[Rayne]

I was just wondering how many INFP's suffer from this. And what are your experiences?



I had it quite bad around a year ago. I would barely ever go out and when I did I hated it. I didn't want to answer the phone or answer the door, even to my own family. When I walked through the corridors at college I felt like everyone I could hear laughing was laughing at me. I still feel like that sometimes. I still have this weird thing where I'm scare of showing affection to someone or complimenting someone because feel like a creep.

So... bout you guys?

[lycanized]

I'm in the same spot as you are; it has nothing to do with MBTI, though...anyway, I'm getting better and better and slowly just making myself not care. I'm mainly concerned, now, with people thinking I'm extremely weird or eccentric...which I could seem like when confronted by the majority of people. I'm just making myself not care xD
I was like that since...I was 6, but it didn't get really bad until I was 9. I couldn't even smile or anything from that age on. Pretty soon I started skipping classes and avoiding things which means that I had social phobia, not just social anxiety. I don't know...it wasn't even until I started looking into MBTI and started realizing my strengths that I really started to get over it. I used to be a completely negative person...I had other anxieties besides social anxiety. But I'm a much more positive person now, and I can push myself through those things...

The mind is powerful...that's the best thing!

The weird thing is, even being shy throughout basically my whole life, I always knew that I was naturally a pretty outgoing as well as dominant person.
Once I got more comfortable, though, I started to feel like I couldn't really relate to anyone...that's one problem. That's why I want to get out of high school lmao

[Nasmoe]

Yeah I have social anxiety. Its usually not so bad, more shyness than anything, but other times my heart is racing and I shake a little when I am somewhere I really don't want to be or feel I should not be. Like I used to get really anxious when I had to go to my job on a day I didn't work just to pick up my check. I just felt like all eyes would be on me and I would have to socialize, when I really just wanted to get my check and run. When I quit I didn't give a two weeks notice because I didn't want to be there for two weeks with everyone knowing I was leaving and asking me why.

[Tunesimah]

Some quack doctor thought I had social anxiety. I almost believed him too, he prescribed some pills... which seemed to mess me up some how.

I am extremely shy at first, and it takes time for me to slowly learn and adapt to social environments. I have an external shell to me, that seems to filter everything I do... I really have no control over it... it just goes away after a while. This isn't anxiety though, I don't get anxious or nervous in social situations.

It was easy for me to have the 'slow to open up' side of me... which seems pretty common in INFPs... to convince me that I have social anxiety.

[xToXiCx]

My social anxiety comes and goes. On the worst days, I would feel like everyone was laughing at me too. I often feel like everything I say sounds dumb and that everyone thinks I'm a total freak. On some days, I wear regular comfy clothes but on other days I get extremely self-conscious.

I think I've been getting better but it still comes back at times, like say when I meet a group of new people or when I'm alone in a place where everyone is with friends.

My brother who's an INFP has social phobia/agoraphobia. He basically never gets out of the house and he never aswers the door or the phone ( I hate doing those things too, but I mean someone has to do it..). He has extremely low self-esteem and I wish he would get better and realize that the world's not out to get him.

[Kysinor]

I have it bad and I can't seem to get over it. The only thing that makes me to lessen it after a while is to be awake for a very long time (I am more focused on want to sleep than the consequences of my behavior and such). Another thing that seem to lessen it is to stay in the moment but its easier said than done.

There are certain people that I am not socially anxious with however and I think it is such people that won't generally judge me and criticize me that easily and people that my Fi generally thinks as "good natured" (subjective; I know). I would say that it has caused a lot of trouble in my life but I won't get into details (...). I personally think that everything I say is wrong in one way or another and instead of people thinking I'm an idiot (or something along those lines): I hold myself back instead. Since I would consider myself somewhat eccentric and being true to myself (and having integrity) is personally a general ideal for me and the majority of people are conformist...

I've had times when I've tried to "get over it" (and say what is on my mind if I managed to do it) but it only seem to get worse then when people finally get to know how "idiotic" I am. I tell myself that I do mistakes and I will try to accept that (but...). I've tried many times to "fix" myself but it does not work and I think trying to "fix it away" would just cause more damage to myself... I don't know why but I just get a feeling it is like that. I personally think it is sensitivity that causes social anxiety. I do not want to see my social anxiety as something "bad" because I've come to the realization that if I don't accept myself for who I am it just gets worse.

[hood]

I think for you, you might have some confidence issues. I sort of go threw the same thing, but it's just trust issues. I'll feel perfectly fine in social situations as long as I don't have to test my trust with anyone I don't know very well.

[ii V I]

It varies day to day for me. I too experience the perception of people laughing at me. Somedays it bothers me more than others. I can't meet new people without my xanex. (although I probably could but just a precaution.) My anxiety gets really bad when sitting in traffic because I feel like everyone is judging my driving because I like to drive slow. I still avoid phone calls, but I've gotten better at picking up. In general I become really uncomfortable if I feel I have to be superficial for over five minutes.

[Blueguardian]

I am very shy myself... but I have, what I consider social anxiety, when it comes time to talking to people around my age group. It is probably obvious, but it is the absolute worse when I am talking to a girl in my age group. I have gotten better in the last few months, but the peer thing is still pretty bad.

I too don't like answering the door at my house, but I don't think its so much anxiety... as not wanting to have to deal with, more often than not, salesmen or religious preachers trying to convert me.

I am also very camera shy and audience shy. Those are probably not exactly the type of social anxieties you are asking about, but I am including them as well.

[MrRandom88]

I really couldn't tell you if I have social anxiety. I mean it certainly feels like I get overly nervous at times to the point of just being avoidant all together...but I have nothing to compare it to (like comparing how I feel compared to what "normal" people feel during social situations).