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Thread: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

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    Lightbulb is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    i'm a very pretty girl especially with makeup with a really nice shape and ass..day to day i find it really easy for me to be approcahed but men and women but not to hold a simple conversation because im afraid of being judged...i really need the money and im willing to do anything to make it in the game but really tell me is it possible for me to become a stripper if im terribly shy??

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Yes. I am very shy myself (very introverted)and managed to do so. I took acting classes so I used it as a way to deal, like I was playing a role. It worked.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    It will destroy you in the long run if you don't grow a pair. Especially when your boundaries are being pushed.
    "Fake tits are like Kevlar. They don't guarantee your chances of survival but they sure as hell improve it."
    Tempest

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    i dont have any money to take up acting which sounded like a awesome idea....i was thinking if i just go out to the club and just force myself into approching clients as well as the stripper lifestyle i would get used to it ...what do you think?....any tips would help like i said im willing to try anything.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Plenty more where these came from --there are many dancers that work w/ varying degrees of anxiety. I'm one of them myself.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Buy a pair of fake tits. Mine approach before I do and my investment has paid off many times over.
    "Fake tits are like Kevlar. They don't guarantee your chances of survival but they sure as hell improve it."
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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    yes, if you can learn to overcome it. i find my social anxiety is different in the club anyways because i know i probably won't ever see these people again anyways and its not really ME they are meeting..they're meeting simone. you just separate your real self from your dancer personality.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Yes, it is absolutely possible. I had the worst case of social anxiety all my life until 2011 when I tripped on shrooms. Having a psychedelic experience opened up my perception and freed my fears of being judged by others. Now I live social anxiety-free. I still deal with anxiety about other issues like "will I make enough money tonight" kind of anxiety....but as far as having anxiety when it comes to socializing and being judged- that is completely gone. But there are ways to deal with it. Like others said, treating it as an acting job really helps. And I don't want to encourage alcoholism, but if you know your limits, then I would suggest having a drink or two while at work to make you feel more relaxed/loosened up/social. Just don't make it a habit!

    *hugs* You are definitely not the only one. So many dancers have social anxiety and people can't even detect it because of the "party-girl" persona we all portray.
    "Dancing tables, making deals with devils like a drunk beauty queen"

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Lol Scarletkitten, should I try shrooms?


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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    ^^yes, seriously, they are a miracle. BUT you have to be in the right set and setting when shrooming; meaning: be in a GOOD state of mind and in a good environment. Make sure to have ALOT of time off when you do them. Be prepared! There is alot of info. on the subject but I don't want to threadjack, although it is relevant to the subject at hand. I'm sure not everyone agrees with my standpoint either. However, here is a video about shrooms/psychedelics and how they cure anxiety and other issues, in case you're interested:

    Last edited by ScarletKitten; 10-06-2014 at 03:24 AM.
    "Dancing tables, making deals with devils like a drunk beauty queen"

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    I have pretty bad social anxiety and it's one of the main reasons I work as a dancer. I get to drink at work, choose which customers I interact with, pretend I'm one of several completely different characters just to distance myself from whatever situation I'm in without seeming like a crazy person, avoid shifts I know will be full of crowds of young people, pay a fine to leave early if I fear a panic attack is approaching, and stay home on nights when I don't feel capable of handling the crowds. The flexibility of dancing versus other service industry jobs makes it ideal for someone with social anxiety issues, in my personal experience.

    Do you have any sort of theater background you can draw on? Treating dancing as an acting gig as opposed to "the stripper lifestyle" (what does that even mean??!!!) will probably benefit you greatly.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    The use of psychedelics to treat a myriad of psychiatric conditions is well documented. Cary Grant was prescribed LSD at one point by his shrink. However the potential ramifications outweigh any benefits. You might get pulled over and searched, you may have an adverse reaction to the drugs and God forbid be sexually assaulted or worse. I never condone the use of narcotics to new dancers. I'm not against drugs (hello ex cocaine addict here) but as a new dancer all your focus should be on learning how to hustle and getting comfortable, not on "Puff the Magic Dragon".
    "Fake tits are like Kevlar. They don't guarantee your chances of survival but they sure as hell improve it."
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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    I'm not suggesting doing shrooms or any other drug while working!!! I'm also not suggesting carrying any illegal drugs in your car. I only mentioned shrooms b/c they cured my social anxiety. Use them responsibly and with caution, and only use them around people you trust. Also, it's good to mention that not all drugs are created equal. Cocaine and psychedelics are two completely different drugs. That's like comparing coffee and meth.
    "Dancing tables, making deals with devils like a drunk beauty queen"

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Ehhhh … one of the most frequent bits of advice to new girls here is that if you can't do the job sober, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Even tho you're not telling her to do it at work, Idk that I can agree w/ encouraging the use of psychadelics to 'bring her out of her shell' in order to strip'… I think there is just as much room for abuse of shrooms if she thinks 'the anxiety is bad enough & she needs it to function' just like w/ alcohol or other drugs, like in the benzos thread I linked above.

    I think she just needs to buckle down & try to do a couple shifts sober -- OP there is no shame in trying this out & deciding it's not for you! -- addiction problems are just so prevalent in this industry & they often (tho by no means always) seem to start at the beginning of a dancer's career bc 'I just gotta loosen up first'

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    While it can certainly happen I think abusing shrooms like one abuses alcohol, cocaine, or even weed is really hard to do (as someone who used to trip often, I can say I never felt compelled to do shrooms--it doesn't have the same kind of immediate reward mechanism that something like booze or coke does and frankly when I was coming down I was almost always like, "Oh thank god things look normal again," whereas when I'd come off a coke binge everything was miserable until I could find more coke). I think ScarletKitten was suggesting more like, a one time experience and giving general life advice. That doing it once might help OP in general. Shrooms just are not addictive or easy to incorporate into your life like booze or narcotics. It's not something you use to shift your mood at the moment, like popping a Xanax, it's more like something that can (at least semi-) permanently alter your mindset.

    I would say, though, that psychedelics can shift your mindset in a bad way, too: they can make your anxiety worse, they can make you feel (for lack of a better word) unstable mentally, they can make it harder to interact with people around you. I say that because I definitely had that experience and stopped using psychedelics because I kept having increasingly worse trips that really fucked with my head.

    So, I'm not sure that it would be worth it. There's a slim chance you will have a positive life-changing epiphany, a slim chance you will have a negative experience that aggravates existing problems, and a big chance that it really won't do shit for you either way.

    Unsure if this comment made any sense. It's hard for me to talk logically about drugs

    BUT in general, OP, like lots of other people have said, it's totally possible to have anxiety and dance. In general I agree with Simone. It's actually easier for me to interact with people in the club because A) I don't really give a fuck what they think about me, B) I'm not really myself, I'm this character I've created (and C) I can drink lol). I have a day job as a teacher, and dancing makes me much less anxious than teaching does!

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    I feel like a lot of strippers have social anxiety to an extent, but strippin and hustling slowly pulls us out of it. Oh and money is a good incentive too.


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    Quote Originally Posted by charlie61 View Post
    What would "future you" want you to do right now?




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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    I too have social anxiety and been dancing almost 3 yrs so yes its possible. I agree with the drinking part.... I always take a shot before I walk in to calm me down otherwise would be a nervous reck... nothing wrong with that as long as 1 or two shots don't become 8-10 shots in a night where you will be pissy drunk, cocaine on another hand is very addictive and might make your anxiety 10times worse mixed with alcohol. I say if you can find your own way of doing it without causing self harm please do. theres also a trick like if you make yourself believe or get into character that your someone else (stripper persona) that helps alot

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Just go in and talk to ppl. It will be awkward at first but you will get used to it and soon you'll feel like it's normal. Im an introvert and I have been this way my whole life. I motivate myself with positive self talk before and during work. I watch other girls to see what they do, and I also watch customers and I feed off of their vibes. You can't be afraid because guys can sense when you're weak. Be confident or fake it until you make it, but do not let your weakness show!! It's like deep water, you just have to dive in and keep trying until you get the results that you feel good with. Sink or swim...you choose!!

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    Quote Originally Posted by Aniela View Post
    Ehhhh … one of the most frequent bits of advice to new girls here is that if you can't do the job sober, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Even tho you're not telling her to do it at work, Idk that I can agree w/ encouraging the use of psychadelics to 'bring her out of her shell' in order to strip'… I think there is just as much room for abuse of shrooms if she thinks 'the anxiety is bad enough & she needs it to function' just like w/ alcohol or other drugs, like in the benzos thread I linked above.

    I think she just needs to buckle down & try to do a couple shifts sober -- OP there is no shame in trying this out & deciding it's not for you! -- addiction problems are just so prevalent in this industry & they often (tho by no means always) seem to start at the beginning of a dancer's career bc 'I just gotta loosen up first'

    I agree. I have seen so many dancers start slowly with drinking or light drugs and it often progresses. I think it's dangerous to do any of these and people recommending mushrooms, which are illegal is not a good thing. I am not against drugs really (I support legalization)but in a work situation, especially this type is bad. I've seen so much happen with dancers who were drunk and or stoned often, including getting into life threatening situations.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    It is, but it's difficult. It's something you have to overcome and work through over time! One thing I must say is, be careful about using alcohol or drugs as something to help you! It's really easy to get hooked, and then you'll start to rely on that to make you feel comfortable every shift.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    YES. I'm very shy and introverted and being a stripper is actually an interesting outlet because I get to pretend I'm bold and brash and obnoxious and sleazy.

    Try it out, if you don't like it you can always quit.

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    Default Re: is it possible to become a dancer if you're suffering from social anxiety?

    I have depression and anxiety, and so far dancing has been OK for me. It's hard sometimes, but if you can develop a character for yourself that is fun and bubbly, and just get into character as much as possible, it will be fine.

    Be careful going into it thinking "I'll do whatever it takes to make money." There are guys who will pick up on your anxiety and take advantage of you. You have to be strong in this industry or it will eat you alive.

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