If you confide in people about your social anxiety, sometimes they don't know how to act around you in an anxiety triggering situation (Social Anxiety triggers). The last thing I, or I am guessing anyone, would want is for the loved ones in our lives to feel like they have to walk on eggshells around us. I can sense when people do that and it makes me feel handicapped. I came up with a few tips for our friends and families so they can have a better idea of what helps in an anxious situation and what just makes things worse.

Over the years of struggling with anxiety and panic attacks, I have gone through many learning experiences and trials. For a long time, I tried to keep up appearances that my life was perfect and I could handle anything. In panicky situations, I would sort of lie to people by telling them I wasn’t feeling well but never really explained why. Or I would just leave. After years of “not feeling well” at family gatherings, people started coming up with their own conclusions. This only made things worse.