Social Anxiety

Social anxiety affects my daily life.
This is what it feels like for me to have an anxiety attack.


It starts like a tremor in my chest.
Waves of nausea ebb and flow.
I start to shake and I feel really hot…
And really cold.
My thoughts start to race, and soon
I can’t make a decision.
About literally…anything.
I am screaming in my head
At my body,
To stop.
Just stop this.
I hate this so much.
Pull it together!
You have places to be!
Emotion makes my face wet
And I hate when it shows.
I can’t go anywhere like this,
But I can’t make it stop.
I surrender, and curl into a ball on the floor.
My breathing comes fast
My body trembles.
My face is sticky from tears that I can’t take back.
It only gets worse
Until I give it what it wants;
Peace and quiet on the outside.
Disappointment and guilt
Settle inside.
Those feelings are easier to deal with
Tucked inside and safe
They don’t show as much on my face.
Curl up. Close my eyes.
Go to sleep.