Feeling Overexposed

[elementofblank]

I have social anxiety disorder and one of the symptoms is severe feelings of regret and shame and guilt if I feel that I've said too much to another person or if I've had an encounter with someone that was particularly emotional and brought up things that I wasn't proud of.

This makes me feel extremely emotionally overexposed and can take weeks to recover from. It often causes me to lie awake at night and repeat conversations or encounters in my head until I panic. I often have to double up on anxiety medication when this happens.

Does this happen to anyone else?

[anonymouse]

short answer is yes, Im constantly running conversations from throughout the day through my head, basically analysing them for places where i may have stuffed up, things they may remember from what ive said, if ive done something embarrassing, even if it was years ago, i still remember it and freak out that people are going to still remember it an judge me for it.
before going out I have rto run through all the possible scenarios, probably so i know how to react if that happens but still, its rather ridiculous the amount of time I spend freaking out about what are probably insignificant social interactions

[barely_there]

YES. this happens to me frequently. i'm rather agoraphobic because of it.

[beautiful-exception]

YES. this happens to me frequently. i'm rather agoraphobic because of it.

oh, my gosh. me to i cant go into my schools cafateria or talk to people my own age without comming across like a crazy person.
i studder and mumble and laugh when im embarrast some times to. gosh i hate people some times!!

[speakingeasy]

short answer is yes, Im constantly running conversations from throughout the day through my head, basically analysing them for places where i may have stuffed up, things they may remember from what ive said, if ive done something embarrassing, even if it was years ago, i still remember it and freak out that people are going to still remember it an judge me for it.

Same here. I usually have these flashbacks at night when I'm trying to sleep. Then the embarrassing point of the event pops up and I'll cringe and pull at myself. I started to work out a time frame when I start thinking about conversations/ events from long ago and I realized it takes me either ~10 years or until I haven't seen the other person for at least one year before the event doesn't bother me anymore. I think that helped me ease the anxiety.

I'm also slightly agoraphobic, although I have urges to leave the house all the time. I really only leave to go to the grocery store (at which I hate that all the cashier know me) and work/ volunteering. Even then, I have to force myself to talk to people. I hate socialization.

[EmilismsGalore]

Yes I get this all the time! Especially because when I'm nervous I talk really fast so after it's over I always internally yell at myself. Sometimes I wonder why I can't just be "normal", whatever that is. I also have mild agoraphobia. Occasionally I have referred to my house as my fortress. Okay that makes me sound kinda crazy but at least I'm being honest.

[LadyFace]

I quite honestly think that anyone who suffers from an anxiety disorder or social phobia has had times where they have experienced exactly what you have described.
I know that when my anxiety gets to a peak, I will often regret having to talk about it with people because in the end, I'd really rather not have shame that I am afflicted with something like this. It's something that I have to come to terms with, and everyone needs to be emotional and talk sometimes. It's only human... and for the most part when the thoughts are consuming, just thinking about the previous statement will help a lot.
I can completely understand how thoughts like that can control people to a point where they will end up not wanting to leave the house. It's scary and I wish everyone had the ability to self talk themselves out of thinking over things so dramatically.

[liveforyourself]

Story of my life!!! I always open my big fat mouth and say something to embarass myself or make myself or the other person feel uncomfortable, then think about it allllll day long! x