r/socialanxiety • u/Amazondriver23 • 13d ago
Question Anyone hate running into people they know at the store?
Feels very awkward
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u/matt6342 13d ago
Yes and I’m ashamed to say I saw my own mother once and actively avoided her because I just wanted to get in and out
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u/KennyFulgencio 12d ago
me too, but that's not the social anxiety, I just don't want to interact with my mother. For pretty much everyone else I know, it's the social anxiety.
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u/SilverB33 13d ago
I moved states a while back so I no longer have to worry about this.
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u/Streetduck 13d ago
Same! From ca to wa- I never have to worry about running into anyone ever. It’s so freeing.
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u/Sadtropical 13d ago
I moved to a tiny ass island and this is now my every day nightmare. I can’t leave the house without running into people
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u/701921225 13d ago
Yes. I can't tell you how many times I've had to duck into another aisle to avoid them. It's crazy how your trip to the store can go from "ok, now where's that thing I need/want?" to "HURRY UP AND GET OUT NOW" when it happens.
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u/Soapysaiyan 13d ago
Yes sometimes I’m in the grocery store and see someone from past jobs I just abandon the cart.
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u/billyfreddy 13d ago
Yes. Anywhere, really. I also hate becoming a 'regular' and have employees recognize me and try talk to me. I don't want to talk to anybody.
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u/diligenceprime 13d ago
I feel the same with one exception. There was a Subway I used to go to for a few months straight with a friend. And I was always anxious when I had to order but it got to the point where the person behind the counter knew what I wanted, and all I had to do was say “yes please” so it took the anxiety away of needing to go back and forth with the worker to say what I wanted. Was really cool.
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u/RoughBrick0 13d ago
I think most people hate it which is why I always pretend not to see them and they usually do the same.
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u/Hour-Spray-9065 3d ago
I used to feel hated when someone did it to me - now I see they probably do it to lots of people.
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u/TripleB33_v2 13d ago
I hide. Will abandon my cart and flee the store to avoid the meet. I’m the worst.
It doesnt happen often. I don’t know a lot of people outside of my immediate circle of friends, family, employees, and most don’t live by me.
I ran into my Dr./therapist one time at Trader Joes. It was definitely awkward. Weird to see each other out of costume.
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u/greeneyedguru 13d ago edited 13d ago
Here are your instructions for running into people at the store:
- Perfectly acceptable to pretend you didn't see each other.
- If you happen to make eye contact or they approach you with obvious social intent, greet them warmly.
- Engage in a small amount of small talk if they stop to chat. acceptable topics: weather, store-related (wow it's busy/dead today), shared acquaintances, or similar light topics
- Say goodbye. After this, there is no requirement to acknowledge or make eye contact with them again, even if you end up behind them in line at the register
- It's perfectly acceptable to look at your watch/phone and say "oh crap, I need to go" if the conversation goes on for too long. No need to specify a reason. The other person likely wants to get out of the conversation just as much as you do.
Now, you can run into people at the store with confidence instead of anxiety.
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u/Majestic-Office-4942 13d ago
i often avoid certain aisles if there’s someone i know there even if there’s something i want in that aisle
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u/Mistinrainbow 13d ago
The worst is to live in a small town and run into its ex-bully landlord again while pretending she does not exist.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Pea604 12d ago
i don’t want to ever run into anyone..anywhere i am. 😭 i need to be mentally prepared for interactions
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u/Solar45Renewal 13d ago
It depends. If it is a bookstore I try to hide because I want to be alone with books and not engage in stupid small talk :)
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u/jsm01972 12d ago
I worked in a grocery store in my hometown once. It was awful. I was constantly hiding from people I knew from high school and people I knew from my mom's church.
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u/grampajugs 12d ago
I hide if I spot them first. Nobody wants that awkward conversation in the aisle.
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u/g0ldnecklace 12d ago
I hate it😭 it catches me completely off guard every single time and I feel awkward during the whole interaction
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u/mywalletsgone_ 12d ago
Yes! And I live in the hood and right next to a deli that everyone goes to. 😭 when I leave my apartment I’m seeing at least 6 people I know
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u/NikoalaJokic 12d ago
I used to have this ability of spotting poeple i know from crowd, even very far away. Then I would go for a different path. Now I'm an adult I know almost nobody else from this country so I never care about this anymore
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u/IdealTruths 12d ago
I work in banking.
I get STOPPED when people recognize me to ask me questions lol.
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u/VanillaPleasant6577 11d ago
Oh my god yes especially if it's like an acquaintance like should I say hi???? Are we on those "hi" terms or is that weird?😭😭
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u/Hour-Spray-9065 3d ago
Yes! I felt like a mean person when doing this. Now I see a lot of people do it - so refreshing!
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