Social Avoidance

People with anxiety, particularly those with a social anxiety disorder (SAD), are known to avoid social interactions and withdraw from the outside world. This can be one of the most painful aspects of their anxiety disorder for such people. They may feel cut off from their friends and family, and this isolation can exacerbate anxiety.

Meeting new people or participating in particular social activities, such as going to a party where you don't know many people or trying to talk in front of strangers or even a big group of friends, might make you feel nervous. However, SAD is most commonly associated with social avoidance that escalates to the point where you spend most or all of your time alone and feel completely unable to cope with social situations. Importantly, research shows that people of the LGBTQ+ community are disproportionately affected by social anxiety. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders might result from the overall stressors involved with a (sexual) minority identity.