To all the sports parents I’ve spent countless hours with instead of my own family; to old classmates, college pals, and sorority sisters; to colleagues and family friends—this isn’t about you; it’s about me.
My anxiety has led me to behave like a social media snob, prompting me to ignore or decline nearly every friend request that comes my way. You might believe you’re the only one being left on read. For instance, I worked alongside a colleague for over two years before I even thought about accepting her Facebook friend request, which she sent shortly after starting her position. We were in the trenches together daily! So what was holding me back? The unsettling idea of having too many people privy to my life, even if it consisted of mundane details.
What kind of embarrassing “business” would they discover?
- Photos of my child at a sports event
- An uplifting quote I shared
- A tagged snapshot with my closest friend enjoying a day out
- Some terrible puns that only a select few would appreciate
Yes, the scandalous stuff that might make you cringe.
It’s a bizarre thought process, but it’s a reality when you live with anxiety. The irrational fears and assumptions can create a fortress around my social media presence. I often felt that anyone wanting to befriend me had ulterior motives—not in a violent sense, but more of a mean-girl vibe. To protect myself from this imagined threat, I unknowingly became selective about my online connections.
So, what did my social media snobbery look like? I only accepted friend requests from a handful of people—those who already knew my past (like my sister and college friends) or were distant acquaintances. I maximized all privacy settings and made myself nearly invisible online unless you were a friend of a friend. I was particularly wary of anyone who sent a request shortly after we met.
I didn’t intend to be rude or exclusive; I was merely shielding myself from perceived risks. However, I decided it was time to face my anxiety and dismantle some of these outdated fears. Guess what topped my list? Social media.
Recently, I opened the floodgates. I combed through around 75 pending friend requests and accepted 15! I even reached out to a few others, and to my surprise, my notifications exploded with new requests. Initially, this overwhelmed me, tightening my chest with every ping.
I texted my colleague, Sarah, who understood my struggles after waiting two years for a response. With her encouragement, I decided to embrace the connections. I hit the accept button and watched my friends list swell to 278! I now have only 15 outstanding requests, which feels like progress.
The takeaway is this: confronting your fears can be daunting, even if they seem trivial to others. If you experience FOSM (Fear of Social Media), you are not alone. And to those who thrive on social media, keep sharing your funny memes and heartwarming moments; they provide a much-needed distraction while we overthink our next steps. For more insights into family planning, check out this article on at-home insemination kits, which can be a useful resource as well.
For further information about artificial insemination, visit this excellent site by the CDC: CDC ART Resource.
Summary: The author discusses how anxiety has led her to become a social media snob, avoiding friend requests and connections due to irrational fears. She shares her journey of overcoming this mindset by accepting more friend requests and embracing social media, while reassuring those who feel similarly that they are not alone in their struggles.
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