Lets go back 1 year for me, I see a cute girl I want to talk to in a store. Half a second later my body reacts before I even make a decision. Feelings rush in; a sense of mild dread, throat gets dry, physical slight shaking. Overwhelmed by thoughts "There's no point in approaching, she'll reject you", "You're worthless don't approach". An underlying conclusion my brain has drawn that she will reject me, I am worthless and I am doomed to be alone forever. Then afterwards I beat myself up because of a missed opportunity, "she could've been the one" or "You've improved so much in your life yet you can't do this simple fucking thing? what a failure of a person you've turned out to be". So physical fear, overthinking and ruminating afterwards causing more self doubt and self loathing. Glad to say I do not miss experiencing this.
Even just a normal conversation with a cashier or a stranger triggered slight fear, just connecting felt outside my reach; like I wasn't normal and that everyone else, they fundamentally had something I didn't. This fundamental feeling of difference, worthlessness and being unlovable; It was an underlying feeling that stayed with me no matter what. I didn't realise it at the time, if you asked me I would've said "I'm a confident man, I don't care what people think of me, I'm barely insecure at all". Yet underlying everything I did came from a feeling of not being enough, so therefore you must work to become enough. I was a self improvement addict, gym, discipline, cold showers - got into shape yet still social anxiety prevailed. It didn't work, well it barely worked; I felt a bit more confident but that's it.
My motivation for self improvement was because I wasn't enough, my value as a human came from my self improvement - if I wasn't bettering myself, I will never get love or have any value. This existed in my brain as a genuinely tangible rule; as real as this screen your looking at right now. It's not just a thought, it existed as truth in my nervous system and brain.
I was super insecure underneath, refusing to accept reality or myself. I would say "I don't care what others think, I don't need their validation, I'm not like you people" With an air of superiority that somehow I'm better than you peasants. When underneath I was a needy little child scared of other people rejecting me.
Tip: what you judge in others and demonise in others becomes what your terrified of happening to yourself. If you judge someone for posting themselves on social media (what a loser, embarrassing, weirdo) - even if you wanted to post yourself; you'd be far too terrified because your scared of others judging you in the exact same way you judge others. Let go of judging other people, it lessens your pain.
I personally judged fat people, emotionally weak people, people that showed their emotions and needy people the most. This is called projection, we hate in others what deep down we refuse to accept about ourselves. Who would've thought but I actually hated all these traits about myself and warped my personality.
What made socialising even worse, was unconsciously - my worth depended on other people, my self esteem depended on other people, my value depended on other people. Therefore each interaction felt like a threat to my identity, who I am; how can social situations not be terrifying if I'm acting based on this rule? It's ridiculous. Like I'd be talking to someone and I'd just subtly perform for them, if they seem to respond well to this thing; then I'd do more of that thing.
Also my attachment to the outcome, if I talked to girls; wow was I a needy loser in hindsight. My value hinged on them liking me, I needed them to like me. So of course I was super anxious, neurotic. I wanted sex, I wanted love and I wanted them to validate my existence. Instead of simply connecting with another human or seeing if we vibe together, no it was a test of my entire self. No wonder I struggled hard with approaching and forcing myself to do it didn't work. By the way exposure therapy just didn't work for me because I never got rid of the root problem.
Like for a period of 6 months I went out and cold approached girls at the clubs and bars once every week or 2. Some nights I wouldn't approach a single person and would walk around aimlessly feeling like a complete loser, wanting to cry on the train ride home. Some nights I'd talk to people, and I finally made some "progress" - only then feeling slightly okay and proud of myself. The conversations in hindsight were crap, forced, no real connection. I was like dance monkey dance to how I thought I should act underlined by so much fear. Like I'd go up to a girl or group of girls and compliment them; then I had no fucking clue what to do then and it never ever went anywhere.
Common advice I thought I was better than affected me so deeply. I compared myself to others constantly, I know its a cliché "Don't compare yourself to others" and "Don't care what others think of you". Yes consciously I knew, yes I know logically; it makes sense. But like deep down it feels untrue and I still did it. Seeing other people in happy relationships or hearing about people having sex or especially teens in love (this royally pissed me off). I felt like such a fucking loser and a failure; I was 22 and a virgin, never kissed a girl - a reject to society. It hurt even more because aside from that I was genuinely pretty attractive, in every other domain I was doing okay. So the only logical conclusion (really, really stupid in hindsight) is that somehow I'm fundamentally just different and worthless.
When I was younger, those experiences shaped my current neurotic tendencies a fair bit. My parents screamed at each other, got divorced and my response to that was basically to stay quiet, don't say anything, don't be loud and ever express yourself? Otherwise you'll get screamed at. So speaking up, expressing myself was equivocal to a threat to my survival / to receiving love. No wonder I was the way I was. Got bullied for being fat too.
To fix all this I meditated, accepted all parts of myself, healed my nervous system, learned about the shadow / the unconscious, experiences in childhood shape us in ways we never could imagine, belief structures, learned to actually love myself regardless of what the external world (other people) said and healed my traumas. I developed a hard interest in psychology and this has served me very well. Letting go of social rules that shaped my psyche. Tones of journaling and introspection.
Now I feel an underlying sense that I love myself, that no matter what happens socially I'll be okay. I can make stupid jokes around attractive women and express myself because my identities not on the line. I'm truly socially free and internally I feel a near unshakeable confidence that I can handle life. I saw a pretty girl at the beach by herself, effortlessly went up and talked to her; we had such a nice 30 minute chat and just connected human to human. It is so much more enjoyable living like this.
If this relates to you, tell me about your experience in the comments; I'd like to hear it and possibly give some advice to you :)
Thanks for reading kind sir.