people on their pedastals

[wishful]

I realize that I put people on a pedastal. In social situations I feel that others are better than me, their children dress better, are better behaved, and their houses are better. i really have no right to feel this way because I have an okay, normal house, and my children are wonderful.

I also feel sometimes that if a couple of people are laughing, that they are laughing at me, do I have social anxiety?

[Mark]

Social anxiety is pretty straightforward in most cases. you feel anxious when you are in a social situation. If you are feeling "less then" and constantly comparing yourself to others (finding that you are less worthy than they are) then you are halfway there to social anxiety. The missing element is - does this bother you and do you feel that you need to avoid social situations (or at least that they make you uncomfortable) becuase of this negative self-judgment? If you have all of that then yes - you are socially anxious probably.

[Proverbs31:28]

Wishful, I feel exactly the same way you described. I go a step further and worry about what people in authority are thinking about me- doctors, policeman, bank tellers, etc. And, as Mark said, I avoid situations where I may have to face any of the people or situations described. It is an immobilizing fear at its worst (like yesterday when I hid in the closet for 45 minutes because I saw someone walking up to my door- turned out be my brother ) and an annoyance at its best (like when I feel really uncomfortable at the drive thru teller making a deposit because I know she has access to my bank records and I wonder what she thinks about my spending habits, cash flow, balance, etc.)

In any case, it is highly anxiety provoking and this is what makes it so miserable. I just wanted you to know you are not alone in this.