Social anxiety. Whether we wear the cloak for ourselves or not, it's a term that many of us are familiar with. At times it feels like it's everywhere, yet there are other moments where it feels that it is scarcely acknowledged.
For those who have read our blog posts about experiencing social anxiety on Twitter, unexpected visitors, finding space away from the crowds on bank holiday weekends, or even coping with the stress of Christmas - I think we can agree that social anxiety covers a lot of life. Too much, in fact.
So, in addition to our wild and weird stories (such as, cough, Wales Comic Con), me and J have decided to put together a series of podcasts about social anxiety.
Social Anxiety Chat is a podcast series that addresses the complexities of social anxiety, going beyond the usual narratives of it being a 'phobia', a fear or plain and simply feeling awkward around people. In each episode, we will be chatting about a different aspect of social anxiety, diving deeper than the memes, stereotypes and misconceptions we face in our day-to-day lives.
We'll be covering topics including social anxiety from everyday encounters, such as seeing your neighbour, in the workplace, or even spending time with family. We also want to explore the big stuff. The things in society that tell us that we shouldn’t be this way or that we’re weird for being who and how we are.
Every episode of Social Anxiety Chat will feature a new topic or question. So, if you have something that you would like to see featured, please feel free to get in touch either here on our site or via our new YouTube channel.
This week's question is going to start from the very basics of understanding what social anxiety is. Because honestly, I don't know whether it's really, truly understood. Do you?
Social Anxiety Chat: Episode 1
What does social anxiety really mean?