Anxiety and Meeting people

(Original post by Anonymous)
So I've suffered from what I presume is social anxiety for several years now (never went to a therapist). But because I study psychology I've found ways for me to cope and I'm much better than I was before.

Problem is that I still find it hard to talk to new people even online. I want to make some internet friends but even just typing this makes me feel sick from whatever is wrong with me.

I started talking to a guy on Instagram who seems really nice and cool but he wants to chat with a webcam and that just seems impossible for me.

Does anyone have any experience or advice?

(Original post by Red Caesar)
What you've said really resonates with me, so, even though I'm sure you already know this (you are studying psychology, after all!), but you are not at all alone.

I feel it's really difficult to talk to people online, too - over the years, I've signed up to the same Social Anxiety Support forum two or three times and promptly stopped visting because it made me uncomfortable. Facebook can be a pain too, but anyway...

With regard to your case, I'm going to suggest you be straight-up with this guy. If he's a genuinely good guy, I'd hope (doesn't seem unreasonable to me, at least) that he'd be completely okay with you being anxious about using a webcam. If he causes a fuss about it, then, unfortunately, I'd say move along - which, really, really sucks when you've found someone who you can connect with or feel comfortable on some level with, but not using a web cam seems such a non-issue to me.

Regarding talking to people face-to-face, though, I'm still working through that myself, so I can't be of much use. I've just... gradually worked up the willpower to override my own fears, at least occasionally, but I recognise that it's not always as simple as that - and, as I say, it's taken me a looong time to reach even this point.

If you want to PM someone at any point about your concerns, then my inbox is open. Either way -- hang in there!