As a kid, I had extreme social anxiety. I had a hard time talking to people and making friends. I never felt like I “belonged.” As an adult, I still have crippling social anxiety. I can’t speak for everywhere, I’m pretty much only in the U.S., but I’ve noticed that most fellow adults I come across are chronically deprived of social interaction. My social anxiety doesn’t actually matter. Me being awkward, and weird, a…
I'm not usually one for drugs, but the thing that helped me get out of extreme social anxiety (I had selective mutism into my 20s), was anti-anxiety meds (off-label Modafinil). I didn't take it for long, but being able to be in a social situation without that feeling of dread and anxiety was actually mind blowing. It helped me recognize a state of mind where I didn't immediately go to massive anxiety. After that, wit…
Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
281–290 of 330 posts
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#282Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#283Otherwise it’s just, healthy and happy people are more likely to be happy and say hello!
It’s like “study finds rich people spend more money”
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#284It's a small thing but it does wonders for having a sense of community. After covid, the breakfast spot shut down and my barber went to work at a different shop. The corner store is still around but I got priced out by migrating New Yorkers and had to move. I miss it a lot.
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#285Can we replicate this in a VR environment?
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#286At first it was just to get over my social fears, but now as I get more comfortable, I still keep doing it because I love the rush of talking to new people and seeing if we click.
And of course, the fear never completely goes away in all situations, but it turns into something exhilarating, like before an important test/interview even when you're well prepared.
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#287Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, it's amazing how much difference this factor can make in quality of life, yet it's mostly left up to luck. When moving and choosing a place, you can try to get some idea of the vibe and whether it seems neighborly at all, but it's very hard to get more than a cursory sense. I'd take a modest house surrounded by friendly/awesome people compared to a much nicer house surrounded by rude/stuck-up people any day.
My new neighbors have a german shepard. As I write this at 2:50am, it has been barking since around 11pm. I've never heard a dog bark so consistently for so long. I'm blasting rain noise on my laptop but this is driving me crazy.
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#288I feel I have lost much of my ability to be a part of a community, due to the covid lockdown, full time work from home, and in general spending so much time on the internet.
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#289As a kid, I had extreme social anxiety. I had a hard time talking to people and making friends. I never felt like I “belonged.” As an adult, I still have crippling social anxiety. I can’t speak for everywhere, I’m pretty much only in the U.S., but I’ve noticed that most fellow adults I come across are chronically deprived of social interaction. My social anxiety doesn’t actually matter. Me being awkward, and weird, a…
Rationally, I know what you've said to be the truth. In reality, I cut my own hair because it stresses me out to go to a Greatclips.
Re: Mister Rogers had a point – routinely greeting six neighbors maximizes wellbeing
#290My neighbourhood which I've lived in all my life has changed drastically, dramatically, creepily. The original owners were part of a sort of Habitat for Humanity type organization only it was a local thing a co-op. This was 1972 nearly ten years before early 1980s super crazy inflation so even then it was hard to afford a home. Everyone on the street knew each other even one street over either way people knew everyon…
Don’t they at least walk their dogs?