Does anyone else create huge mind dramas?

[youdontknowme]

Seeing as this is the social anxiety section of the forum, I imagine I'm not alone in this.
I find that I am very good at creating huge dramas in my mind over fairly petty things, like a friend not responding to a facebook or text message. I always feel like it means they've decided they don't like me anymore, and I'm totally losing them as a friend.
In reality, they're usually just busy, or don't really feel like talking at the moment, which is understandable.
Maybe it'd do me good to focus a little more on my own life than worry about facebook and texts, haha.

[sial72]

I was like that when I was young, not any more.
I sometimes don't respond to things and 99% of the time it's because I've got loads on.my mind and I just forget.
Xx

[hanshan]

Also when I was young, and we didn't have Facebook or texts in those days!

[youdontknowme]

I envy you, Hanshan! It's just so hard to delete your account once you create it. You get so caught up in things. All it really does is waste time.
I'm starting to mature about it. I'm learning to see friendships for what they are in person more than what they are online. If I only see someone once in a while, but we have rich, meaningful interactions when we DO see each other, that's all that really matters.
I think everybody gets too caught up on social networking and cell phones these days, myself included.

[flisco]

I think making big dramas is part of the anxiety thinking- I often make big dramas in my mind about what might happen to me when I travel or do some activity I'm not used too. I think the best we can do is try to rationalise our fears and remember that its mostly the anxiety talking- not our real selves.

[flisco]

I know- it makes you feel crazy, having to second guess yourself constantly, knowing that your thoughts aren't rational.

You're right though- no matter how real it seems, its not real its the anxiety. I've been reading a book by Claire Weekes thats been really helpul, talking about how we get sensitised to aniety and therefore it gets easier and easier to be anxious. And how to accept your fears. easier said than done though!

Its so hard to be rational when my fears seem so real though, especial big dramas I make up about traveling out of my 'safe zone'!

[flisco]

I get the same feeling from being at home especially when I'm in bed, no pressures no job making me anxious, just warm safety, no expectations on me- I can just finally relax and be myself- its the outside world I struggle with really- especially traveling. Which is weird cos I used to be super confident.

Do you have more social anxiety problems?

[youdontknowme]

Thanks for all of the responses, guys!
I am actually pretty confident during my person to person interactions, and have a very introverted side. But I can be very insecure when it comes to overall friendships, I find.
It's dumb.

[white1989]

I empathise with you greatly here, this is me all over! I've lost loads of friends over the last 3 years when all my anxiety problems started, mainly because they were never very interested in hearing about my problems over their own, and no one really gets what we suffer with! and ever since I've been so panicky about loosing even more friends that I drive myself mad if I don't hear from them or I don't get invited to something! I think social media sites are a bit of a breeding ground for insecurity and anxiety as well, I always want to delete my facebook/instagram accounts but can't bring myself to! its a terror as well for sitting and looking at how well everyone is doing in life while you're stuck at home unable to go anywhere because you're feeling so rubbish!! I hope you start to feel better soon x

[youdontknowme]

I think one of my friends really is ignoring me, though :(
She texted me to let me know she'd be back in town for a week and she wanted to chill. I told her I'd love to. She said she'd hit me up.
I sent her a message on facebook a few days after she arrived. She logged on a few times but never read it. There's only a few days left before she leaves again. I sent her a text earlier today since she never read my message. It's been hours and I still haven't heard from her.
It just sucks because I really thought she was awesome, and we started opening up to each other. We had so much in common, which is kind of rare for me to find in this area. She was one of the few people who I could have real, thought provoking conversations with. I'm not going to bother her anymore since I don't like to harass people. If she doesn't want to keep in touch, she just doesn't want to.
It's just weird and kind of sucks :/ I keep hoping she'll shoot me a message or a text with some sort of explanation, but I have a bad feeling she's randomly decided to drop out of my life. This normally doesn't happen to me, so I don't think I'm a toxic friend, and I really can't think of anything I could've done to offend her. If I don't hear from her again, I'll just have to move on, I suppose.

---------- Post added at 02:21 ---------- Previous post was at 02:14 ----------

Anyway, staying off of social media does help! I find it much more productive to research interesting things on the internet, or stick to DIY instructions and the like. Maybe some forums like this one :)
Or, better yet, turn the internet off and do something productive. Meditate. Make some art. Write. Stargaze. Go for a walk. So on and so forth.