
Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I wish I had more to offer you, but I'm pretty much the same way myself.
My daughter got married 2 weeks ago and it was all I could do to drag myself there. Of course, I had relatives to sit with, which makes a Hell of a big difference. But I was dreading it too, because it was the first time I was going to see my exhusband since our divorce in 2004. Wasn't much looking forward to THAT!!! And a certain amount of focus was on me, as the mother of the bride, which I didn't much care for, either.
Sigh. When I have to do these things, I 'fake' it the best I can. Smile as though nothing horrible is going on inside me and just say 'Hi' and introduce myself to people, when I have to. If you do end up in conversation with someone else, ask them questions that focus on them. Ask them what they do and no matter what the answer is, say "Wow!!! That sounds interesting! What's that like and do you like it?"
What I try to do to calm myself is this (and once again, I'm sorry, but it ain't much!):
I keep reminding myself that everyone is much more focused on themselves than they are on ME. (It's true, too!!! Hell, you probably won't even be the only one there with social anxiety!!)
Ahead of time, even if it's a week ahead of time, anytime I start getting nervous about it, I tell myself, "Well, on November 8th at 10:00 pm (or whatever date and time applies), all this will be over with!"
That actually helps me, as stupid as it sounds!!
And I remind myself of all the past, wretched things that I somehow managed to live through and do my best to realize that this will soon fall into that category -- something that is overwith.
If the radio or music in your car will help take your mind off of what lies ahead, then crank it up.
I'm 54 and have been dealing with this my whole life and the only thing I can tell you is that it has gotten a bit easier to endure, over time.
Sorry if none of this sounds of any use to you, but it's all I've got!!!
Good luck!!! I hope it all goes as well for you as is possible!!!!
try to relax and have fun !