Mental Barriers to Social Confidence
Mental barriers are things like shyness, insecurity, and social anxiety which can make it difficult to make friends. These barriers can make people avoid social situations because they’re uncomfortable, and they can prevent people from showing their full personality in social situations.
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Shyness occurs when someone is inhibited in social situations. Many people who experience shyness describe a struggle with inner worries and insecurities when they’re in social situations.
At times, shy people come across as cold and aloof because they are trying to manage their discomfort by sending out “don’t approach me” vibes.
Insecurity occurs when you have a low opinion of your own value, especially in social situations. Insecure people often believe that others won’t like them, and they tend to second-guess others’ words and find a different meaning than were originally intended.
Discouragement can occur when an individual loses their confidence and enthusiasm for social situations. Pessimism describes the tendency to see the worst aspects of things. When these two behaviors occur, it can lead to self-sabotaging behaviors in social situations which then reduces that individual’s ability to engage positively with others and make lasting friendships.
An individual may be experiencing social anxiety if they have anxiety or fear about specific social situations because they believe they may be judged negatively, embarrassed, or humiliated. This anxiety or fear is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the social situation. Social anxiety differs from other mental barriers like shyness because it comes with uncomfortable physical symptoms that arise during those social situations.