To all the sports parents I’ve shared countless moments with;
To my classmates, college friends, and sorority sisters;
To colleagues and family friends;
It’s not you—it’s me.
My anxiety often manifests as irrational thoughts and fears, leading me to ignore or decline nearly every friend request that comes my way. You might think you’re the only one being ghosted, but trust me, you’re not alone. There was a period when I worked closely with a colleague for over two years before I even considered accepting her Facebook friend request, which she sent me just six months into her job. We worked side by side every single day, yet the idea of letting her into my digital world was overwhelming.
Why, you ask? I had only about 150 friends on Facebook until recently, primarily because the thought of so many people knowing my life felt terrifying. What scandalous “business” would they discover, you wonder? Perhaps:
- Photos of my child at a sports tournament
- An inspirational quote shared from another page
- A tagged image of me and my best friend enjoying life
- Some nerdy puns or jokes
You know, the kind of stuff that makes your parents cringe and invites judgment from others.
It sounds absurd, but living with an anxiety disorder brings a unique set of illogical thoughts and coping strategies. In my mind, those wanting to connect with me also sought to bring harm—not physically, but in a mean-girl sort of way. To safeguard myself from this perceived threat, I unconsciously became a social media snob.
For me, this meant only allowing a select few close friends into my circle—people who were already privy to my secrets (like my sister and best friend) or those from my past who lived far away enough that their access didn’t matter. I maximized every privacy setting available and made myself unsearchable unless you were a friend of a friend. Accepting requests from colleagues was a big no, especially from those who sent requests shortly after we met.
I wasn’t trying to be rude; I was merely shielding myself from an imagined danger.
But I’ve decided to change that. Recently, I recognized the need to confront the irrational fears that have lingered for too long, and social media was at the top of my list. Just about ten days ago, I opened the floodgates. I sifted through around 75 pending requests and accepted 15 of them. I even reached out to a few people myself—talk about progress!
Then, an unexpected wave of new friend requests came flooding in. My heart raced every time my phone buzzed with a notification. I reached out to my colleague, Maria, who has been understanding of my situation, and she reassured me that people simply want to connect. She encouraged me, saying, “Just hit the accept button.” And I did. Now, I find myself with 278 friends and only 15 pending requests left. Small victories matter!
The takeaway here is that facing your fears can be daunting, even if those fears seem trivial to others. If you’re dealing with a Fear of Social Media (is that a thing?), remember you’re not alone. And if you’re one of those who thrives on social media, posting funny content and memes, please continue—those of us who are hesitant appreciate the distraction while we ponder our next steps. Speaking of which, if you’re curious about starting your own family journey, check out our article on the at-home insemination kit. For those looking to enhance fertility, this resource on fertility boosters for men might be of interest. And if you’re exploring pregnancy options, I highly recommend this informative piece on IVF for further guidance.
In summary, overcoming social media anxiety is a personal journey, one that requires courage and self-acceptance. Embracing connection, even amidst fear, can lead to significant growth and unexpected friendships.
Keyphrase: overcoming social media anxiety
Tags: [“home insemination kit” “home insemination syringe” “self insemination”]