Author: Staff

Three Social Anxiety Scenes in Black Panther

Social Anxiety is the true villain in the MCU, as we see in the super awesome Black Panther movie. Klaue is cool and Killmonger is even cooler. But Social Anxiety, that’s not cool.

It is one of the highest grossing super hero movies of all time, over $1.3B box office. In other words, Black Panther is a real money maker. And throw in the fact that the Black Panther character (Chadwick Boseman’s, T’Challa) played critical roles Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: EndGame, and this character just continues to climb up the ranks of popularity. Super awesome, really cool, and well deserving of its praise, Black Panther is on a whole different level of hero.

But does being a super cool, totally awesome super hero make you immune to social anxiety? Well, I guess it depends on your powers. But with Black Panther, yo this dude has some serious power. He’s got enhanced speed, strength, agility, and even healing. Social anxiety is a psychological issue (mental). Black Panther’s power is derived from a mystical, spiritual herb, so it’s possible that the healing includes psychological. We may never know.

But either way, lets look at three scene from the Black Panther movie (2018) which could trigger social anxiety in someone.

Before you continue, click here to learn a thing or two about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Unless of course you possess the power of the Black Panther, then you don’t really need to worry about it. 🙂

Three Social Anxiety Scenes in Black Panther

  1. T’Challa at Korean Casino
  2. Nakia speaking to woman outside casino
  3. Okoye publicly challenges views of Killmonger

Black Panther Social Anxiety scene 1

Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) at Korean casino and being social. This is a social anxiety trigger.
T’Challa who is Black Panther (played by Chadwick Boseman) in a popular Korean casino speaking with CIA Agent Everett Ross (played by Martin Freeman). Being in a social environment like this can cause anticipation (feeling nervous that you have to socialize) which will lead to Social Anxiety’s worst symptom, Red Face.
Black Panther, 2018

Movie: Black Panther (2018)

Scene: T’Challa conversing with agent Ross at popular Korean casino

Anxiety Provoking Event: Socializing in a popular casino while on a secret mission

Something to know about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): Just being in a populated social event, like a casino, nightclub, party, social gathering, etc. can lead to the nerve-racking feeling of anticipation (click here to see a detailed look at anticipation from Thor: Love and Thunder). It’s like feeling super nervous that someone will approach you and converse with you in front of other people. That super nervous feeling of anticipation can be so strong that you can start to blush and sweat without speaking a word.

Socializing at the casino

T’Challa’s mission is to capture one of the villains in the movie, Ulysses Klaue. It is a secret mission and he must maintain low profile while there. As if that isn’t anxiety-provoking enough, maintaining a strong social skillset to blend in is critical. That is where the biggest problem would be.

If T’Challa had Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), it would be exhaustingly difficult for him to be in that populated casino and maintain strong social dialogue with people. Being there would easily cause the awful Red Face, which is like everyone’s pet peeve and worst nightmare. Bright red facial blushing, profuse sweating, trembling hands, pounding heart, plus other dreadful things.

Worst part is, Red Face does not always wait for you to socialize. Just the anticipation that you need to socialize can cause it. So whether T’Challa is socializing with CIA Agent Ross, a casino guest, a waiter, or no one at all, Red Face can still find him.

Black Panther Social Anxiety scene 2

Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Okoye watch Nakia persuade Korean woman into allowing them to enter casino. This is social anxiety provoking and can cause Red Face.
Nakia (played by Lupita Nyong’o) convinces the Korean woman to allow her, T’Challa (the Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman) and Okoye (played by Danai Gurira) to enter the casino. While persuading, she is being observed and watched by both T’Challa and Okeye, which is a social anxiety trigger.
Black Panther, 2018

Movie: Black Panther (2018)

Scene: Nakia convincing the Korean woman to allow her into the Korean nightclub

Anxiety Provoking Event: Nakia is being watched and observed by T’Challa and Okoye as she is using social skills to persuade the woman, while speaking to her in Korean.

Something to know about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): People with SAD do not like being watched and observed in a social setting or performance setting. There is already enough anxiety on them to begin with that the whole “being observed” thing makes them feel like they are being critiqued and scrutinized. They will feel like the people watching are gossiping to each other about them. The person being observed will convince themself that they are about to be confronted and scolded for a poor social performance. It is a messed up feeling.

Nakia’s social Skills

While speaking in Korean, Nakia needs to convince the woman to allow her, T’Challa (Black Panther), and Okoye into the casino. The woman is hesitant at first and requires some extra convincing. But Nakia is up to the challenge as he is able to overcome the woman’s rebuttal and eventually allow them to pass.

Nice work Nakia! Girl got skills, bro!

The scary part about this whole thing is that Nakia is being watched and observed by her friends T’Challa (who we later find out understands Korean too) and Okoye. If she wasn’t so comfortable with them and if she had SAD, Nakia would not have liked being watched. It would have actually ruined her social performance. She would have developed Red Face, sweating and blushing all over the place. The Korean woman would have suspected something was wrong and denied them entry. The whole plan could have been ruined if Nakia had Social Anxiety Disorder.

Black Panther Social Anxiety scene 3

Okoye (played by Danai Gurira) speaks up against authority figure, which is a social anxiety trigger. Black Panther, 2018.
Okoye (played by Danai Gurira) speaks up against Killmonger’s views during Killmonger’s first administration meeting with Wakanda’s leaders. This is a huge social anxiety trigger.
Black Panther, 2018

Movie: Black Panther (2018)

Scene: Okoye challenging the views of the new king, Killmonger

Anxiety Provoking Event: Publicly speaking and challenging an authority figure in front of everyone

Something to know about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): Authority figures can be intimidating for anyone. They can be annoying as hell to deal with, especially if you disagree with them. But for people with SAD, authority figures (even the nice ones) are always seen as scary. People with Social Anxiety Disorder will not challenge authority figures very much. Too much anxiety. Especially in front of other people.

Okoye Challenges Killmonger.

Erik Killmonger (played by Michael B. Jordan) holds meeting with Wakanda’s leaders. During this meeting, Okoye speaks against his views of arming and fighting the world, which is a social anxiety trigger.
Black Panther, 2018

First let me say that Michael B Jordan’s character, Erik Killmonger, is bad-ass bro. He is one of the best villains in the MCU (next to Thanos). His tenacity, rage, and determination set him apart from everyone else. It’s also why he is an intimidating authority figure as the king of Wakanda.

Okoye challenges Killmonger’s views when she tells him that Wakanda survives by fighting only when necessary. She stands up for her culture and country, while so many other country leaders are looking on. We all know Okoye is one of the MCUs best fighters, but dam, this woman is brave standing up to Killmonger.

The problem here of course is that people with Social Anxiety Disorder would be way too uncomfortable speaking up against authority, especially in front of so many other leaders. It’s like when your stubborn d-bag boss holds a meeting in the conference room and tells everyone that they need to stay late. Uh-uh! You can’t tolerate that, but you don’t want to challenge him. You know it will put a spotlight on you and you’ll start to blush and sweat (Red Face). That is the ultimate sign of weakness and everyone there will call you out on it, especially the awful boss.

Okoye has shown that she definitely does not have Social Anxiety Disorder and backs down from no one.

Three Social Anxiety Moments from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Ever think that a hulk could get Social Anxiety? What about She-Hulk. Yep, it’s true. Even a Hulk/She Hulk can fall to social anxiety

Ever think that a hulk could get Social Anxiety? What about She-Hulk. Yep, it’s true. Even a Hulk or She-Hulk can fall to social anxiety

She’s intelligent, she’s charming, and she is 7 feet tall with impenetrable green skin and the strength of the actual Hulk. Jen Walters is She Hulk. And she is the best dam attorney in California.

It takes a lot to balance out life of a busy attorney and super hero. For Jen, she went through what all hero’s go through: the struggle to find oneself.

I know – it’s kinda cliché, ain’t it? All hero’s go through the same thing and it can be a bit tedious after a while. But it is absolutely necessary to understand the character, and there is no better way to understand than seeing their struggles early on in their hero-hood.

Well you can watch She – Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney +. But for now, check out the three social anxiety scenes from Jen Walters below. Before you do, make sure you know a thing or two about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). It’ll make more sense before you continue.

Hulk Smash!

She-Hulk also Smash!

She-Hulk Social Anxiety Moment 1

She Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) closing argument, which can lead to social anxiety. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Episode 1)
Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk, played by Tatiana Maslany is about to stand up and give her closing argument inside a court room filled with people.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Episode 1)

Show: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Episode 1 – A Normal Amount of Rage

Scene: Jen Walters is giving her closing argument in court

Anxiety Provoking Event: Standing and speaking in a court room while everyone’s eyes (and ears) are on Jen.

Something to know about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): People who suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder typically develop major anxiety symptoms when walking into a room filled with seated people. All eyes are on you as the only person standing. It’s the same concept for Jen standing in a room filled with seated people while trying to convince a jury of her case.

Trial Lawyer equals social strength

Jennifer Walters, aka She Hulk, played by Tatiana Maslany is giving her closing argument at the end of Episode 1. Being observed by so many people inside courtroom is a social anxiety trigger.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Episode 1)

Yes it’s true. Being a trial lawyer is a big no-no for someone who suffers from Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Standing and speaking in front of a person of authority (like a judge) and a group of people who’ll decide the fate of your case is not easy for anyone. But SAD sufferers have it worse since anxiety symptoms would take control. I’m not just talking increased heart rate, but more about the awful Red Face of SAD.

For Jen Walters (aka She-Hulk), this is part of her normal job, which she clearly does well. But if she had SAD, She-Hulk would develop really bad social anxiety symptoms just from doing a simple closing argument. It would lead to bright red facial blushing, profuse sweating, and stiffened/rigid body posture. People would stare and make comments, which would only make the SAD symptoms worse. Jen would blush brighter and sweat even more.

She-Hulk Social Anxiety Moment 2

She Hulk (played by Tatiana Maslany) makes a dating profile which can trigger social anxiety.
She-Hulk, played by Tatiana Maslany, makes a dating profile. Her profile includes a photo of herself uploaded to the dating app. Social apps, like dating apps, can typically be triggers for people with Social Anxiety Disorder. This is especially true if a photo of yourself is uploaded to the app.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Episode 4)

Show: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Episode 4 – Is This Not Real Magic?

Scene: Jen Walters makes a dating profile.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Putting a photo of herself in a dating app.

Something to know about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): People who suffer from SAD would have a problem posting their photo online, particularly social sites, like dating apps. Making a LinkedIn profil with your photo is a struggle in of itself, so a dating app would be that much worse. It leaves the door open for judgement by other people, especially people who know you (like work colleagues). That’s not to say that SAD people wouldn’t ever put their photo on a dating app, but they would be really reserved about doing that.

Dating Apps make life easy

Jen Walters, aka She-Hulk, played by Tatiana Maslany has made a dating profile and included pictures of herself. This is a social anxiety triggers as thoughts about what others are thinking of you, your profile, your photo, and overall actions to make a profile go through the mind.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Episode 4)

Look, I get it. Jen wants to find someone, settle down, and build a long term relationship. She made that very clear throughout the course of the She-Hulk series (maybe a little too clear). So, living in the 21st century, Jen did exactly what so many other people in the world do. She went online, signed up with a dating app, posted her photo, and started dating.

But what if She-Hulk had some major social anxiety issues. After all, she is a big, green hulk. That kind of attention drawn to her everywhere she goes can be annoying to deal with. If she had social anxiety disorder, Jen would not have made the decision so easily to sign up with a dating app and post her photo. There are too many people out there who would judge her, which leads to even more anxiety.

And not to mention… what if people she knew found out? Like people from her job, family, or friends? What would they think of her? What would they say about her?

These are the questions that would go through Jens mind. Again, she could still decide to post her photo on a dating app, but their would have been a lot of back & forth debate in her mind about it.

She-Hulk Social Anxiety Moment 3

She Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) can get social anxiety while on stage giving speech to audience.
She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany) standing front and center stage, standing out like a sore thumb, while giving a speech in front of a live audience. Her speech is different and sentimental from the previous speakers, which makes her stand out even more. This can lead to major social anxiety while on the stage.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Episode 8)

Show: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Episode 8 – Ribbit and Rip it

Scene: She-Hulk gives wins award for Female Lawyer of the Year and gives her speech on stage.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Standing as the largest, most dominating figure in the center of the stage, surrounded by all the other winners. Then giving a response that is completely different than previous responses and does not answer the question being asked. She-Hulk gives a sentimental response speech about thanking her parents when all others respond to the question about “what it’s like to be a female lawyer.”

Something to know about Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): SAD people already have a brain chemistry that causes physical symptoms, like Red Face, muscle stiffness, trembling hands, etc. So what happens when you bring emotional reactions into the mix? Things in the brain chemistry get more complicated, which increases risk of developing symptoms. As a result, in the public eye, people with SAD don’t want to elicit emotional reactions, especially on an already nervous stage.

Winning an award is always a good thing, right?

It’s super awesome to win an award. All your hard work is being recognized and there is a huge sense of accomplishment. And in Jens case, it’s an award for Female Lawyer of the Year. Which is a big deal. It’s not just a participation trophy, like rec-league soccer (still proud of myself for that btw).

The problem for Jen if she were to have SAD is not that she would be on stage talking. No, that is more performance anxiety than social anxiety. The real problem is her comparison to all the other women on that stage as she stands in the middle. That makes for easy target and easy judgement against her by other people watching. This can cause huge social anxiety as her mind would be racing about what people are thinking and what they will say about her.

The other real problem is how she started her speech (she didn’t finish because she got cut off by intelligencia). After the first two lawyers gave a short, empowering response to the question being asked, She-Hulk decided to give a sentimental response. In other words, her speech stands out from the crowd, which opens up the door for more scrutiny and judgement against her. Not to mention, her response elicits emotion as she thanked her parents. Emotional brain chemistry adds chaos to the already chaotic brain chemistry of social anxiety symptoms. It just makes it worse.

Be Thanos and Conquer Social Anxiety Disorder

The strength of Thanos’ mind is the perfect weapon in resolving Social Anxiety Disorder. The path to getting it that strong goes through CBT.

Imagine Thanos had Social Anxiety Disorder. Can’t see it, huh? Neither could we. His mind is way to strong for such (not so) miniscule things.

One of the most compelling characters in motion picture history, Thanos has left his mark on people across the world (it’s more like the universe actually). This guy is the most determined man that has ever existed. No joke! He does what needs to be done in order to accomplish goals. No matter how absurd that goal is.

“With all six stones I could simply snap my fingers. They would all cease to exist. I call that, mercy”

Thanos, Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Now I know what you’re thinking: “Bro, this guy wiped out half the universe. Why the eff would anyone want to be Thanos!?”

Completely agree you with you on that. Thanos did remove half of all life from existence. He is the ultimate villain! But what I’m suggesting is not to follow in his footsteps, collect the infinity stones, and snap away all those lives. Rather what I’m suggesting is to develop the strength of mind that Thanos has.

“The hardest choices require the strongest wills.”

Thanos, Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Thanos’ Mind

Think about it. How many times have we seen people in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) try to stop Thanos from carrying out his plan to wipe away trillions of lives? We saw Argardians try to stop him when he boarded their ship. We saw the Guardians of the Galaxy try to stop him on Knowhere and again on Titan. Ironman, Spiderman, and Dr. Strange travelled to Titan and failed. Then we saw the war breakout in Wakanda. Not to mention all the other wars we didn’t see like when he destroyed Xandar for the power stone, destroyed Gamora’s planet before he took her, and destroyed countless other planets while searching for the stones in years prior.

Yo even his own people on Titan tried, (and actually succeeded), in stopping him before their planet became extinct from the consequences of overpopulation. They exiled him out into outer space only for him to return later on after they were all destroyed. This was his turning point. He saw what happened to his home world, developed his mind & body into a brilliant weapon, took control of an army, and became The Mad Titan. This is when he started his search for the Infinity Stones.

Gamora (Thanos’ adopted daughter) on planet Vormir with Thanos, shortly before he sacrifices her to collect the soul stone.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

The point is that after he set his goals on “saving” other worlds across the universe from the same fate as Titan, his mind was stronger than ever. No one could convince him that what he was doing was wrong. Not the Avengers, not the Guardians of the Galaxy, not even his own adopted daughters Gamora and Nebula. In fact, he sacrificed his favorite daughter Gamora to acquire one of the stones. He was invincibly convinced because his mind was warped into this belief. No matter what anyone said or did, they were wrong and Thanos was right. He would keep going and nothing could stop him.

That is how you can solve so many of your problems, including the dreaded Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD); the cause of Red Face.

CBT – the Thanos Mind Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder

So how can such a strong, warped mind manage SAD. Well, in reality, developing an inconceivably stubborn mind like Thanos may not be realistic. For him, it had to do with his upbringing on Titan which contributed to his mental strength. But for the rest of us, the best way to develop that “Thanos mind” is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is like the gold standard for treating Social Anxiety Disorder. We just need to be strong enough to start it, and even stronger, to stick with it.

So your next question should be, what in the name of blue cheese is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Thanos talking to Dr. Strange on Titan, shortly before stating “the hardest choices require the strongest wills.”
Avengers: Infinity War (2018

CBT is a a type of therapy which helps you recognize faulty thinking and helps you better understand where the problems are coming from in your mind. There are volumes of evidence showing that CBT is effective in resolving and preventing relapses of mental/behavioral health disorders, like SAD.

Check this out: the American Psychological Association (APA) describes one of the strategies of CBT as “Facing one’s fears instead of avoiding them.” That is significant for SAD sufferers because in order to conquer your fears, such as being in a social situation, your mind has to be strong. Really strong! Like Thanos strong!

In other words, someone with SAD would have to face their fears in a social setting, knowing that they are going to develop the humiliating and embarrassing Red Face. If you know what I’m talking about, then you’ll know how extraordinarily difficult it is to go through this. It is a type of trauma for someone with SAD to experience and your mind will need to be strong enough to endure.

Although this could be difficult, a CBT therapist would work with you to make sure that you are ready before entering into the triggering social situation. But when the time comes, be aware that it will be difficult. That is why you need a Thanos mind.

The good news is that once you start throwing yourself into those scary social situations, eventually you will develop a sense of immunity and desensitization. Things will get easier. You won’t develop Red Face so easily anymore and you’ll feel more comfortable. At that point, you’ll be so happy that you did it. It will be worth it.

If you have Social Anxiety Disorder, than all you need to do now is make the decision to start CBT.

“The hardest choices require the strongest wills.”

Thanos, Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Two Major Social Anxiety Scenes in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Getting “sucked into a video game” has never been a literal expression. It has always been more metaphorical than anything. But now, after 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, being sucked into a video game has become a thing. In fact, it’s such a thing that they made a sequel which was released 2 years later (Jumanji: The Next Level). Look, I’ve never been a huge gamer or anything, but after watching The Rock, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black handle their business, I’ve become more interested. The adventures, the action, and the storyline, all kind of drew me in to their illustrious world of jungles and jewels. Not to mention, the combination of all four of those characters is funny as the name “jumanji.”

Although I’m a fan of the 4 main stars of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, this article is more focused on the their teenage counterparts, who are their real characters in the movie. In other words, the teenagers got sucked into the video game to become the 4 stars of the movie (DJ, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black). Specifically, there are two scenes in the movie which focus on these teens and potential social anxiety moments. Click here to check out just what the hell Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) what why sufferers dread Red Face.

Social Anxiety Scene 1: The Principals Office

Alex Wolff (Spencer, left) and Ser’Darius Blain (Fridge, right) sitting in the principals office while their teacher and principal read the evidence of them cheating. They were caught.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Movie: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Social Anxiety Scene: While in the principals office, Spencer is informed that he has been caught helping Fridge cheat on his essay by the teacher

Anxiety provoking event:

  1. While sitting in front of principal and teacher, and sitting next to a popular dude that he wants to be friends with, the teacher is reading the last paragraph of Fridge’s essay while comparing it to Spencer’s paper. The duration of time during which she is reading and comparing leads to anticipation that Spencer is about to be in trouble.
  2. Direct accusation for doing something wrong by authority figures is a huge trigger.
  3. Spencer defends himself against thee allegations while Fridge is looking on. His defenses are weak and just plain ridiculous.

Anticipation

As he is listening to his teacher speak about the evidence against him, Spencer (Alex Wolff) looks worried as he anticipates forthcoming accusation and punishment.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

When someone with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) knows that he/she is about to get in trouble, the build-up of fear of judgement intensifies. The anticipation of trouble and scolding by authority figures, especially in front of others, becomes too strong. Anticipating getting into trouble is a huge trigger and will actually lead to Red Face. In other words, just the thoughts of what is about to happen will lead to intense sweating and blushing. This is an SAD persons worst moment. It is awful.

Direct Accusation

Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain, left) and Spencer (Alex Wolff, right) sit in the principals office in front of the principal and teacher. Spencer is accused of writing Fridge’s essay and Fridge is accused of cheating.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Authority figures can be scary enough to some people. But they are even more frightening when they point their fingers at you in accusation. Both the teacher and the principal showed Spencer and Fridge their similar essays and then suggested that Spencer is involved in helping Fridge cheat. When an SAD sufferer knows that they did something wrong and are being scolded about it by authority figures, it can immediately lead to Red Face. Then everyone in the room will e starring, likely even commenting, about your hot sauce red, moist face. Again, it is just awful.

Being Called On To speak

No one likes being called on in class to speak. But people will like it even less when they are in trouble and both the teacher and principal are there calling on you. That is what happened to Spencer as he was sitting with Fridge in the principals office. The teacher finished reading the last paragraph of his paper, showing him the stark similarities to Fridge’s paper. She asked him to justify these similarities between the two papers. He tries to defend himself by saying things like, “that’s interesting. What are the odds of that?” Then like 15 seconds later, in an effort to defend Fridge, Spencer raises his hand and states, “it was my fault. I made him do it.” A ridiculous defense in which the principal calls him out on.

Spencer (Alex Wolff) raises his hand in defense of Fridge and confesses that he (Spencer) made Fridge cheat by voluntarily writing Fridge’s essay. This is a ridiculous defense which led to both of them getting detention.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Someone suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder would be just as nervous, but in an effort to keep eyes from being on them, they wouldn’t voluntarily talk. If Spencer had SAD, he would keep his answers very short, apologize, and not raise his hand in volunteer of taking the blame. He would want the whole thing to end asap. Why? Because he would have Red Face by then and doesn’t want anyone to make it 100x worse by commenting on it.

Somewhere in the middle of his messy argument, Spencer complains that it is really hot in the room. This is important because people with SAD would be feeling that same exact feeling of heat. I’m not saying Spencer has SAD, but the feeling of being under public pressure in front of authority would make anyone nervous. But with SAD sufferer’s, it’s so much more intense. People with Social Anxiety Disorder will get a rush of heat sensation straight to their face, followed by the body’s cooling mechanism, sweat. All while being called on to speak, or during anticipation, or while being accused of doing something bad. That hot, sweaty, red feeling in front of other people is a traumatizing to SAD sufferers.

Social Anxiety Scene 2: Sitting next to Martha

Left to right: Ser’Darius Blain (Fridge), Alex Wolff (Spencer), Morgan Turner (Martha), and Madison Iseman (Bethany) sitting outside the principals office waiting for their detention to begin. Jumanji:
Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Movie: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Social Anxiety Scene: The four, soon to be video game adventurers, are sitting outside of the principals office waiting for their detention to begin.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Spencer is sitting directly next to the girl he secretly likes and gets nervous around, Martha.

he likes her

Highschool crushes are great, aren’t they? You like someone, you’re too nervous to tell them so you just deny it, and it turns out they never liked you anyway. Ugh! Romance in highschool can be tough, and Spencer’s crush on Martha is a perfect example. But if he had Social Anxiety Disorder, it’d be even worse for him.

While they were all sitting outside the principals office, Spencer ended up sitting right to Martha. He secretly has a crush on her, but the highschool rule book says that you can never tell her that. So he keeps it himself and lives with the nervousness around her.

Just like we saw when he was being punished for cheating, anticipation can play a significant role in triggering SAD. While sitting next to Martha, thoughts of “don’t make her like you less” will pop into Spencers mind. Yes, he will already assume that she doesn’t like him. SAD sufferers project negative thoughts from other people about themselves in social situations very often. It’s actually a big focal point that therapists work on when helping SAD sufferers.

red face

So Spencer will develop a strategy in mind. He will try his best not to move so much, he will not say anything to her, and he will hope to God that she doesn’t say anything to him. Why? Because if she does spark a conversation with him, he will get a humiliating case of Red Face and there is nothing he can do to hide it. She will undoubtedly notice the bright red blushing and profuse sweating. And since he is sitting so close to her, he will radiate an overwhelming amount of body heat towards her. Again, she will notice that too.

The absolute worse case scenario if he developed Red Face in front of her is that she will notice his ripe tomato sweating face, make a disgusted look, and then comment on it in front of him. The red will shine redder and the sweat will be wetter. And just as bad is if one of the other two students notice and point it out publicly. Spencer would get hotter, redder, and wetter real fast. He would be completely humiliated. As always, this would just be awful!

Major Social Anxiety Scene in Oceans Eleven

So what happens when this mean, unsympathetic millionaire/billionaire comes face to face with the man who stole $160 million dollars from him? The interaction is quite interesting and social anxiety provoking.

Social Anxiety Disorder can hit anyone, but it’ll hit especially hard when facing the ruthless casino owner who you just robbed. Oceans Eleven can definitely show some serious Social Anxiety.

Terry Benedict: “Did you have a hand in this?”

George Clooney: “Did I have my hand in what?”

Thieves and liars should never be considered the “good guys” in a story. But George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and the rest of their team charismatically took their roles of thieving to levels reserved for hero’s and patriots. George Clooney, who plays Danny Ocean, who was just released from prison, led his team to successfully pull off a master heist. In fact, they stole a ton of money from a man who seems like a real d-bag, but isn’t a criminal. Terry Benedict, played by Andy Garcia, is insensitive, dispassionate, and sees money as the only measure of value in life. But he is not a thief, liar, or manipulator. Terry Benedict may be mean, but he is a law-abiding citizen.

So what happens when this mean, unsympathetic millionaire/billionaire comes face to face with the man who stole $160 million dollars from him? The interaction is quite interesting and social anxiety provoking. George Clooney plays it off like he was uninvolved, while Andy Garcia is honest and direct in his line of questioning. Not only can an interaction like this cause anxiety in the liar (George Clooney), but it can cause major social anxiety. Let’s check it out!

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Red Face. Your face turns bright red like tomato being picked from a farm during peak season. Sweat profusely drips from the head, trickling down to the face. In addition to Red Face, there is loud thumping sound coming out of your chest as you realize your heart is trying to beat itself free. Fingers begin to tremble causing you to stick your hands in your pocket. Muscles all over the body stiffen and you don’t feel like moving, even though you’ll do anything to get out of there. This description describes just a few of things that would happen to someone with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Click here to learn more.

Social Anxiety scene in Oceans Eleven

Danny Ocean (George Clooney) facing questioning from Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) regarding whether he stole Terry’s money from the vault or not.
Oceans Eleven, 2001

Movie: Oceans Eleven (2001)

Scene: Terry Benedict questions Danny Ocean after he finds out that his money was stolen from the vault

Anxiety provoking event: Questioned by an authority figure in front of others, while maintaining a lie

Picture this: the owner of the casino (Terry Benedict) has just found out that he lost all the money in his vault. A total of $160 million has been stolen. Irate, furious, and enraged, Benedict is determined to get answers. Luckily for him, he had his boys (security thugs) detain George Clooney’s Danny Ocean in one of their private rooms in the casino building earlier in the day. Now it becomes a simple line of questioning that a ruthless, vengeful, and analytical Benedict will ask Ocean. And all the while, Ocean needs to lie to Benedict as part of his master plan.

Terry Benedict: “Did you have a hand in this?“

Danny Ocean: “Did I have my hand in what?“

Terry Benedict: “I’m going to ask you one more time. Did you have a hand in this?“

Danny Ocean: “Benedict, I have no idea what you’re talking about.“

Benedict pauses as he stares at Ocean before telling him he is free to go.

This is a major social anxiety scene for four reasons:

  1. Terry Benedict is an authority figure who is also seeking blood against the people who stole from him. He is not making direct accusations, but his stern intent of questioning and body language makes him a more intimidating figure
  2. Benedict is analyzing every move Ocean is making. Starring intently at his eyes, facial reactions, hand movements, everything
  3. There are others in the room observing Benedict and Ocean who are also likely to be starring intently at Ocean
  4. Danny Ocean maintains a lie

SAD scene breakdown

Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) starring intently at Danny Ocean (George Clooney) as he responds. Benedict is questioning Ocean about whether he stole his money or not.
Oceans Eleven, 2001

Authority Figures not a good thing

People who suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) find themselves uncomfortable when speaking to authority figures. Looming questions about whether they are saying or doing the right things in front of authority figures always come to mind. Thoughts about pleasing them, not frustrating them, and most of all, not getting in trouble by them are all frequent. These may be normal thoughts for any non-SAD sufferers, but SAD sufferers experience it on a much more amplified level.

Dealing with an authority figure is bad enough, but add to it the fact that Benedict is angry and suspecting of you, then the SAD becomes much worse. People with SAD can easily develop Red Face symptoms simply from feeling like an authority figure suspects something bad of them.

The other things that are not a good thing

As Benedict is questioning Ocean, he is visibly studying every one of Ocean’s moves. This deep observation creates the feeling of being watched, which is a big no-no for someone with SAD. That feeling can be a serious trigger for developing Red Face and other SAD symptoms.

And add to the fact that there are other people in the room, and the SAD gets so much worse. When people are watching you, analyzing your every move, trying to catch you in a lie, this social situation becomes too much for SAD people. All those eyes watching you feels like a spotlight, which can increase SAD symptoms, like Red Face.

Lying is the last piece of this SAD train wreck. No one should ever lie, but if a lie is needed, make sure someone with SAD isn’t the one doing it. People with SAD have a hard time lying, especially in front of authority figures. Its the fear that the authority figure suspects you of doing something wrong that really makes it difficult. Or even the fear of being publicly scolded if ever caught in a lie that is just awful for SAD sufferers. So bottom line… don’t lie. If you need to lie, make sure you don’t have Social Anxiety Disorder. You won’t be able to pull it off if you do.

What would happen if George Clooney had Social Anxiety Disorder

With the stern eyes of an angry, suspecting Terry Benedict and his thugs starring and analyzing Danny Ocean (George Clooney), what would happen if he had SAD? A lot would happen! His brain chemistry would go nuts as he tries to focus on Benedict, while thinking about maintaining a neutral body/facial expressions, and while maintaining his lie. This overactive brain chemistry would go into overdrive and cause physical symptoms. It will start with a rush of heat and blood to the face, causing facial blushing. This will be shortly followed by profuse, heavy-duty sweating. Hands and body will also start to sweat as his fingers and hands tremble and his muscle stiffen, while heart beats out of chest.

Then when someone notices (and someone always notices), be prepared to blush brighter red and sweat heavier drops. This is because when people notice, they always call attention to Red Face symptoms. It’s the most awful thing ever!

Bottom Line

So although this was a short lived scene in Oceans Eleven, there are four big SAD triggers there which could be disastrous for Danny Ocean.

Bullet Train Social Anxiety Scene

Bullet Trains may be found mainly in Japan, but Social Anxiety does not discriminate. Traveling at the speed of a bullet, does not protect from developing Red Face.

Absolutely nothing would change in this Social Anxiety scene from Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train (2022); Ladybug and Lemon did it right.

Bullet Train, starring Brad Pitt as Ladybug, is a hilarious action film taking place on a train traveling though Japan. There are a few different characters on that train that are completely unlinked to begin the movie, but we then learn they are all connected somehow. Director David Leitch really put the puzzles pieces together throughout the film as the audience learns why (and how) each person is on that train. Throw in some comedy and fighting scenes and this movie’s train races towards success.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a huge train in the a**. Someone suffering from SAD will always be worried about being embarrassed or humiliated, which then alters their behavior. The fear of being embarrassed, or even worse, showing that embarrassment to others, is terrifying to an SAD sufferer. And unfortunately, when someone with Social Anxiety Disorder is embarrassed, it always automatically shows on their face and body. This would be the case with Brad Pitt’s character Ladybug as he fights Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) on the train. Let’s explore that scene below and see why it’s a Social Anxiety scene.

Social Anxiety is worse than a Slow Bullet Train

Imagine one morning you were rushing to work and were on your last strike for being late. You decide to take a bullet train because that would be quickest. You are completely reliant on that train to get you to your job on time. “A bullet train moves at like 250mph” you tell yourself. “No way I’ll be late now.” You board the train and it starts moving. You realize that it is not going very fast, but rather matches the speed of a car on a highway. As a result, you show up to work late and get in serious trouble by your boss.

As bad as it is to get in trouble with your boss, it’s even worse to have a social anxiety moment in front of him/her. What is a social anxiety moment? Well, in case you spent your life on a bullet train and truly don’t know, click here to check it out. Social Anxiety Disorder causes social anxiety moments/attacks and is the cause of the feared Red Face. So now, assuming you know a thing or two about SAD, let’s get on with the Social Anxiety scene in Bullet Train.

Social Anxiety scene in Bullet Train

Left to right: Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) speaking to Ladybug (Brad Pitt) shortly before a fight breaks out between the two of them in the “Quiet Car” section of the train.
Bullet Train, 2022

Movie: Bullet Train (2022)

Scene: Fight between Ladybug (Brad Pitt) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) in the “quiet” section of the train.

Social Anxiety Trigger: Being publicly called out on doing something wrong, like making noise and then being shushed multiple times by a passenger.

While trying to avoid Lemon’s partner, Tangerine, Ladybug (Brad Pitt) finds himself sitting across from Lemon ready to make a deal with him. He was willing to offer Lemon the briefcase in exchange for his exoneration and freedom to leave the train. Lemon refused the offer because he needed someone to blame for The Son’s death (he realized afterwards that Ladybug wasn’t the killer). So this refusal led to a pretty funny fight scene in the quiet cabin of the train.

Passenger in the “Quiet Car” section of the train hears Ladybug and Lemon fighting behind her. She turns her head to shush them.
Bullet Train, 2022

As Ladybug and Lemon were throwing hands and tumbling, they started to make quite a bit of noise. A passenger sitting a few rows up turned her head towards them and vigorously barked, “shhhhhhhh!” Both Ladybug and Lemon stopped fighting, looked at the woman, and smiled. They did not want to draw attention to themselves. As they continued to fight and make noise, they were shushed again by the woman a couple more times. Each time, Ladybug and Lemon abruptly stopped fighting and “played off” their fight to decrease the attention on them. They gave the impression that they were just horsing around.

Social Anxiety and Attention on the Bullet Train

Both Ladybug and Lemon needed to minimize the noise and attention so they wouldn’t get kicked off the train. Lemon needed to make it to Kyoto station (few stops down) while Brad Pitt wanted to hand him the briefcase, avoid the conductor, and hop off at the next stop. The conductor wanted Pitt off the train because he didn’t have a ticket. But what if Brad Pitt’s Ladybug had Social Anxiety Disorder? Or what if Brian Tyree Henry’s Lemon had SAD? What if they weren’t afraid of being kicked off the train, but rather were afraid of humiliation?

Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) smiling and waiving at the female passenger who just shushed him and Ladybug (Brad Pitt). They give the impression throughout this fight that they are just messing around and everything is okay. This is their way of minimizing attention to themselves.
Bullet Train, 2022

If Ladybug or Lemon had Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), the fight scene would have… not changed one bit! Their behaviors matched exactly what an SAD sufferer would do. They fought as quietly as possible, even avoiding screaming in pain, as we saw when Lemon covered his mouth in anguish from his hand being smashed. And when being shushed by that lady, they smiled, apologized, and acted like nothing was happening. They acted appropriately to minimize attention on themselves. That is exactly what a Social Anxiety person would do.

Red Face of Social Anxiety on a Bullet Train

The reason why either Ladybug or Lemon would be afraid of disrupting other passengers and being publicly called out on it is because of SAD symptoms. If they are being publicly told to “shhhh!”, this draws attention to themselves. Other people would notice, stare, and start to judge them. Since SAD sufferer’s are socially uncomfortable with being observed and judged, Lemon and Ladybug would both develop the dreaded Red Face. They would blush bright red like a tomato and then start to sweat profusely all over the face and body. Then their muscles would stiffen, hands/fingers would tremble, and heart would beat out their chests. And if someone calls attention to their red, sweaty faces (which causes more people to look and stare), then they would blush and sweat even more. It’s super uncomfortable!

Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) covers his mouth in pain as Ladybug (Brad Pitt) just smashed shut the aggressively shut the laptop onto Lemon’s hand. He covers his mouth to avoid screaming and drawing attention to himself.
Bullet Train, 2022

So during that fight scene, they did exactly what an social anxiety sufferer would do. They tried their absolute best to minimize the amount of attention that is put on them. In the movie, they didn’t want to get kicked off the train. But if Ladybug or Lemon had Social Anxiety Disorder, they would be worried about being embarrassed or humiliation. Embarrassment causes Red Face and no one wants to deal with that. Better to just sit in their seats and get along.

Aladdin dance scene: Three Social Anxiety triggers

The dance scene in Aladdin can be broken into three parts, all of which are heavy contributors to triggering Social Anxiety.

Disney’s 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin has become hugely successful grossing over $1.5B worldwide. The live-action remake of the original Disney film has star power, new and familiar songs, and the same successful plot as its animated predecessor. Add in some more comedy (Will Smith) and colorful wardrobes, and this movie passes with high ratings. Recently getting the greenlight to make a sequel for release in 2025, Aladdin 2 will probably be just as successful as the first. And better yet, the original cast of Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine), and Will Smith (Genie) are all set to return.

As much as we look forward to Aladdin 2, there is still something that needs to be discussed in Aladdin (2019). That is, the effect of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) on the main character of the film, Aladdin. Before we get into what scenes would actually trigger social anxiety in Aladdin, it’s important to know what SAD is. So unless you want to stay living inside a magic lamp all day, you should click here to learn a thing or two about Social Anxiety Disorder.

Aladdin’s Social Anxiety Trigger 1: Anticipation

While at the palace party, Genie (Will Smith) is persistent in his efforts to make Aladdin (Mena Massoud) approach princess Jasmine and speak to her. Aladdin continuously stalls and makes excuses before Genie finally used magic to push Aladdin to her. This forced the two into a conversation, which eventually led to a dance.
Aladdin, 2019

While at the party, Genie was trying to tell Aladdin to go talk to Jasmine. Aladdin kept stalling and said that he is “waiting for the right time.” This is a classic deflection for someone who is about to do something so nerve racking, but doesn’t want to it. Aladdin was stalling because this would be a high-anxiety provoking situation for him. The anticipation of doing something that is going to cause major social anxiety, like talking to the girl you like, is a powerful force. In fact, anticipation by itself can actually lead to social anxiety symptoms, including the awful Red Face. In other words, if Aladdin had SAD, his face could turn bright red and sweaty without ever speaking to Jasmine. The thoughts of all the things that can go wrong when speaking to her is enough to make him feel so embarrassed that he would actually blush and sweat. This is how dominant a force anticipation can be.

{We’ve seen Thor go through a similar anticipation force in Thor: Love and Thunder. Click here to check it out.}

Aladdin’s Social Anxiety Trigger 2: Talking to Jasmine

After a subtle magical push from Genie, Aladdin (Mena Massoud) finds himself speaking to princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) and her hand maiden (Nasim Pedrad) while at the palace party. While speaking to the princess, Aladdin is nervous as he apologizes for his previous nervous encounter with Jasmine (jams, jewels, “buying you” comments) during their first meet. Jasmine finally interrupts him with an offer to dance.
Aladdin, 2019

After Genie heard enough of Aladdin’s excuses, he used magic to move Aladdin next to Jasmine and Dalia (Jasmine’s hand maiden). This forced Aladdin to start a dialogue with with the princess. Now any man can tell you how difficult it is to speak to your crush, but the difficulty is significantly amplified in the presence of SAD. Aladdin’s nervousness became obvious immediately as he kept stumbling over his words and apologizing. This uneasy and chaotic mixing of words in front of Jasmine would easily amplify his nervousness, and more so, his social anxiety. And to make matters worse, he would be judged from top to bottom by Dalia as she observes his every move.

If Aladdin had SAD, he would start feeling the rush of heat to his face from all the blood travelling there. Then his body’s cooling mechanism would go to work causing him to sweat profusely. Jasmine would surely notice the bright red, moisture filled face in front of her, and may call attention to it. This would make Aladdin sweat and blush even more. Not to mention, his hands would tremble, his muscles would stiffen, and his heart would be pounding out of his chest. At this point, Red Face and SAD symptoms would be out of control.

Aladdin’s Social Anxiety Trigger 3: All eyes on Aladdin

Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) dance at the palace party as a duet. Genie is magically moving Aladdin to properly align with this dance routine. Everyone at the party is watching this dance as two high profile people of royalty are dancing together: Aladdin (known at the time as Prince Ali) and princess Jasmine.
Aladdin, 2019

Being at a party does not mix well with have Social Anxiety Disorder. It just doesn’t. All those people, the pressure of comingling, and the thoughts of “don’t embarrass yourself” continues to repeat in your head. Party’s are a huge anxiety-provoking situation for SAD sufferers. Particularly in Aladdin’s case.

Surprised by Jasmine’s offer to dance, Aladdin was clueless about what was about to happen. He didn’t know how to dance as a duet with Jasmine, so he was fully reliant on Genie to magically move him into a dance routine. And since he was dancing with the princess, all eyes at the party were on him. Everyone watched as he figured out the dance and actually performed well (thanks to Genie). He even performed a solo act, including a standing backflip.

During the initial part of the dance, Aladdin was still trying to figure things out and looked a bit awkward. Jasmine gives him a subtle stare as to not embarrass her. In reality, Aladdin was the one embarrassed.
Aladdin, 2019

As cool as all that might sound, it could never happen if Aladdin had SAD. He just wouldn’t be able to pull that dance off knowing that all those judging eyes were watching and observing. Continuous thoughts of “don’t embarrass yourself” would be all over his mind. Then once he realizes how many people are watching him, including the girl her likes (Jasmine), he would instantly turn bright red, sweat everywhere, have trembling hands, stiff muscles, and may even feel nauseous. He could not pull all that off. Social Anxiety symptoms just wouldn’t allow him to focus on the dance. He would be too busy focusing on ways to hide his humiliation.