Can you offer advice with my situation?
Hey, so basically I'm really shy and don't have very many friends and I've never had a girlfriend. I'm not depressed by this or anything but I'd like to know what I could do to improve my situation such as how can I gain more confidence both in myself and socially. Thanks! Alan.
Original post by Alan-Moore
Hey, so basically I'm really shy and don't have very many friends and I've never had a girlfriend. I'm not depressed by this or anything but I'd like to know what I could do to improve my situation such as how can I gain more confidence both in myself and socially. Thanks! Alan.
One of the best ways to gain confidence in yourself and in social situations is by experiencing things. I know this can be really difficult if you are shy and it can be daunting but you don't have to throw yourself into scary situations straight away- slowly work yourself up.
If you feel as though you have negative thinking patterns, you may find it helpful to get some psychological therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy. It is good to tackle shyness whilst you are still motivated to try and break out of it. I'm only saying this because my shyness led to social anxiety which led to depression which has now led to psychosis- so now as well as not being able to trust others, I can't even trust myself.
I'm not saying this for sympathy, I'm just trying to show that being really shy can have negative implications (e.g. social isolation) which may lead to more serious problems.
Don't be afraid to reach out for help! If you are confident enough, joining local clubs, societies and sports team would be helpful. If not, don't beat yourself up about it.
How old are you? At school/uni/work?
