The fear of toxic interpretations

[Laurel]

I had this reflection the other day. When SA aggravates I sometimes think it can be down to this.

I think everyone remembers schooldays, and for me, the most memorable aspects were the most toxic kids. One time there was a muffety day and I wore something unfashionable, and got mercilessly picked on, and it was led and orchestrated by this one boy.

What I realise these days. U]He was toxic.[/U] Normals don’t go around picking on what someone wears, and in such a mean manner. Most people are healthy and neutral I think. But there are others like this boy in society, there are others like him, who are fast to pick up and be merciless about ‘differences’.

So for me the social anxiety can be a fear simply of this small percent of toxic people. I think my fear of town stems from this, the idea that somewhere there’s a toxic watching.

[Dougella]

I think kids, particularly teenagers, are much more likely to react that way to people and since most of us went to school and probably experienced that in some way sometimes we carry on the fear of it into adulthood.

Like you say most adults are likely to be neutral or downright uninterested in what other people are doing or wearing unless it's something really obviously outside the norm. And even then it's only likely to provoke a few extra looks.

[Sunrise]

I think there are more adults who behave like that than you'd realise. There are plenty of them about, you're probably more likely to find them in certain environments though.