When we suffer prolonged anxiety, we have a tendency to become self-obsessed...You believe the whole world is thinking about you constantly. You believe the world is judging you and talking about you...The more you engage with the outside world, the more you'll be able to turn down the volume on those worries. You'll see that they're unfounded. You'll see that the world is a very busy and varied place and most people have the attention span of a gnat. They've already forgotten what happened. They don't think about it.
Prolonged anxiety can lead individuals to become overly self-focused, believing that others are constantly scrutinizing and discussing them. This intense self-awareness often distorts reality, making people feel isolated and judged. Such feelings can amplify the anxiety, creating a cycle of worry that feels inescapable.
However, engaging more with the world around us can help lessen those intense feelings of self-doubt. By interacting with others and observing their busyness, we can realize that most people are preoccupied with their own lives rather than fixating on us. This perspective shift allows us to recognize that our worries are often unfounded, as others quickly forget our perceived missteps.
