[Shadix]

I have a lot of trouble with social interaction because I can never think of the right things to say and when I do actually say something it seems I always end up saying something stupid. My therapists have generally told me that I have social anxiety, but I am afraid that it could be something more about my brain having a slow processing speed. When I took an intelligence test, I got a pretty low score on the processing speed category, but they didn't really tell me about what implications it would have specifically. I find that I have a tendency to suck at things; I always sucked at team sports, I suck at games like chess, I even suck at competitive video games. I also have a tendency to get lost when watching movies with complex plot lines.

Are social problems sometimes caused by a person's brain speed? Could it be that this is really what my issue is and that the social anxiety is just the result of repeated failure in social interactions? Am I always going to be like this? Does this mean no getting attractive girls to date me?

[sideblinded]

Hi Shadix

It is very hard to say. Can social anxiety occur without a slow processing speed? Absolutely. Can having a brain that is slower cause much social anxiety, absolutely. I am no therapist but what you are describing can go hand in hand. It is most probably two areas that your T can work with you on.

Hope this helps in some small way.

btw...girls will date you for you because they like you and it has nothing to do with how well you perform at games.

[Random_Girl_]

I'm exactly the same way but I think social anxiety causes us to be "slow". I think social anxiety means that you observe more than act so you need a bit longer to analyse the data you're getting. This causes us to be perceived as "slow" or maybe even "unintelligent" however, everyone I've seen on these forums use proper English and reply with large intelligent replies. People labeled with social anxiety often spend more time thinking about things so in turn, tend to be more intelligent...

So don't worry! You're normal

[Daniel87]

Even intelligent people can have social anxiety. In fact anybody can have or develop social anxiety through their lifetime depending on the life experiences that they have and the type of personality they have.

An introvert can be very intelligent and fast in thinking but have social phobia. You can overcome social anxiety no matter how slow your brain is because this is a matter of choice and will and not brain speed.

You are perfectly normal person and girls will like you for you, just make sure they know the real you and don't try to be someone else or hide who you really are.

Don't be ashamed of who you are because there is someone for everyone out there.

Take care and be positive!

[Generic_username123]

I feel like I could have written this post. I have been told by a college tutor that I was slow and I've been more and more conscious of it since. My body movements are quite jerky and stiff and I feel lethargic a lot. It takes me longer to digest what anyone has said to me and I take longer to think of things to say so I find fast paced conversations quite difficult which some people are impatient with.

[Weownthesky]

For some people, maybe. Tbh I think my slowness is CAUSED by social anxiety.