The World Cup and Social Anxiety

By: Camden Baucke MS LLP

The World Cup is a massive social experiment — what happens when you invite soccer fans from nations across the world to a single tournament?

This year, we’ve seen this cultural exchange on full display — witnessing the fascinating interactions between South Korean fans and Mexican fans, Scottish fans and Bostonians.

On the other hand, we’ve also seen unfriendly interactions between Algerian and Argentine fans in New York.

It’s a global event with countless fans in massive crowds, and someone with social anxiety might find it unbearable.

But for anyone with social anxiety, there’s a crucial lesson to be learned from the World Cup.

It teaches the truth about expectations, reality, and how to navigate social situations based on each.

In this article, I’ll cover what social anxiety is, how it might clash with the World Cup, and what this experience can teach us.

Big Crowds, Big Worries

Social anxiety is a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5, the diagnostic manual for mental health professionals.

It’s defined by a fear of negative evaluation in social scenarios — one that drives avoidance of those places, or causes you to endure them while extremely distressed.

That means avoiding crowds at grocery stores, fast food shops, local events, and so on. You might endure the anxiety while in these crowds, but you’ll likely feel the symptoms of panic.

Shallow rapid breathing, jaw clenching, tongue retracting, sweaty palms, heart racing, and more.

It’s a painful experience to be socially phobic — like your mind and body are desperate to avoid any chance of people judging how you look, how you sound, what you’re feeling, and what you’re thinking.

A daily grocery run is one thing — but a World Cup is another.

International Crowds

World Cup crowds aren’t your ordinary gathering of locals — it’s a cultural exchange from across the planet.

People you’ve never met, from towns you probably can’t pronounce, show up in your city and get a chance to experience your home.

Just like sharing your favorite childhood movies with someone for the first time, it can be incredibly satisfying to watch a stranger enjoy your local treasures.

The Tartan Army from Scotland showed up to Boston in the best way possible — treating its people, its establishments, and the city with respect and affection.

Crowds of visitors didn’t arrive and negatively judge Boston — they fell in love with it.

A similar exchange happened between South Korean and Mexican fans, facing off on the pitch but becoming friends on the streets. A Brazil fan was seen cheering up a young Uzbekistan supporter. Food, culture, and appreciation were exchanged by hosts and visitors alike — showing that large crowds can be filled with kind, courteous, and respectful people.

But that doesn’t mean every interaction was picture-perfect.

Clashes in the Crowds

Even among the Scottish fans, there were surely some outliers — moments of rudeness or flare-ups of anger. There were incidents of racism toward South Korean visitors by some Mexico fans. In New York, there was a violent clash between Algerian and Argentine fans.

The World Cup is a cultural exchange, but it’s not a utopia.

And that’s actually the lesson for those with social anxiety.

You will encounter people who are rude or disrespectful — but every crowd can also be filled with wonderful human beings.

Realistic Expectations

Every crowd is a crapshoot. You don’t know most of the people in it, and stepping inside means risking exposure to the worst of people.

But it also means risking exposure to the best of humanity.

As the World Cup shows us, cultural exchange is a beautiful thing. It creates appreciation for people who aren’t like us, and lets us love what a stranger calls home.

The World Cup crowds reflect what most crowds are actually like — plenty of people willing to respect you, and some ready to disrespect you. But remember: it usually has little to do with you.

Social anxiety tells us we’re the cause of every social disturbance. But the truth is, other people will be who they are and do what they do. That doesn’t mean you have to swing to extremes — avoiding everyone, or assuming everyone is perfect.

You don’t need any expectation greater or lesser than what reality actually gives you.

But if you never give the people in a crowd a chance to act kindly, you’ll never give anyone a chance to be themselves — and you won’t give yourself the chance to be treated with respect and cared for by a stranger. A stranger who could become a friend, and maybe more.

A key part of healing from social anxiety is letting other people’s actions be evidence of their choices — not a reflection of what you deserve.

Final Thoughts

The World Cup is a great lesson for anyone who struggles with social anxiety.

The crowds may be big. There might be arguments and the occasional tussle. But there are also plenty of people who are open, caring, respectful, and kind.

If that’s true of fans from Brazil, Scotland, South Korea, and everywhere in between — there’s a decent chance kind people exist in whatever crowd you’re avoiding too.

Be brave, make friends, and have fun.