How to talk to people when you have SAD? Good conversation starters?
Hi, I have social anxiety and sometimes it gets really bad. I am always nervous to talk to people but really want to make friends since I have just started school again. There is no one I hang out at lunch with currently but I want that to change. How do you start conversations though when you are so worried about people making fun or judging you? Does anyone know some really good conversation starters for people who you see around a lot but never talk to?
Responses are hugely appreciated!
@Hufflepuff27 Lunch time is rough. :( I had a hard time finding people to sit with a lot. I do best when we are doing an activity together such as playing in band, cooking, gardening, doing puzzles. I've found that it's easier to talk when I am helping someone cook, because I don't have to look directly at the person, and I can start asking gentle, task-related things like "do I add the butter now?"
Oh also when I was in high school a group of us played card games together. I loved that because I could just focus on the game and had fun interacting without feeling pressured to talk a lot about myself.