Anxiety makes me dumb?
Hi, everyone. So, i have Social Anxiety and lately it's been giving me more problems than ever. One of those problems is that anxiety make me extremely dumb. I don't think of myself as a genius at all, but i don't think i'm that stupid either. My aunt's friend has an English school (i live in a non-english speaking country) and she told him that i was fluent, which led me to being offered a job there. The thing is: I don't wanna be a teacher. I can't stand talking in front of a bunch of people, let alone do that multiple times a day with different classes. Also, my brain gets SO foggy around people. My thoughts are everywhere and i can't organize them well enough to talk like an ordinary person. I'll say shit like "You has a car" when in any other situation, where my brain can properly function, i'd slap someone who said that in the face. It happens all the time, no matter which language i'm speaking. I mess up even in my native one. I feel awful for turning down this opportunity, pretty sure my mom is disappointed and i can't blame her. And i feel even worse knowing that the only thing i thought i was good at, learning languages, is ruined by my anxiety. What's the point in knowing a bunch of them if you can't talk to other people? :( How can i make my brain work normally around people?
I think you are great for acknowledging what happens when you have anxiety and what it consists of. Have you considered therapy? It has personally helped me boost my self-esteem and I am working on my confidence. Anxiety isn't something that will go away in a day, it is a process in which you have to make the effort in order to improve. If you want, I can suggest you tips on easing your anxiety!
@eviethepwum I have! In fact, i've been to 3 therapists the last 3 years but i always dropped them because i felt... Self-conscious? It was like my anxiety increased and i became more self-aware even at my house, when i usually only felt that way outside in public. I have no idea why tho. Also, it was like every problem i had disappeared once i stepped into the therapist's office and i had nothing to tell them. Now i don't have the money to pay for one and i don't know any free ones. And yes, please, i'd love to hear your tips!
I have anxiety myself so I've accumulated ways to approach this. One method I use is called grounding technique. That is, when I am having a panic attack, using this technique will get me distracted and stop focusing on whatever that triggers. Hence, in whichever environment that you're in that you're experiencing anxiety or panic attack, just pick something in that environment and say it out loud or in your mind. That way you're able to stop yourself from having irrational thoughts. For example, you can pick out something yellow. Hence, you say anything that is the color yellow.
@exuberantIdea430 its completely natural to feel like you can't get your thoughts and ideas together when you're struggling with anxiety. You body and brain react chemically to the anxiety and you go into a fight or flight response where you're only focused on survival.
@exuberantIdea430
Hi! Yes, it cna be very challenging when social anxiety prevents you from doing something you love and are good at, and when you feel limited and dumb because of it. Please know that just because there's a little hurdle, doesn't mean that the entire experience of doing something is ruined. Yes, you may have issues using language now, but you can still use it through writing et cetera, which means that your flair for langugaes is still an amazing skill! In addition, you could perhaps try overcoming this anxiety of speaking with others, step by step. For example, you could start by chatting with people online (like on 7Cups), and practising expressing yourself, especially in differnet languages. Then, you could move on to conversations with people you know, before jumping into speaking with complete strangers. There's really no easy solution for anxiety, and please don't be discouraged if you seem to be falling back et cetera! It takes consistent effort and slow steps, but one day you'll find that it's getting easier and easier. Good luck, and stay strong!
