Why am I so shy around big crowds, but when I'm with one friend than I'm fine?

being shy or closed off around a lot of people, or big crowds can be a sign of anxiety, social anxiety to be exact. Yet around your friends this shyness is not shown. Yes, that does sound like anxiety. However it could be other things. If you are feeling nervous, or uncomfortable around big crowds it could be anxiety, but it could also be the phobia of big crowds (which is a thing). And so, though I can't be sure of course, being shy around big crowds is something I can relate to and is one of the main signs of social anxiety.

You feel that way because the more the people are the more eyes on you. We tend to feel more comfortable with one friend because it feels less intimidating and it is more personal. However, when we interact with large groups, you might feel that the interaction is less personal and that they might all be judging you and sharing their thoughts about you with one another but this is not the case at all. We make all of this up in our minds but trust me, it is all a matter of practice. Try practice your public speaking amongst people you are comfortable around. You will get there.

I think it's normal to be shy around big crowds, especially if it's not something you do on a consistent basis. Being around big crowds can be stressful and overwhelming, especially when alone. It makes it really difficult to socialize with others when you don't know anyone. I think that's where having a friend around is helpful. Your friend can help you get through the crowd if you need to. They can unknowingly provide you the support you need in a sea of people by simply just being there and tackling the feeling of loneliness and shyness. For example, attending a music concert hosted by a popular artist by yourself can be a bit scary. While you may have some common ground and similar interests with the other people attending the concert, it can be overwhelming. If you were able to have a trustworthy, reliable friend by your side, you can socialize with each other. You can also build confidence in each other to approach other attendees and start up some conversations.

Though we are all different and the answer could vary from one person to another, it could be due to a few things. Based off my experience with shyness and the knowledge I have on social structure it's likely to be down to your comfort level and personal confidence. You could feel overwhelmed in a big crowd of people and feel shy as a result. Seeing as you are all alone in a big crowd it's common with people to experience uncomfortableness alone as we have no one or nothing to cling onto for safety making us feel unsafe in a sense. As well as that is could be linked to confidence as well as the more confidence we have the most self assured we are so less likely to feel shy in an overwhelming situation. When you are with one friend you have a higher sense of safety as you have a person to stay near to that you are comfortable with, providing you with a sense of security. That friend can also be a large reassurance to any overwhelming feelings you have or boost your confidence as you feel safe in their presence to be yourself (which means being more outgoing VS shy when you're alone).

Oh! That's simple. You are more comfortable with that friend and you are an introvert. That is what happens to introverts usually. Well, you can not do anything in it. Because this is your personality trait. But still try to built up your Self-confidence more by practicing the talks before hand in your mind that may help you. I am an introvert and that's what I usually do okay. I just practice the important talks before hand so that I can speak with confidence. I think this can help you. Well, this works for me. So, I wish works for you too.

Social anxiety hits a lot of people nowadays. We tend to get concerned about how people perceive us and it makes us very self conscious and unfortunately, it gives us anxiety that makes us shy away from big groups of people that we dont feel totally comfortable with. Working on your confidence is the key. You can build that confidence by removing the fear or false thoughts by tracking them (there are amazing proven techniques for it ), learning how you feel and working on your your mental health can and will solve this. You will feel more relaxed in this situation as soon as you break the barrier in yourself that makes you feel this way. :)

You may not be comfortable around big groups either because you do not know them like you do your friend, or it could be a difference in introversion and extroversion. Introverts spend energy by spending time with people while extroverts gain energy from spending time with people. Extroverts are known to be big with crowds and large groups of friends while introverts are known to enjoy spending more time alone or in small gatherings. What you should ask yourself is, Is this related to how well I know the people in the crowd, or is this more related to being introverted.

Around big crowds, there is a fear of the unknown, that I wont respond in the right way, that I will stick out, I will be judged by my race ethnicity or religion and not by who I truly am. However these thoughts running around my head are predisposed because people couldn't care less, many are just as preoccupied with their own worries and stress. When it comes to friends they know me, who I am and will accept me as a person. I feel accepted and comfortable to be myself without feeling judged. There's no fear of awkward silences, more comfortable.

being shy in big crowds is totally normal! Not everyone is an extrovert. It’s sometimes overwhelming when there’s multiple people around you, especially when they’re not people you’re used to or comfortable with yet. If it’s a problem, slowly work up to it, don’t be afraid to speak up or say your opinion. If you’re worried about what others think, don’t be! You are the only validation you need. I myself struggle all the time in big crowds. I slowly worked my way up and became more and more comfortable with speaking out loud and being open. It just takes time, and a little courage. Life is short! Don’t be afraid, just work at it!

Of course I don't know specifics about your situation, but for me, it comes down to trust. When you're in a big crowd, you most likely haven't gotten to know / trust most people in the crowd. When you're just with a friend, though, you feel like you're able to trust them because you're friends. Something else that it could be is just feeling overwhelmed, I know that happens to me as well. It can definitely be overwhelming in large crowds, whereas with just one friend there's not much to be overwhelmed about, and so you're more comfortable in that situation.

When you're with one friend, that person is someone you know very well and someone whose behaviour you're familiar with/can predict. However, when you're surrounded by people in big crowds, it can get overwhelming because so many people are listening to what you have to say and so many people may judge you. Their behaviour is not as easy to predict as your friend's is because you probably do not know them well. I understand how you feel, I also get really shy around crowds with lots of people. I believe it does get easier with more practice, though. Good luck!

- Social anxiety can affect the individuals self-esteem and has emotional and behavioural traits associated with it. These traits involve negative perception of self, avoiding social situations, over-sensitivity to critique as well as increased fear over embarrassment, humiliation and teasing. Some of the physical symptoms of social anxiety involve avoidance of eye contact, stuttering when taking, blushing. To improve comfort on socially anxious friend a very careful communication style must be taken into account to make sure the individual is at ease: 1. Avoidance of certain phrases (“calm down”, “you don’t need to be afraid”, there is nothing to be anxious about”); but do acknowledge how they truly feel and that you are there for emotional support (“I know you are uncomfortable but I will be there to help you get through this”) and that it’s ok to make mistakes in social situations (“I know you are I uncomfortable but don’t worry about what you say; take your time and see any error as just a learning process”), 2. Knowing that your questions or suggestions may come across as judgemental (e.g. Do not ask or recommend therapy to them as that may make the individual feel like they are being labelled or may magnify that what they experience is extreme and hence may feel worse about themselves). What you ask should not highlight your friends own self-frustrations (e.g. what coping mechanisms do you use for your anxiety?). 3. Do not give the person too much space as an anxious person can interpreting this as abandoning them or they may think they come across as not worth your time. Read the tone, renascence, pitch of their voice when they talk. Even though your friend want to be alone how they say that may suggest otherwise (tone of voice, body language, facial expressions). 4. Do not stigmatise their anxiety but have range in the topics you discuss with them (have light-heartened conversations and ones that don’t always revolve around anxiety as the friendship needs to be a genuine one). Ask your friend in what way they would like you to help them. Talk about common interests and have humourous conversations with them. 5. If you are someone who also experiences anxiety share your experiences with your anxious friend to show they are not alone or join support groups together as it may feel a better connection and relatability to you. Agoraphobia most common in late teens and adults can exist with a combination of other anxiety disorders such as panic attack disorder (A condition which involves serve physical symptoms such as fear of dying, dizziness, sweating). Risk factors such as experience of trauma, abuse are common in acrophobia. Typical agoraphobia symptoms include fear of large crowds, waiting in lines, enclosed spaces (movie theatres, stores), public transportation (bus, trains), leaving home alone. These symptoms can attribute to extreme distress in work situations and misjudgement of the danger of situations. Coping mechanisms in how to help a friend with agoraphobia and panic attacks involve: 1. Educate oneself on the symptoms of agoraphobia and panic attacks ( read what the diagnosis is for agrophobia), 2. Give the friend opportunity to leave at any time of the are pushing themselves out of their comfort zone and still feel uncomfortable. 3. Help friend find a support group. 4. Do not put your friend on the spot as they may feel uneasy about this and further their anxiety.

I find that comfortability lends to me feeling "fine" when I'm in small groups or one-on-one. A big crowd can make feel uneasy because I get worried about being evaluated negatively. However, this feeling is lessened when speaking with just one person. I'm able to gauge their reactions personally instead of imagining the reactions of a large crowd (virtually impossible to accurately gauge). Reminding myself that I'm human, mistakes are ok, and that other people are mostly kind helps me to get out of my head when speaking to a large group. I totally get feeling shy but speaking with people personally helps to build my confidence.

Your friend should feel super lucky because that means that you are totally comfortable with them! It's incredibly important that we surround ourselves with people that allow us to be our true selves all the time. Being in big crowds can be really daunting, because you might feel uncomfortable sharing a part of yourself and being vulnerable with your true identity with someone who you don't know too well. That is totally normal and something that many people experience. I think that building confidence in yourself by continuing to spend time with those people that do make you comfortable is the best way to overcome this shyness, if in fact you want to do so.

It is very normal. You might just not need several people to make you content. One genuine person around you is enough for you. You may value quality over quantity. You may also be a bit introvert which is fine . You may find people judge you easily but someone you trust has patience to understand you. Do not feel bad. It should be that what makes you happy rather than what people think about you. If you feel comfortable with one person that is fine, you do not have to be around crowd much. If you feel shy it is okay, you do not feel bad because it is not something harmful in nature. I hope the answer helped. Take care.

Maybe your interoversion level is high. I say this because that is the case with me too: When I was in high school i got into this tutoring class which have like 5-15 students in it. And my high school class have, like, 36 students in one class alone. I was a shy and more on the reserved side when I am at school but when I’m at this tutoring class I turned into some kind of class clown/ extrovert/friendly person. Totally different. I noticed I always do best in small groups, and after a long session of contemplating and analyzing, I guess it’s because I distribute a lot of energy to be around with a big group of people. What I meant is, when we are communicating or interacting with people as an introvert, we are spending our energy to that person, so the bigger the group, the more energy we employ. On the other perspective; the more people around, the more expectation there are. And sometimes the tought of a consuming amount of expectation around us is making us feel awkward and in my case, clumsier. So I restrain myself from doing things because I know it heightened the chance of embarassing myself. So I became reserved. Whatever is the reason, if you’re still on the “shy” spectrum then I guess you’re completely fine. No one wants to embarass themselves. But if you feel like that “shyness” have interfered your life significantly, I highly suggest you seek a therapy or any sort of help.

Maybe because it's difficult to meet new people but you know how you can deal with people that you already know for example your friends. A lot of people feel this way so I personally wouldn't mind too much. If you really feel like your shyness is bothering in those kind of situations you can reach out to a professional or talk to someone on 7cups. Maybe another way to feel more comfortable in situations like that you can start by meeting new people in hobby clubs or something. When you already have the same interest as other people that might ease the communication between you. And you will feel better more easily

Things can be detailed when there are only 2 persons. Around big crowds, there are a lot to take care of. The influence is big. Sometimes we do not feel ready or even have not ever thought of how we would like to present us to a big crowd. What is the occasion? Who are they? What will they think? What will they talk? How should I do? It could be very different from the way that we get along with friends. When we are with friends, it is about building relationship. When we are around big crowds, the objective could be very different and vague.

Sometimes being in big crowds can provoke anxiety in people. It can be intimidating having many people stand near or around you. You may feel like you don't have control of the situation or the things happening around you. Having a friend with you in big crowds might provide you with the support and comfort that you are missing. Simply knowing that someone is looking out for you can be reassuring in a stressful situation. Now more than ever, being in crowds can increase levels of stress and anxiety. Having someone in your corner helps to relieve some of that stress.

It is possible that you have social anxiety, but it is also possible that you're just plainly scared of being with too many people because you might say something wrong or embarrass yourself. You're probably just more comfortable with one friend because there aren't so many people looking at you, so there are more people who could notice things you don't want them to notice about you. Of course, you know yourself the best, so I can't give you the best advice, although I'd recommend you to look up "social anxiety" on the internet and maybe connect with a therapist so you can get a proper diagnosis.

I have very similar experiences with this. For me it has to do with safety, when I'm alone I'm not sure if I can protect myself in any potentially dangerous situations, even if that situation is just a stranger talking to me. This has more to do with anxiety but it may also apply to you. When I'm with one friend, it gives me a feeling of protection, like they are there and can support me if I need it. I could always look to them in times of distress or confusion, which addresses a lot of my fears of big crowds.

With a friend in real time, you know you're being listened to and understood, and, importantly, seen for who you are. In a crowd, it's much easier to see faces as anonymous, and easier for people to make assumptions because there's not the same personal connection. It can be scary to be in a crowd - you feel that all eyes are on you. Ironically, it can also be an isolating experience. Being nervous in a crowd is absolutely understandable, and it's a fear that's extremely universal. You don't know what to do, because there isn't a natural place to gravitate to. You're a person with so much to give, and people will be able to see the real you. You aren't alone in being nervous in a crowd. It's completely natural. Just do your best, and you wouldn't feel pressure to be perfect in a crowd. When the crowd dissipates, you are still you, and you still have that friend waiting.

It's because you're an introvert and it's totally fine to enjoy with people you're truly comfortable with because with them you can be who you are totally. Sometimes being in a crowd makes us feel separate, feels like we don't fit in and we need to be someone else to fit in but with that one friend with whom we share everything it's easy to be in your own skin, to be who you are. When we don't have to pretend who we are for anyone else because we are not scared of being judged by that one friend we know would understand

There can be different reasons why someone might feel more shy around big crowds than with one person. For example, many people who are more introverted by nature feel more comfortable focusing on one person at a time. For other people, a higher level of noise and movement can feel a bit overwhelming. For some, large crowds can cause anxiety that makes it harder to talk and interact. It is possible for us to work on feeling more comfortable in crowds if that is important to a person, but we are all different as far as how we best find connection with others and there is nothing wrong with feeling more comfortable with one instead of many.

Most people are like this because they haven't made a connection with most people in big crowds. You don't know what they are thinking about. With friends, you are able to read them better because you have known them longer, but in a crowd you have no way to tell what these people are actually thinking. And what makes that scary is you think they are thinking about you. Making fun of the way you dressed, how you look, the shoes you wore, etc. The biggest difference between the two groups is that you have a trust in your friend. You know they won't do or say anything that will hurt you, whereas in big crowds, anyone could say anything to you and it wouldn't negatively effect them.

Besides the information on the internet that you can find to answer your question, it has a lot to do with your self image and control dynamic. That is to say, we would usually assume that one behaving like that was simply an introvert and seek to place them into a category with all the other descriptions attached to the meaning of the word. However, in most cases the person is not a true introvert if a desire to belong and present themselves to the world exists. In other words, in most cases today the issue stems from a desire to accommodate the world to ourselves in order to feel accepted and validated, and when the realisation that that's impossible hits the consciousness the self starts to retreat and introspect, presenting to the mind all possible qualities that the society perceives as flawed. Therefore to feel more comfortable and at peace with large crowds of people, the foremost goal is to be at peace with oneself and accept yourself as you are. From that point of self acceptance, you will learn to act in either scenarios efficiently.

I find it very overwhelming and overstimulating with all of the noises and different people in crowds. I also do not like all of the conversations going on back and forth. I hear that people with social anxiety can have trouble in crowds, and also people who might have obsessive compulsive disorder who are afraid of being touched and bumped into with crowds. Also people on the autism spectrum might not know what to say around other people in crowds and be unable to pick up on social cues. It can be easier if you are only with one person because you can focus your attention on only one person and you can think and formulate your own thoughts and have responses to conversations. You will have time to reflect back what the other person said, and form your own opinions and have things to share. The environment might make a difference and it can help if the other person is a good listener. I find that being a shy person that it is the quality of the friendship that is more important, rather than how many friends that you have. As you get to know one person, you will open up more and not be so shy.

I think it's just a matter of trust! When you're with that one person, you feel good because you can flourish -- you're not worrying about all the other things that might cause you anxiety. In a big crowd, there's lots of stimulus that can distract you or make you worried. I feel the same way a lot of the time, and knowing that I can rely on that one friend is a really good thing to know. I get nervous when I'm in school sometimes, just because I don't know all the people. Having a support group or circle of close friends helps because I always have something to fall back on!

It is actually very common to feel uneasy when you are dealing with big crowds, so you should not be hard on yourself about that. If you feel comfortable around your friends, that is very positive and you can keep that in mind. To overcome this problem, you could try doing small steps. For instance, you can try to have a conversation with three other persons, the next week with four or five and gradually try to expose yourself to larger groups of people. As long as you try to expose yourself in situations that include social interaction, you will notice difference in the way you handle things!

I believe it is because you are experiencing social anxiety, you are more comfortable with the one friend because you are familiar with him/her/them and are uncomfortable with people that you have not been friends with yet. It is okay to feel this way, people build up their social tolerance and social battery over time so just keep socializing and eventually you will feel more comfortable in crowds and be more comfortable with yourself in social environments. You are doing great and it will take time. Keep up the great work, we are cheering for you.