Social Phobia When I Haven’t Slept.. Anyone Else??

[gypsylee]

I’ve been up all night (it’s 1:30pm now) and it’s my own fault, but I’m having an anxiety attack about leaving my house. My social anxiety hasn’t been bad at all lately, but if I haven’t slept it’s like I’m not fit to go out in public. Like a zombie or something? :confused:

I’ll do it (I need cigarettes!) and then I’ll be relieved, but does anyone else get this?

One of the contributing factors is I can’t just walk or drive down little back streets to a shop.. I have to get out on the highway and go to a supermarket. The brightness, noise, activity etc is really uncomfortable for me in this state.

Ok, here I go, but it’s a real case of “feel the fear and do it anyway” :eek:

 

[Gyropilot]

Now that you mention, yes, I feel something like that.
Usually I'm scared to walk outside my house anytime, but when I had not slept, I feel unfit too. I just don't go out in that situation, waiting for my sleep to complete a cicle and I'm waking at morning again. That's how I behave at least

 

[may71]

but if I haven’t slept it’s like I’m not fit to go out in public

Social anxiety seems to always be worse if I haven't slept.

Could you try taking a nap, and then go out later? Social anxiety seems to be easier to deal with when the stores aren't crowded.

 

[SomeGuy77]

I’ve been up all night (it’s 1:30pm now) and it’s my own fault, but I’m having an anxiety attack about leaving my house. My social anxiety hasn’t been bad at all lately, but if I haven’t slept it’s like I’m not fit to go out in public. Like a zombie or something? :confused:

I’ll do it (I need cigarettes!) and then I’ll be relieved, but does anyone else get this?

One of the contributing factors is I can’t just walk or drive down little back streets to a shop.. I have to get out on the highway and go to a supermarket. The brightness, noise, activity etc is really uncomfortable for me in this state.

Ok, here I go, but it’s a real case of “feel the fear and do it anyway”

Ya know the feeling exactly. Lack of sleep for me not only does it make it much harder to go out but it also makes me stutter a lot more (I stutter in any case). I got a non-24 hour sleep-wake disorder so I'm forced to experience this at least once every two weeks when I'm forcing my sleep cycle to correct itself. Feels like one is in-between two worlds.

 

[gypsylee]

Thanks friends :cool: I made it back to my nest but I didn’t enjoy it!

Now that you mention, yes, I feel something like that.
Usually I'm scared to walk outside my house anytime, but when I had not slept, I feel unfit too. I just don't go out in that situation, waiting for my sleep to complete a cicle and I'm waking at morning again. That's how I behave at least

Ah you see my addictive personality can be a blessing in disguise because it forces me to go out sometimes even when I REALLY don’t want to.

Social anxiety seems to always be worse if I haven't slept.

Could you try taking a nap, and then go out later? Social anxiety seems to be easier to deal with when the stores aren't crowded.

It was horrible and crowded! Many a time I’ve waited until dark but that’s pretty late this time of year in Australia and I felt I had to get it over with. Mid-year is easier with social anxiety when it gets dark by 5pm.

Ya know the feeling exactly. Lack of sleep for me not only does it make it much harder to go out but it also makes me stutter a lot more (I stutter in any case). I got a non-24 hour sleep-wake disorder so I'm forced to experience this at least once every two weeks when I'm forcing my sleep cycle to correct itself. Feels like one is in-between two worlds.

I just HATE it.. All the external stimulation is like torture for me.

 

[SomeGuy77]

It was horrible and crowded! Many a time I’ve waited until dark but that’s pretty late this time of year in Australia and I felt I had to get it over with. Mid-year is easier with social anxiety when it gets dark by 5pm.

That's exactly what I do, I hate summer times as it's still light outside till 10-11 pm, (I live in northern Europe). During summers I go shopping early in the mornings on weekends, when most people are sleeping late.

I just HATE it.. All the external stimulation is like torture for me.

Wow, thought I was the only one. Going to places like Ikea is pure torture, sleep deprived or not.

 

[gypsylee]

@SomeGuy77 Haha, I know, right. And you see people strolling around like it’s their fun outing for the day. Most of the time I get in and out as fast as humanly possible.

 

[Sunspots]

I understand how you feel @gypsylee, pretty much the only time I leave the house now is when I need cigarettes and only then if I can't persuade someone else to get them for me!

I did venture out the other day for an appointment with my CPN - he was manning the phones that day so couldn't come to me. He was on a call and 20 minutes late for our appointment - by time he arrived in the waiting room I was mid panic attack and had to leave. Going to try again today but I'm already shaking and don't need to leave for two hours

 

[gypsylee]

@Lulabelle I’m getting pretty good at feeling the fear and just doing it, knowing I’ll be able to chill out when I’m back. I guess I could’ve asked my housemate to get stuff but I’m so used to being here on my own.

Sounds like you get it quite badly.. I’ve had to call taxis or my mother to get me to appointments because I felt too panicked to drive. The stress of that ends up being worse than driving though haha, so it doesn’t happen often.

Social phobia is a real thing though and it makes sense in a way because evolutionarily we had to be wary of strangers. You’re leaving your safe space (I call it my nest hehe) and venturing out, and you could run into an enemy tribe or anything! For some reason certain people are just more prone to it.. My 16yo has inherited it unfortunately. But I’m hoping with my support and insight she doesn’t suffer for decades like me (and my mother).

Good luck today.. Just think of us all sitting there with you