Quote: (02-02-2015 01:13 AM)Pride male Wrote:
Because of handy indirect openers I have never had approach anxiety. But I suffer from something worse, escalation anxiety.
It's interesting, I have horrible approach anxiety as well and still have the belief that I'm somehow bothering a woman by approaching her or I'm acting in a really socially uncalibrated way by talking to a stranger.
When I want to approach I feel the same level of shame and disgust as if I were a panhandler or clip board survey taker that we all try to avoid like the plague. I keep thinking it's simple fear of rejection however I have zero problems going for a kiss, physically escalating or any other risk taking behavior while out on a date. My rational mind says the rejection should be far stronger and the stakes far higher if I get a head turn while going for a kiss vs. telling a random woman I think the's attractive and I just wanted to introduce myself. And yet if a woman turns her head on my kiss attempt, pulls back or gives me the "what are you doing!?!" face I really don't give a shit and I laugh it off, only to try again later. Why can't I have this same mindset with a simple approach??