Stress Center Peer Support

i hate going out to eat at resturants. tonight every1 from work want me to go to chilis with them. so im gonna go because i dont want them knowing i have anxiety but im prob going to freak out. then after that its my buddys birthday and they are going out to eat also and want me to go. i dont know how im going to handle this all. any advice?

What is it exactly that makes you anxious in the restaurant situation?

crowed places and just being in a place with a lot of people.

Originally posted by jp4life87:
so im gonna go because i dont want them knowing i have anxiety but im prob going to freak out.

I would first like to suggest that you work on your positive thinking and try not to shoot yourself down before you even get there. This was something I had to learn (and am still working on). For instance, before when I started to feel those weird feelings, I would immediately think, "Oh no! I'm going to have a panic attack!" Usually, this thinking would give me a panic attack. Our brain only knows what we tell it. Now, when I start feeling funny, I take a deep breath, tell myself that I'm just feeling a little bit of anxiety, and do something to take my mind off of it.

Think of a small child. If you tell him enough times that he's a loser, he's going to grow up thinking he's a loser, no matter how much he accomplishes. What you say when you talk to yourself has just as much of an impact. Speak to yourself positively. Tell yourself, "I'm going to have a good time," rather than, "I'm going to freak out."

I think situations like yours need to be worked on. You have to work up to being able to go to a restaurant and being okay. Baby steps. Whenever you pass a restaurant, look in the window. Get yourself familiar with looking at the setting before you put yourself in it.

Good luck tonight. Stay positive!