Resting Punch Face

Hi, I wanted to share a story... I noticed that I have social anxiety, and it’s been affecting my quality of life. I recently found myself in a situation where I needed money, so for the first time in my life, I had to take a job dealing directly with people..

​So, I figured it was time to finally work on my social issues.

​I started analyzing my behavior and realized that whenever I meet people, I get anxious and my body tenses up involuntarily. That physical discomfort is exactly what negatively impacts those interactions.

​I decided to become hyper-aware of this, actively trying not to tense up and focusing on keeping my muscles relaxed when I'm out! The strange part is that my close friends noticed the exact opposite result when I tried this... They told me my face looked like I was ready to punch someone.

​My theory is that the physical tension was actually a result of ADHD masking and my constant struggle to hold it together. Once I allowed myself to just be me and drop the mask entirely... all that heavy internal struggle just showed up right on my face.

​I honestly don't know what the solution is to improve my social skills now.