i find it a bit stressful in crowded places sometimes.. i dont have anxiety but sometimes

 

Do you live in the USA?
Only there have I seen this to be a TV advertised problem.
They try to sell you it so they can sell you drugs. If you smile or say hi, don't expect a response.
Even other people have theirs.

 

You clearly haven't been to Costco, I need a Xanax to get in and out of that motherfucker.

 

no, but I don't go out where it is crowded anymore, I hate when people bump into me because they are on their phones and not paying attention and then yell at you saying it's my fault instead of excusing themselves, I'm in a wheelchair on bad days, what would you say or do?

 

And Foster's ass got banned again!

He still lasted too long

 

I copied the following text because it explains so well who we are dealing with:

Heike Leitschuh: Me First! A Society on an Ego Trip

Things are getting pretty rough, especially in big cities. People barely notice each other anymore, and when they do, it's more as an obstacle. Everyone seems to be primarily concerned with themselves. Self-referentiality and egotism are taking over. The cause: neoliberal competitive behavior is growing into everyday culture and making us increasingly less supportive. The media and advertising are promoting egoists, who are thus gaining too much influence.

I've spoken with many affected people in the public sector, in sports, in schools, in hospitals, with researchers and politicians. They all report how egoists are taking over. The problem is being neglected in politics and the media. So it's high time to rethink and take countermeasures, both with different policies and with each and every one of us. Otherwise, we will soon be living in a country where everyone is only concerned with themselves and only what matters is what makes a profit.

Source: https://www.heike-leitschuh.de

 

That f-king place- you stand in line to get to the registers and then you stand another line to get out the door. It's psychological warfare.

 

There are tools that can help manage social anxiety, not least psychotherapy, but ultimately it's up to you to gauge and determine how urgent and important this is to you, and how critical it is that you take action... yesterday.

One such tool - notwithstanding the root cause of said anxiety - is Pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), also known as "Breathwork."

Another is called "Vagus Nerve Stimulation" (using electrical impulses to stimulate the vagus nerve), or Vagus Nerve Regulation (you can search for it on YouTube, and do it for free, or buy books, or consult a professional, or certified Yoga teacher).

I have social anxiety too (I'm on the spectrum, or autistic, or neurodivergent - whatever's en vogue these days), and I get drained (totally exhausted) in public places. I found that a combination of therapy, reading books to acquire the vocabulary to express and describe what I was feeling to others (wives, girlfriends, therapists), and Yoga (Ashtanga, Meditation and Pranayama) have helped me a lot.

Still, to this day, there are times of year (sometimes, times of the month - and I'm a guy), where I can't, or won't go outside. It's not agoraphobia either - I love going to the beach to watch the sunset, or to the park, etc. It's just crowds that drain me. Too much stimuli.

The rest of the year (or month), I'm okay - I just avoid going to the supermarket on certain days, and at the obvious times.

• First step I would advise is to get a coach to help you with Breathwork and/or Vagus Nerve regulation.
  
  
• Second step should be to get a therapist to work out the source of your anxiety.
  
  
• Third step: be outside, walk, swim, surf, run, ride a horse, ride a bike, or (say you live in Minneapolis or Moscow) take up yoga.

 

I don't live in the US anymore. The last time that I was there with my brother while I was visiting had bought a bunch on spiral notebooks which I use when writing short form stuff. I paid for them, put them in the canvas shoulder bag that I bring with me to bypass the plastic sack, and when I wanted to exit the store was confronted by an 80 year old woman who wanted to search my bag and see my receipt...nope, that wasn't going to happen. I asked her if she thought that I had stolen anything which she replied with a resounding "no". I gave her the peace sign and, said "fair thee well" and kept walking. Nobody tried to stop me.

 

@Lois Lane

 

I certainly didn't let that "Deal" go down!

 

Once I thought I had social anxieties. But my doc found out I got ADD. It was not the people who bothered me. It was the over-stimulation of my
environment that influenced me.

 

can you explain a bit further? I can't understand how can you be influenced by anything else other than people. I would guess the only factor is some sort of performance anxiety caused by people looking, or being there

 

This is how you can find out if you have ADD. If you can handle it, fine! If you can't you have probably ADD.

 

People with AD(H)D often experience the world in a more intense and overwhelming way. Their brains have difficulty filtering out unnecessary information from their surroundings. This means that, unlike neurotypical individuals, they might notice and react to every sound, movement, or change in their environment, no matter how small.

In overstimulating environments, such as crowded places, noisy rooms, or fast-moving workspaces, people with AD(H)D can quickly feel overwhelmed. They may hear every conversation, background noise, and mechanical sound at the same volume, making it hard to focus on just one thing. Visual distractions, like a flickering light or someone walking by, can also pull their attention away from what they’re doing. Their own inner thoughts can become just as distracting as the external noise, creating a constant state of chaos in their mind. And yea, finally you can feel anxious.