversion to public speaking (I still can't believe that it is rated higher than death on some surveys ). Speaking of death, I recall being scared to such while speaking in front of the class in high school. As I recall it was American Literature with Mrs. Brimmer and I may have read the Robert Frost Poem "The Road Less Taken" . Man, I was just so nervous with all of the classic symptoms: racing heart beat, sweaty palms, etc. Looking back at it I can...