Hello again everyone. I was chatting a little with another person here in AE Community about how we both struggle with social situations in many ways, and I just suddenly thought of something that I'm wondering if anyone else can relate to: lying during conversation to try and fit in. You see, every so often when I'm chatting with people and we talk about something I'm not entirely familiar with, I find it irresistible to make some stuff up to try and be a part of the discussion and connect with the other people. I think it's largely my social anxiety with me assuming that if I don't have enough in common with the people I'm hanging out with or have anything to say regarding the topic being discussed, I'm never going to be accepted or fit in with the crowd. I kinda have this tendency to try and please other people as much as I can and try to be the kind of person they probably would like me to be. It honestly saddens me when I think about it; I'm so scared that people won't accept me for who I am that I lie and make stuff up to try and alter my image to be more "pleasing" or "acceptable" to others. I really wish I could let myself be myself and not worry about what other people may think or how they may judge me. The problem is that more often than not, I don't have a whole lot in common with the people I'm hanging out or conversating with, unless they're close friends I've known for a while. If I were to try and talk about things that interest me or share a little bit about myself, I can't help imagine that the people listening wouldn't really care all that much or be invested in me. But to be perfectly honest, I don't like lying; not just because it's morally questionable, but because it requires me to put extra effort into what I'm saying. I have to come up with a story off the top of my head as opposed to saying what comes naturally because it's true.

Posted by FairWarning at 2022-10-19 19:45:58 UTC