Tag: Social Anxiety

Three Social Anxiety Scenes from Dr. Strange

As the confident, arrogant, and master of the mystic arts, Dr. Strange would need his powers to defeat an enemy he couldn’t see coming: Social Anxiety Disorder

For Dr. Strange to have Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), it actually wouldn’t be so bad for him. He has magical abilities that seem to stretch the imagination beyond the point of fairy tales and wizardry. Strange could use a spell to hide facial blushing and profuse sweating or he can simply open a quick portal and leave. Either way, he’d be alright.

In the Multiverse of Madness, we learn a lot about Dr. Strange and the MCU in general. We saw him fight a one-eyed monster using magical hands which can lift a spear to the single eye. Then we learn that there is such a thing as physically travelling to different universes (multiversal travel). We even learned that you can Dream Walk to different universes simply by using the Dark Hold. So yea, it’s a crazy world they live in.

But as absurd a world the MCU is and regardless of which universe you live in, Social Anxiety Disorder does not discriminate. It’ll attack aliens, androids, or even wizards (thanks Falcon and the Winter Solder). Meaning, Dr. Strange could still be vulnerable to the dreaded Red Face of Social Anxiety Disorder. Let’s look at three scenes from Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness that could cause SAD.

Three Scenes from Dr. Strange that cause Social Anxiety

Scene 1: The Indirect Blame

Dr. Strange and Dr. West attend Christine’s wedding. West starts a conversation with Strange in which he shows how displeased he is with Strange’s decision to allow Thanos to take the Time Stone. This indirect and passive-aggressive sense of blame is felt by Strange throughout the conversation.
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022.

Setting: While seated at Christine’s wedding, Dr. Strange has a conversation with Dr. Nic West.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Dr. West indirectly places blame on Dr. Strange for the 5 year-long blip, during which his brother died and West never got to see again.

At the beginning of the movie, Dr. Strange is seated at Christine’s wedding when Dr. West (former colleague from the first Dr. Strange movie) sparks a conversation. He tells Strange that during the blip his brother died and he couldn’t say goodbye to him because he was blipped out of existence. West was saddened by the death of his brother, but his death isn’t what keeps him up at night. Instead, he is most distraught about whether the blip even had to happen. West asked Strange if there was any other way it could have happened.

Dr. Strange was honest and upfront with his answer when he replied that there was no other way. West then indirectly and passive-aggressively blamed the blip on Dr. Strange by mockingly stating that “only the great Dr. Strange could have made that call.” He was essentially pointing his blame finger at Strange for causing trillions to be removed from existence for five years. And although Strange was rightly justified for making that decision against Thanos, West didn’t want to hear it. He just wanted Strange to know that he held him responsible.

Being blamed is a Social Anxiety trigger

If Dr. Strange had Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), the blame from Dr. West would have been a huge trigger for the cause of Red Face (the most prominent symptom of SAD). Being blamed and finger pointing can trigger the mind to be on the defensive, especially if the results of the blame were catastrophic (liking blipping out for five years). SAD sufferer’s always feel like they need to be prepared to defend themselves in social situations anyway, but being blamed really pushes the anxiety levels high. And since SAD sufferer’s care about what other people think of them, the social anxiety would be even worse. West blames Strange and thinks negatively of him for that reason. This could be a huge Red Face trigger all while Christine’s wedding is happening.

Scene 2: “Are you happy?”

While at her wedding, Dr. Strange and Christine catch up with each other. During their conversation, Christine asks Strange if he is happy. Strange replies that he is indeed happy but, as we find out later in the movie, he is in love with her. So clearly, he isn’t as happy as he leads us to believe.
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022

Setting:– While at Christine’s wedding, Dr. Strange speaks to Christine and she asks him if he is happy.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Dr. Strange tells the woman he loves that he is happy while attending her wedding to another man.

It’s no secret that love will make you do crazy things. What really sucks about love though is learning to let go while masking your true feelings. Dr. Strange had to tell Christine that he is happy for her and that he wished things worked out for them years ago. She then responded by asking him if he is happy. And for a bunch of different reasons, Strange lied and replied “yes.”

Telling someone you love that you are happy while at their wedding to someone else is not an easy thing to do. But it’s especially difficult for someone with Social Anxiety Disorder. Two things happen here:

  1. Dr. Strange lies to avoid an awkward conversation
  2. Dr. Strange wants to confess his love to Christine but can’t

SAD sufferer’s have a very difficult time lying because of the fear of being caught. Lying is a huge trigger for developing Red Face (both bright red blushing and profuse sweating will be so obvious) and someone with social anxiety disorder will avoid it at all costs. Red Face is just a huge red flag that someone is lying, and even worse, embarrassed by the lie.

Social Anxiety is all about Brain Chemistry

The brain chemistry of a man in love is absurdly difficult to comprehend. Men will do and say things that are completely out of character. In one part of the brain, Strange is feeling the warm, crazy, and totally nuts feeling of love. In another part, his chemistry is telling him to confess his feelings to her. And in a third part, his brain molecules are telling him not to confess his love. The combination of these molecular reactions causes stress and anxiety, and in the presence of the woman you love, you experience the effects of Social Anxiety. In other words, an unwelcome Red Face symptom will appear.

Scene 3: “I love you in every universe”

After stopping Wanda and saving the day, Dr. Strange returns from Dream Walking and is back in an alternate universe with an alternate Christine. He confesses that he loves her in every universe.
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022

Setting:– After Dr. Strange saves America Chavez from Scarlett Witch, he is back in a different universe with an alternate Christine waiting for Chavez to return him home. As he’s waiting, he has a heart-to-heart conversation with the Christine.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Confessing his love to Christine.

If there is anything we have learned about love in the presence of social anxiety, it’s that those two things don’t mesh well. Telling someone who you hold on the highest romantic pedestal that you love them triggers the fear of rejection, and worse, humiliation. It’s always a tricky thing to tell someone that you love them, but to say in the profoundly “I love you in every universe” sense will carry quite a bit of extra weight.

At the moments leading up to and after his confession, Dr. Strange would be thinking about the consequences. “She probably doesn’t love me back” or “she is going to let me down easy” are some things he will think about. “What if she laughs at me or tells someone about my confession” is another thought for SAD sufferers. These thoughts of rejection stresses the mind and causes anxiety in any normal person, but even more so in an SAD person. And since the anxiety is caused by Christine’s presence, it is considered to be social anxiety.

Thoughts alone are bad enough

The worst part is that just these thoughts alone can trigger Dr. Strange being swallowed in the humiliation of Red Face. Christine doesn’t even need to say or do anything. The thoughts alone can cause Red Face right in front of her. And when her eyes shift direction from Strange’s eyes to his forehead and she sees the sweat formation, it’s all over for him. Her notice of his red, sweaty face will make Strange more red and sweaty. It’s really uncomfortable.

Three Nicolas Cage movie scenes that cause Social Anxiety

Being Nicolas Cage protects you from losing against bad guys. Does being Nicolas Cage protect you from having Social Anxiety?

If any characters in Nicolas Cage movies had Social Anxiety, the below three scenes would not have happened.

One of the most bad ass action hero’s of the 90’s is Nicolas Cage. I mean, even his name is super bad ass. How many times have we seen this man beat up bad guys and drive off into the sunset with a pretty girl? Pretty much every time he was ever in a movie. But as cool as the characters are that he plays, would someone like Nicolas Cage ever have Social Anxiety Disorder? Below we look at three scenes from three different movies and breakdown potential Social Anxiety triggers.

Being Nicolas Cage is really cool. But what isn’t cool is Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). So unless you’re about to boost cars, take down a plane full of convicted criminals, or save a city from poison gas, you should click here to learn more about SAD.

Three Social Anxiety scenes in Nicolas Cage movies

Movie 1: Con Air (1997)

Nicolas Cage character: Cameron Poe, U.S. Army Ranger turned convicted felon

Scene: While dancing with his wife at a restaurant/bar, Cameron Poe playfully puts his head to his pregnant wife’s belly pretending to have a discussion with his unborn daughter.

Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) having a playful discussion with his unborn baby by putting his head to his wife’s belly and speaking. This occurs at the restaurant/bar that they are dancing in at the beginning of the movie.
Con Air, 1997

Anxiety Provoking Event: Putting his head to his wife’s belly while talking to her belly in a public place causes people to stare.

It’s one thing if you are super excited about having a baby and want to talk with your unborn child through the walls of your wife’s belly. It’s something completely different if you have that discussion in public while other people are starring. That’s exactly what happened at the beginning of Con Air. Cameron Poe is dancing with his wife at a restaurant and decides to do something attention grabbing. He bends down, puts his head to her belly, and has a loud and public conversation with her belly.

Considering that there are so many people around Poe, this can be a huge social anxiety trigger. Even his wife looked uncomfortable as she was looking around to see who was staring. The stares and whispers about his behavior could cause an extreme level of discomfort, especially if Nicolas Cage (Cameron Poe) has Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). If he had SAD, his face would instantly turn bright red and would start to sweat quite heavily. People would start to notice and may actually comment on his Red Face. This would just lead to brighter red blushing and more profuse sweating. It’s really humiliating. Poe would end up stopping the dance and going to the bathroom to rinse in face with cold water. He wouldn’t dance again for the rest of the evening.

Result

Cameron Poe did not develop Red Face. His face color didn’t change and was fully dry. He also seemed to be completely unconcerned about the people around him. That is a strong sign that he doesn’t have SAD.

Movie 2: Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

Nicolas Cage character: Memphis Raines, retired car thief who unretires to save his brother’s life.

Scene: Detective Castlebeck enters Otto’s garage where Memphis Raines and his crew are plotting to steal fifty cars, including trying to hide an already stolen car containing heroin.

Detective Castlebeck (Delroy Lindo, left) makes a surprise entry into Otto’s garage (Robert Duvall, right) where Memphis Raines (Nicolas Cage, not seen here) and his crew are plotting their fifty car grand theft.
Gone in Sixty Seconds, 2000

Anxiety Provoking Event: Memphis Raines (Nicolas Cage) is forced to lie to an authority figure in front of his entire team, while the proof of his guilt is right in front of both of them.

There is something to say about the leader of a team. For Memphis Raines (an expert car thief), he steals the most difficult car (Eleanor), he built his team from scratch, and he saved his younger brother from death. He is looked up to and is seen as a role model by everyone in his crew. So naturally, he must be the one that handles the nosey detective who is poking around. After Detective Castlebeck makes a surprise appearance at the worst time, Raines thinks of a clever lie to get rid of him.

Memphis Raines (Nicolas Cage) speaking to Detective Castlebeck while his whole crew looks on. Raines lies to the detective, while trying to coverup the stolen Cadillac Eldorado with heroin in its trunk.
Gone in Sixty Seconds, 2000

It’s important to realize that Memphis Raines is being looked at by everyone in his crew, has heroin on the floor of the stolen drug car behind him, and has a really annoying detective just itching to throw him in jail poking around. There is a lot of pressure, anxiety, and social anxiety to consider here. For people with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), speaking with an authoritative can be triggering. But when you lie to an authoritative figure, the anxiety trigger is much worse. You’ll end up with the dreaded Red Face (blushing and sweating), trembling hands, rapid heart rate, etc. Not to mention, you’re the role model to everyone on your team so you must maintain composure. Having Red Face definitely makes it look like you lost composure.

Social Anxiety = Dishonesty?

The question then becomes, “would Detective Castlebeck really believe Raines if he saw his red, sweaty face?” Of course not! He is a detective and the Red Face is a sign of dishonesty. Even if you are being honest, people will typically think you’re lying if you blush and sweat. No one would think that it’s just social anxiety. That’s a real problem in today’s society.

Result

Memphis Raines does not develop Red Face, trembling hands, or rigid posture. He visibly maintains composure and gets rid of Detective Castlebeck without problem. He doesn’t have social anxiety disorder.

Movie 3: The Rock, 1996

Scene: Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) is explaining how to disarm the VX Gas Rockets to FBI Director Womack, Agent Paxton, Commander Anderson, and the navy seals.

Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) presents instructions to a whole situation team on how to disarm VX Gas Rockets before being cut off by FBI Director Womack. HE is informed that he will be joining the navy seals on the mission.
The Rock, 1996

Anxiety Provoking Event: Presenting information to a room filled with authority figures, and then being cut-off and told that Goodspeed will join them in battle. Anxiety heightens when Goodspeed’s reaction shows that he doesn’t want to go, but cannot say no.

Presenting critical information to a group of authority figures is never easy. It can cause performance anxiety, which is fairly normal and common. However with performance anxiety, social anxiety can easily sneak in, particularly if you’re being called out by someone.

Stanley Goodspeed (a chemist for the FBI) was presenting instructions to disarm the VX Gas Rockets when surprisingly, FBI Director Womack told him that he should stop presenting because he’ll be going into battle with the Seals. Goodspeed’s reaction clearly showed that he didn’t want to go, but he had no choice and couldn’t say no. This can be a huge trigger for social anxiety disorder (SAD). Being publicly cut-off in front of others during a presentation by an authority figure can cause Red Face. But when publicly cut-off, then told to do something you don’t want to do, your brain chemistry goes haywire. In people with SAD, the chemistry leads to a rush of heat straight to the face which then causes bright red facial blushing, and heavy sweating. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling and everyone can see it.

Result

There were no visible signs of Red Face on Stanley Goodspeed. No blushing, no sweating, no trembling hands. He went to the bathroom to vomit afterwards, but that was because he was scared. He doesn’t have SAD.

Conclusion- Nicolas Cage characters don’t have Social Anxiety Disorder

Playing the role of action hero is one of the coolest, life saving characters a person can be. But as we saw, if Nicholas Cage had Social Anxiety Disorder then saving the day as a convict, car thief, or chemist for the FBI won’t save him from Red Face. Thankfully for Cage characters, they don’t have SAD. If they did, I would advise them to avoid triggering events like the scenes we just saw. Otherwise they’ll be in one of the most uncomfortable social situations imaginable.

Four scenes in Morbius that would trigger Social Anxiety Disorder

Dr. Mobius is one of the most brilliant people in the world. But even his brilliance cannot protect him from Social Anxiety Disorder.

Dr. Mobius is one of the most brilliant people in the world. But even his brilliance cannot protect him from Social Anxiety Disorder.

Dr. Michael Morbius suffers from a rare, life-shortening blood disorder. Being physically incapable of walking properly, he is limited in a lot of things in life. Want to be a professional athlete? That’s not happening. Or maybe an astronaut? He definitely has the intellect, but still nope. How about a scuba diver? Well, he doesn’t “have very good sea legs” as he Morbius eloquently stated in the movie. The point is that Dr. Morbius is physically incapable of doing so many things. But where he lacks physically, he excels intellectually. His identity comes more from his brilliance than his handicap.

In fact, his intellect is so outstanding, he managed to cure his physical incapability’s while creating the minor side effect of becoming a blood-sucking vampire.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) does not stereotype. Whether you’re human or vampire, SAD can find you and make you blush. It will make you feel the uncomfortable experience of Red Face. So unless you are nocturnal and no one notices your red face, it’s best to learn a thing or two about SAD here.

The Four Mobius Social Anxiety Scenes

Scene 1: Dr. Morbius removes his shirt in front of Martine (Dr. Bancroft) while on the containership
Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) removes his shirt to allow Dr. Martine Bancroft (Adria Arjona), who is his romantic interest, to prep his body for the treatment procedure.
Morbius, 2022

Anxiety Provoking Event: Revealing his sickly, pale body to his romantic interest

With the goal of curing himself, Dr. Morbius and his colleague Dr. Martine Bancroft, embarked on a container ship over international waters (13 miles off the coast of Long Island). It is here that they planned to do a highly risky experiment with Morbius as the test subject. This experiment eventually resulted in the death of several men (mercenaries) on board, but it also gave rise to a new super hero.

To conduct the experiment, he needed to be prepped by Dr. Bancroft. He removed his shirt so she could inject the serum into his body and also monitor his vitals remotely. A shirtless Dr. Morbius turns out to be a very sick, vein populated, pale colored, and thinly shaped body. In other words, he doesn’t look very attractive.

Dr. Michael Morbius about to receive a serum inoculation into his spine. Dr. Martine Bancroft administers the injection.
Morbius, 2022
If Morbius had SAD

If Dr. Morbius had Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), there would be no chance in hell he’d allow his romantic/love interest, Dr. Bancroft, to see him shirtless. Even if he were very sick, he would feel way too uncomfortable showing her his sickly body. He would be afraid of her judgement against him, even if she doesn’t say anything. Morbius would constantly be wondering what she thinks of him and so many scenarios of what her thoughts are would be racing through his mind. With the anxiety of her judgement looming, he will develop the humiliating Red Face symptoms right in front of her. It’s game over after that.

Although Red Face (bright red facial blushing and profuse sweating) is most obvious on the face, Morbius’ body will also sweat from embarrassment. As Dr. Bancroft is attaching leads to his body, she will feel the sweat on her gloves as they become moist. She’ll then look at his face and see the embarrassment of blushing. In this case he can hide behind the excuse of being nervous before his big procedure, so he may get away with that for now.

Scene 2: Coffee shop conversation with Morbius and Martine
Martine puts her hands on Morbius as she tries to console him for killing those mercenaries on the container ship.
Morbius, 2022

Anxiety Provoking Event: Martine consoles Morbius by placing her hands over his.

This may seem incredibly subtle and not something that can trigger anxiety, but let’s not forget the background of the story. Morbius has been working with Martine for a long time. He clearly has strong feelings for her as we learn later in the movie. When a man doesn’t know what his crush thinks of him, that triggers some thought projections and possible anxiety. When his crush puts her hands on his, the wheels of the mind start spinning even more.

Now add Social Anxiety Disorder to that scenario, and Morbius’ mind would be on overdrive. His brain chemistry would be overreactive and a million thoughts would cross his mind about “why her hands are on mine.” If he had SAD, eventually Red Face would strike, and he would have to casually remove his hands from hers to avoid her feeling his hand sweat. Then he’d need to make his way to the restroom to wash his face in cold water to cool down the heat and sweat on his face. In other words, he’d need to wash away the embarrassment.

Scene 3: Interrogation by the FBI
Agent Simon Stroud (Tyrese Gibson) of the FBI interrogates Dr. Morbius in an FBI interrogation room.
Morbius, 2022

Anxiety Provoking Event: FBI agents try to get Morbius to reveal his secret and confess to crimes he doesn’t fully understand yet (like killing nurse Sutton)

People with SAD are really worried about being observed and judged. Well, no one is more observant of you than law enforcement, especially during an interrogation. They look for physical and psychological clues from you while paying attention to every little thing you do and say. Make no mistake, law enforcement is there to meticulously observe and judge you.

Morbius has a secret about himself that he doesn’t want law enforcement to know. He also does not want to confess to killing nurse Sutton because he simply can’t remember doing it (we find out later that he didn’t kill her). He needs time to figure all this out, yet he is stuck in an interrogation room with the FBI.

If Morbius had SAD

With the amount of observing and judging going on by the FBI, Morbius would no doubt be sweating and blushing. This is especially true if he lies to them. Lying alters brain chemistry and with SAD, brain chemistry is already so erratic causing extreme anxiety and eventually Red Face. So the combination of being observed, being judged, and lying would 100% equal the recipe of SAD symptoms. In addition to Red Face, Morbius would develop trembling hands, thumpingly fast heart rate, stiff muscles causing rigid body posture, and some lightheadedness. And all of this would happen in front of the interrogating FBI agents. Their first thoughts…”oh he’s definitely guilty.”

Scene 4: Dr. Morbius attends the Nobel Prize ceremony
Dr. Morbius (Jared Leto) approaching the podium to (surprisingly) decline the Nobel Prize. Although we don’t actually see his “rejection speech”, it is referenced in a later scene.
Morbius, 2022

Anxiety Provoking Event: The aftermath of declining the Nobel Prize in front of an auditorium full of people.

Stick with me on this one… Speaking in front of a live audience is not social anxiety. Instead this is a different kind of anxiety called performance anxiety. A lot of people get performance anxiety before a big presentation. It’s that feeling in your gut, “butterflies”, that cause a person to feel really nervous. Although it’s nerve racking, it doesn’t normally cause Red Face symptoms because the context of the anxiety is different. And to get through performance anxiety, all you need to do is what everyone else does. Go up to the podium, accept the award, and leave. If you stick to that plan, you will be fine.

For Dr. Morbius however, that plan didn’t happen. Although we actually didn’t see the scene in the movie where he made a speech to decline the acceptance of the Nobel prize, a newspaper reference was made afterwards that he did indeed do that. The completely unexpected decline of a Nobel prize would send shockwaves around the world. If Morbius had Social Anxiety Disorder, he would draw massive attention to himself. People want to interview him, speak with him, observe him, etc. These are all social anxiety triggers that could lead to SAD symptoms, including Red Face. So although the actual speech in front of a live audience is not the catalyst for SAD symptoms, it’s the aftermath of that speech which is. To avoid the aftermath SAD symptoms of this speech, Morbius would have just chosen to accept the award and move on.

Social Anxiety scene Affecting the Justice League

There is one scene in the film Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice which provokes social anxiety in the core three Justice League heroes: Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

Justice League

Social Anxiety is not something that would typically come to mind when thinking of DC’s Justice League. But unfortunately, social anxiety can get anyone.

The Justice League (DC) is a group of enhanced and skillful warriors who protect the Earth from evil. In theory, the individuals who make up the Justice League are said to be stronger than even The Avengers (that’ll always be an unresolved debate though). With physical strength and power like that of Superman, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman, it’s hard to disagree with that argument. Throw in the speed of Flash, the technological masterpiece of Cyborg, and the mind, skill, and resourcefulness of Batman, the Justice League are more than formidable.

When someone says Justice League, it’s hard not to think of the three core/founding members: Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. They will always be the face of The League, so it’s appropriate to use them as the examples in this article. Specifically, the one scene in Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice which involves the three founding Justice League members provoking social anxiety.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) does not care if you’re The Dark Knight, The Man of Steel, or the Princess of the Amazons. It doesn’t believe in justice, because SAD in itself is unjust. Click here to see why.

The Social Anxiety Scene affecting Justice League’s Batman, Superman, & Wonder Woman

Left to right: Clark Kent (Henry Cavill), Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck). While attending Luthor’s party, Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne discussing Gotham and Metropolis’ respective heroes. Lex Luthor interrupts.
Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2016

Upper class parties with important people, media outlets, and photographers in attendance can be tricky for people with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). While hosting that kind of party, Lex Luthor had a large list of A-listers come by. One of these A-listers is Bruce Wayne (Batman), known as the prince of Gotham. And where there are A-listers, there will always be media. So welcome to the party Clark Kent (Superman), journalist from the Daily Planet. And hey, since we’re at it, let’s see if Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) would want to swing by for a drink. Although not completely clear how she got invited into Luthor’s party, it’s probable she snuck in or stole someone’s identity for the evening. Either way, she was in attendance.

Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) attends Lex Luthor’s party. She is waiting for her opportunity to follow Bruce Wayne and take his data transfer device.
Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2016

Now normally, Bruce Wayne would shy away from the public spotlight. But he attended Luthor’s party as a cover while searching for evidence. He believed that Luthor possessed, or knew the location of, some kryptonite. This caught the attention of Clark Kent. Using his super hearing abilities, he found out that Bruce was not there in support of Luthor’s philanthropic events, but rather on a mission. Clark then decides to do his job and investigate. But before he could do anything, he urgently left the party to save some people from a burning building. And Diana was there, as we found out later, to search for a photograph that Luthor had in his possession. All three of these heroes were at the party for their own personal missions.

Attending a party causes Social Anxiety

At this one party hosted by Lex Luthor, the three founding members of the Justice League were there. They attended not because they wanted to socialize with the upper class, but because they were working. Now imagine you have social anxiety disorder and you were completely uncomfortable socializing with rich, uppity, white-collar folks who you’ve never met before. While trying to blend in and socialize, there is a high risk of developing the awful red face signs of SAD. Enduring bright red facial blushing, profuse sweating, trembling hands, and a pounding heart rate is absolutely devastating in front of people. All eyes around you now zoom in on your face. Even worse, someone is bound to make a comment and call attention to it. If they do, the red and sweaty face becomes even more read and sweaty. It’s really an awful position to be in.

Now let’s say that you are smart enough to know that your face will turn red and sweat while socializing with these people. As an alternative, you’ll stay to the side of the room, take out your phone, and pretend you are busy. This unfortunately, would not be enough to stop red face from occurring. There is something called anticipation. Simply, this is your mind being on overdrive and expecting people to approach you. This anticipation leads to anxiety, which then triggers red face. So you see, you don’t need to socialize with anyone at the party to get the red face of Social Anxiety Disorder. Your presence there is all it takes.

Batman will get Social Anxiety

Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) just planted his data transfer device into Luthor’s network servers. He gets caught by Luthor’s assistant and quickly explains to her that he was looking for the bathroom.
Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2016

So if Batman had SAD (which we know he doesn’t… click here to see why), he would not have been able to keep a low profile while at Luthor’s party. Remember, he needed to go down a flight of stairs, enter a computer room (sort of), and insert a device to replicate data off of Luthor’s servers. He even got caught by one of Luthor’s assistants and needed to lie to avoid suspicion (the old “looking for the bathroom” excuse). If he had SAD, his mission would have been more difficult to focus on because his anxiety would have kicked in hard. Instead of focusing on the evidence he needs, his mind would be occupied by thinking of ways to avoid the red face of SAD. He wouldn’t have even been able to lie to Luthor’s assistant without turning bright red (liar liar face is on fire…SAD people always reveal their lies when their face turns into a tomato).

Superman will get Social Anxiety

Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) speaking to Bruce Wayne while at Lex Luthor’s party.
Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2016

While trying to figure out exactly what Bruce Wayne was doing at Luthor’s party, Clark Kent uses his cover as a journalist to ask Wayne what his thoughts are on The Batman. Despite Wayne’s attempts to dismiss the question, Kent persists and continues to dig, even saying that Batman is a masked vigilante who thinks he is above the law. Prior to this conversation, it seemed that Kent suspected Wayne is Batman and wanted to press him a bit. This could lead to a confrontation in a very public place. If Kent had SAD, he would not have even bothered grilling Wayne. Not at the party at least. The anxiety of social confrontations at a party would easily trigger red face, which is a huge sign of weakness. This isn’t something Superman would want to show Batman.

Wonder Woman will get Social Anxiety

Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) keeping tabs on Bruce Wayne while at Lex Luthor’s party. She is looking back at him so she could follow and eventually take the data transfer device which he plants into Luthor’s network.
Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2016

Keeping her eye on the prize and maintaining a low profile at Luthor’s party, we barely even realized Diana Prince was there. The macho egos of Batman and Superman kind of took control of that scene. Diana inconspicuously stole the device which Bruce Wayne inserted into Luthor’s network systems. We find out later that she was looking for a photograph that was in Luthor’s possession. After the device had completed the data transfer from the network, Wayne went down to collect it. He realized it was taken and saw Diana looking right at him. It’s as if she wanted him to know that she took it. He started approaching her, but she walked away and left the party before he could catch up.

Although we didn’t see her socialize with anyone at the party, Diana would still have triggered a severe SAD moment. Doing something wrong in a public place can lead to public confrontation. The fear and anxiety of being caught could trigger SAD’s red face. If Wayne shouted in front of everybody to stop Diana or publicly labelled her as a thief, we would have seen her face turn bright red and sweat drip off her forehead. She would have been so uncomfortable and embarrassed. Thankfully for her though, her powers allow her to be quicker than the mortal Bruce Wayne. As a result, she got away from him without a hitch.

Does Batman have Social Anxiety Disorder

There are five questions we need to answer to see if Batman actually has SAD. Judgement, humiliation, authority figures, attraction, and lifestyle are all in consideration.

The Batman

If there was any superhero who acts like he’s got Social Anxiety Disorder, it’s definitely Batman.

The newest rendition of Batman played by Robert Pattinson is undoubtedly the darkest version of Gotham’s hero that we have seen on the big screen. The mood is grim, the violence is uncontrollable, the city is always gray or black, and it was raining for 90% of the movie. It’s a much scarier Gotham than we have seen from previous movies. I would say that it’s a good thing they have Batman, but honestly, he’s the scariest one in entire film. But as we’ve learned from 2008’s The Dark Knight, Batman is “the hero that Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs.”

The Batman movie (2022) shows a side of Batman that is dark, silent, and very violent. Contrary to all the previous Batman movies, Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne has no real social life. He does not feel compelled to make appearances, despite the advice he gets from his butler and friend, Alfred. In fact, the only time we truly see him unmasked and in public is when he was on a scouting mission to attend the mayor’s funeral. Other than that, he is true to the identity of the masked vigilante.

Considering his behavior throughout this movie, it’s a plausible question to ask whether Batman/Bruce Wayne gets social anxiety when out in public. And based on the degree of his isolationist-type behavior, it’s even more plausible to ask whether he has Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).

Batcave’s are great for avoiding Social Anxiety Disorder symptoms

Staying hidden in a Batcave or living alone in a huge mansion, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) can still find you. If Batman is reading this, I invite you to unmask yourself and click here to learn a thing or two about SAD. If you’re not Batman, I still invite you to learn about SAD. Who knows… you may know someone who has it.

The Five Ways to tell if Batman has Social Anxiety Disorder

1. Is Batman afraid of being judged negatively by others?

Batman about to open a can of whoop ass on The Penguin while inside the night club. Penguin quickly identifies himself, which saves him punishment for the time being.
The Batman, 2022.

Batman fights crime, answers to no one, and doesn’t try to give a false impression of himself. He is a violent, terrifying figure and he knows it. He is fully aware that he is consistently judged by media, politicians, and ordinary citizens. He’s been called a freak, a nut, and has even been protested against by Gotham police and citizens. In fact, their negative judgement led to him being called a “masked vigilante.” Do you know what he did after he heard them refer to him as this moniker? He continued to show up. Nothing changed. So no, Batman is not afraid of being judged negatively. If he were, he would not continue to put himself in that position.

2. Is Batman afraid of being humiliated or embarrassed?

Batman starring down one of The Penguin’s cronies while fighting off the others at the nightclub.
The Batman, 2022

The man wears a tight body suit, utility belt, and a cape. Humiliation has found him a long time ago. He just doesn’t care. Have a look at the most recent film, The Batman (2022). Batman walks into a busy nightclub, filled with people dancing, drinking, and having a good time. He walks right through the club, with all eyes on him. People stare, make comments, and some even joke. To anyone with Social Anxiety Disorder, this would be very embarrassing and would make you walk out of that club immediately. But for Batman, he doesn’t seem to mind.

3. Does Batman feel overly anxious or a sense of inferiority around authority figures?

Lt. Jim Gordon speaking to Batman after the death of Mayor Mitchell and sharing the first riddle of the movie.
The Batman, 2022

Of course not. Batman is good friends with Lt. Jim Gordon (good friends in the sense that they work well together). They set up the “Bat Signal” to reach out to each other, they exchange tips and leads about criminal cases, and Gordon even protects him from being pursued by other cops.

Lt. Gordon and the rest of his police force all aiming their guns at Carmine Falconi as Batman brings him out of the night club for arrest. A few scenes earlier in the movie, those same cops were trying catch & arrest Batman. It’s a love-hate relationship.
The Batman, 2022

Speaking of other cops, Batman is consistently defying police orders. When they instruct him to freeze, he keeps going. If they attack him, he fights them off. When they tell him that he cannot be here because it’s a crime scene, Batman collects evidence and takes it home with him. He actually makes them feel a sense of inferiority.

4. Do we see any signs of Social Anxiety when he meets new people or attractive women, like Selina Kyle?

Selina Kyle (played by Zoe Kravitz) getting very close to Batman as she convinces him to help her.
The Batman, 2022

Although Batman wears a mask, it’s important to recognize that his mask is not like that of Spiderman or Deadpool. The lower half of Batman’s face is still exposed, including his cheeks. If he were to blush, which is a common sign of SAD, we would be able to see it clearly. And since his voice isn’t muffled by a mask over his mouth, we would be able to hear any trembling in his voice too (which is another sign of SAD). We have never seen him blush or exhibit vocal trembling.

The sweating however, which is a major sign of SAD, would be real tough to notice because it starts at the head/forehead and drips down. Batman’s mask would protect him from the visibility of sweat. But generally speaking, he didn’t seem to show any signs of SAD when he met Selina Kyle. Not even after she got close to him, put her hands on his face, and kissed him.

5. Does Batman avoid Social Gatherings and Events?

Bruce Wayne makes his only public appearance in the movie. He is speaking to mayor candidate Bella Real at the funeral event for former mayor Mitchell. Bruce attended to see if he can identify any suspects for the murder.
The Batman, 2022

Yes. Hell yes. Whether he is Batman or Bruce Wayne, both identities stayed far away from social gatherings. He had opportunities to attend mayoral candidate Bella Real’s campaign fundraisers, make public appearances at restaurants, and even attend speaking engagements for the city. In the end however, Batman went to a night club on a mission to catch criminals and Bruce Wayne made his first public appearance at a funeral for the sole purpose of working a criminal case. Other than “work” related reasons, Batman/Bruce stay away from social events.

Now although avoiding the social light is something that SAD sufferers may do, they don’t do it to the extreme that Batman does. People with SAD will still go out to restaurants, public engagements, etc., but it would be more limited and at their own level of comfort. In Batman’s case, he was traumatized as a child which altered his behavior to be socially distant and isolated. This is by choice of lifestyle, not accommodation to Social Anxiety Disorder.

Conclusion

Although Batman may seem like he could possibly have SAD based off his behavior from 2022’s The Batman, the conclusion to this investigation is simply no. There are no Red Face signs which suggest Social Anxiety Disorder in Batman. Maybe signs that he should see a therapist though, cuz…dam!

The Avenger who would be most affected by Social Anxiety

The Avengers’ Tony Stark would be a completely different man if he had Social Anxiety Disorder. Shyness and passive behavior would be his new identity.

None of The Avengers have shown signs of social anxiety throughout the MCU, but if this one Avenger had it, it would completely wreak havoc on him. An Avenger with Social Anxiety seems like a very small problem considering all the battles they’ve fought. But, for this one Avenger, Social Anxiety would change his life.

Iron Man’s iron like social confidence

It takes a very specific set of skills to be an Avenger. Whether it’s leadership and shield throwing by Captain America, precision and archery from Hawkeye, or a really mean temper unleashed by The Hulk. Each one of them possesses elite skills for their jobs. Sure, as a team The Avengers combine skills and resources to be formidable opponents against any adversary (except an Infinity Gauntlet Thanos of course). But there’s more to them than just avenging and fighting bad guys all day long. Each one has a unique personality making them a very diverse group of individuals.  

Specifically, regarding being socially active, the only Avenger who far outweighs all others is Tony Stark (Iron Man). Think about Stark’s highly outgoing personality throughout all the MCU movies we’ve seen him in. He consistently engages with highly attractive women, authoritative figures, aliens, strangers, friends, and large crowds. Tony Stark is the epitome of being social, and as such, he would be the most affected Avenger by Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). 

The Helmet is Social Anxiety’s arch nemesis

**Click here if you are clueless as to what SAD is and why only a helmet, like Iron Man’s head gear, can hide your symptoms.**

So how would Social Anxiety affect Tony Stark?  

Iron Man (Tony Stark) played by Robert Downey Jr. being interviewed by attractive reporter. This is a social anxiety causing event.
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) interviewed by attractive reporter, Christine Everhart, before taking her back to his Malibu home. Social Anxiety appears in front of attractive people, particularly when it’s an unexpected encounter.
Marvel Studios’ Iron Man, 2008

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) causes a person to feel an intense fear of being watched, judged, and embarrassed, in a variety of social situations. These situations lead to the awful Red Face of SAD. Heavy blushing, profuse sweating, rapid heart beat, trembling hands, lightheadedness, and other really uncomfortable symptoms will occur. The fear is so bad that it causes severe anxiety, which can consistently disrupt normal daily life. As we’ve seen throughout his appearances in the MCU, a normal day for Tony Stark includes: 

  • flirting with the attractive news reporters (Iron Man 1, 2008) 
  • partying with the flight attendants on his private plane (Iron Man 1, 2008) 
  • being center stage and in the limelight in front of thousands of people at the Stark Expo (Iron Man 2, 2010)
  • mouthing off on authoritative figures in Congress on national television (Iron Man 2, 2010)  
  • hosting his birthday party at his California mansion (Iron Man 2, 2010) 
  • speaking to a group of reporters outside the hospital while making his announcement message to The Mandarin (Iron Man 3, 2013) 
  • hosting a party with big-time people in attendance at Avengers Tower (Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015) 
  • attending a cultural event in India (Spiderman: Homecoming, 2017)  
Tony Stark attending an Indian event while speaking to Peter Parker via “wifi”
Spiderman: Homecoming, 2017

If Stark had SAD, he would not be able to do any of those things. Not even one! The symptoms of developing a red, blush face, profuse sweating, thumping fast heart rate, and trembling hands would stop him from even considering being social like that. These symptoms wouldn’t let him flirt, party, or sound off on anyone on Capitol Hill (especially on national tv). In fact, even if Stark planned on doing anyone one of those things, like partying at Avengers Tower for example, he would develop severe anxiety weeks before the party ever occurs. Anticipating a social event can be really devastating for someone with SAD, causing them to back out and not attend at all.  

Social Anxiety Disorder would change Tony Stark’s identity

The effect of SAD doesn’t just stop someone from being social, it takes away a part of their identity. Could you imagine if Tony Stark was shy? Could you really picture him choosing to stay home and watch tv rather than going to a party? What if he wasn’t so quick and witty to defend himself or criticize others, like we’ve seen him do so many times throughout his appearances in the MCU. Look at the first Avengers movie (2012) for example. Stark was quick to defend himself and criticize Steve Rogers, like in the following conversation:

Iron Man (Tony Stark) played by Robert Downey Jr. confronts Captain America (Steve Rogers) played by Chris Evans in The Avengers. This confrontation causes Social Anxiety.
Steve Rogers (Captain America) played by Chris Evans confronts Tony Stark (Iron Man) played by Robert Downey Jr. while the other Avengers are watching on. They trade disparaging words with each other, one trying to top the other.
Marvel Studios The Avengers, 2012

Scene: While in SHIELD’s Helicarrier, Steve Rogers ridiculed Stark in front of the other Avengers by saying the following:

Steve Rogers: “Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?”

Starks reply: “Genius. Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist.”

If Tony Stark had Social Anxiety Disorder, the conversation would likely have been:

Steve Rogers: “Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?”

Tony Stark: “Nothing.” Beads of sweat would form on Tony’s head, heat would rush to his face, and redness will flush his cheeks.

Stark would have replied with a one word conceding answer to avoid conflict in front of the others. He would not have wanted people to watch him defend himself and therefore would have avoided the spot light. Stark would have tried to end the conversation before developing the dreaded red face.

Someone with Social Anxiety Disorder does not want to prolong any conversation, especially one similar to that above. A conversation in which others are watching, is argumentative, or is with unfamiliar people (remember Stark and Rogers only met for the first time earlier in that movie), makes SAD sufferers very uncomfortable. If Tony Stark had SAD, his personality would be completely different because he wouldn’t be able to control the symptoms of the highly uncomfortable red (blush) face, sweating, trembling, and fast heart rate. SAD would change the socially active Tony Stark to an unrecognizable, passive and quiet character. 

What if Captain America had Social Anxiety?

If Captain America had Social Anxiety Disorder, his iconic disc-shaped shield may not have ever existed. 

The Greatest Soldier in History

It’s hard to imagine it, but what if Captain America actually had Social Anxiety Disorder?

Captain America is one of the most popular superheroes in the world. As the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Steve Rogers has become a global icon. Known for his righteous character, patriotic attire, and indestructible circular shield, his unique story is captivating. He was born in 1918, grew up as a slim and puny kid, and became the world’s first superhero after being inoculated with a super soldier serum. He was then frozen for nearly 70 years when he succeeded in saving the world back in 1945. Cap’s story sure is an interesting one as we’ve seen on the big screen for the past 10 years.  

If Captain America had social anxiety disorder (SAD), would that have affected him at all? Would SAD have altered the course of events that went on in his life? Below we will examine three scenes of Captain America taken from movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  

Know About SAD

**A vibranium shield would be great for protecting yourself during battle, but not from hiding signs/symptoms of SAD. Click here to see what those are.**

1. Social Anxiety scene from Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America double date. This provokes social anxiety
Steve Rogers on a double date with best friend Bucky Barnes at Stark Expo. His attention is clearly not on the date and his date seems to be even less interested in him.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) 

Scene: Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes at the Stark Expo, “Don’t do anything stupid until I get back” conversation

Anxiety Provoking Event: Steve Rogers going on a double date at a large social event 

If Steve Rogers had Social Anxiety Disorder, he would never have received the super soldier serum, therefore would never have been Captain America.  

background

While on a double (blind) date with his best friend Bucky at the Stark Expo, Steve Rogers was overheard discussing his immense desire to serve in the army and help his fellow Americans in the war against the Nazi’s. He mentioned to Bucky that “there are men laying down their lives” and he has “no right to do any less than them.” Dr. Erskine overheard this discussion and kept his eye on Steve.  

Steve Rogers talking to Bucky, while Dr. Erskine overhears the conversation in the background.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011

After the now infamous conclusion to their conversation: 

Bucky: “Don’t do anything stupid until I get back” 

Steve: “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” 

While at the army enlistment medical office, Steve was about to undergo the standard physical examination when suddenly the physician left, and Dr. Erskine entered the room. Steve and Dr. Erskine briefly spoke about Steve’s intentions if enlisted, and afterwards Erskine was quick to approve him for army service. This led to Steve’s inoculation of Dr. Erskine’s super soldier serum, which converted Steve Rogers into Captain America. 

Steve Rogers meets Dr. Erskine at the military recruitment clinic.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011

Social Anxiety would alter Steve Rogers’ behavior

If Steve Rogers had Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), he never would have gone on a double date with Bucky to the Stark Expo, particularly a blind date. SAD would have created an abnormally high level of anxiety from the immense fear of meeting a girl and going on a blind date. The fear of being embarrassed and humiliated would create physical symptoms, particularly profuse sweating, heavy facial blushing, rapid heart rate, and trembling hands. He may even feel nauseous and lightheaded.  

effect of being on a date with sad

Steve would then worry about how she would think of him. Her judgement of him would occupy his mind throughout the duration of their date. And if he experienced the physical symptoms of Red Face (heavy blushing and sweating), then the fear of her and others noticing would be devastating to him. People who notice others’ blushing and sweating typically call attention to it. This would severely worsen the symptoms as redness and moisture will significantly increase causing a very high degree of humiliation to the SAD sufferer. This would be considered a traumatic event. 

Steve Rogers would not have been selected to be captain America

So, to avoid this potentially traumatic event from occurring, Steve would not have even gone on that double date. This means that Dr. Erskine wouldn’t have heard his conversation with Bucky at the Expo, and therefore would never have chosen Steve to be inoculated and become Captain America. Eventually, there may have been someone else chosen, but that person’s name would not be Steve Rogers. 

2. Other Social Anxiety Scene from Captain America: The First Avenger

Captain America speaking up at movies theater and drawing attention to himself. This is social anxiety triggering
Steve Rogers telling the loud movie-goer to keep quiet shortly before being taken outside and beaten up. Social Anxiety would prevent Rogers from speaking up in a packed theatre and drawing attention to himself.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) 

Scene: The movie theater scene, the alley fight scene 

Anxiety Provoking Event: Arguing/shouting inside a movie theater 

If Captain America had Social Anxiety Disorder, the iconic disc-shaped shield of Captain America may not have ever existed. 

background

At the beginning of Captain America: The First Avenger, we see Steve Rogers in the movie theater watching Uncle Sam advertisements to join the army and fight in the war. In the background, we hear an obnoxious man continuously shouting to start the movie, even going as far as to say “who cares! Start the cartoon!”. This utter disrespect wasn’t to be taken lightly be Rogers as he told the man,  
“Hey, you want to shut up?!”  

Steve Rogers picks up trash can lid and uses it as a shield while getting beat up outside of the movie theater.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011

Cutting to the very next scene, Rogers is in the alley way outside the movie theater getting the sh*t beat out of him. After having his face used as a punching bag, Steve picks up a silver disc-shaped trash can lid and briefly uses it as a shield. The man rips it out of his hands and barks, “you just don’t know when to give up, do you?” Rogers then replies with, the now infamous line which we’ve heard again in Avengers End Game, “I can do this all day.”  

At this moment, we learn two things:  

  1. Steve Rogers prefers a shield, specifically a disc-shaped one  
  1. He has heart like Rocky Balboa, as he just keeps getting back up for more.  

Although short-lived, the trash can lid which Rogers picked up and used as a shield is symbolic of the famous Captain America shield which he wields throughout his time in the MCU. He chose the design of the shield midway through the movie when he handed the spec sheet over to Howard Stark.  

SAD would again change Steve Rogers’ behavior

If Steve Rogers had Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), would he have ever picked up that trash can lid? No, he wouldn’t have! In fact, the fight scene in the alley way would have never happened. Someone with Social Anxiety Disorder would never have shouted back in a movie theater, even if he were justified. The intense fear of drawing attention to yourself and being judged by others is too overwhelming. That means Rogers would not have had the knuckle sandwich served by the man and the idea of using a circular, disc-shaped shield would never have been foreshadowed. Rogers’ shield would likely have remained the large, clunky, traditional shape (found in the Seal of the United States), instead of the disc-shaped one he tried out in the alley way. Yea, good luck throwing that around. 

3. Social Anxiety Scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron

Captain America (Steve Rogers) attending a party in Avengers Age of Ultron. This is a social anxiety trigger.
Party at Avengers Tower in New York City. Avengers are celebrating after finally recovering Loki’s scepter (Mind Stone)
Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Scenes: The party at Avengers Tower scene where the Avengers took turns trying to lift Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer 

Anxiety Provoking Event: Attending a large social gathering with prominent figures in attendance  

If Captain America had Social Anxiety Disorder, he may not have learned that he is worthy of wielding Mjolnir, and thus would not have used it against Thanos in Avengers: End Game. 

background

After capturing Loki’s scepter early in the movie, Tony Stark held a party at Avengers tower in New York City. There were a lot of people there enjoying drinks, telling stories, and interacting with each other. At the end of the night, the only people remaining at the party were the Avengers and Dr. Helen Cho (world-renowned geneticist).

In a playful game to determine who is worthy of lifting Thor’s hammer (Mjolnir), each Avenger attempted and failed at lifting the mystical weapon. But something very interesting happened when Captain America tried to lift it: the hammer actually moved ever-so-slightly. At this point, Captain America knew that he is worthy of possessing the hammer, but no one else realized that. In a complete act of selflessness, he spared the proud and fragile ego of Thor and kept his worthiness quiet.  

Captain America (Steve Rogers) lifting Thor's Hammer in front of the Avengers. This is a social anxiety trigger
Steve Rogers attempts to lift Mjolnir (Thor’s hammer) while at the Avengers Tower party. Unlike all the other Avengers, Cap is actually able to barely and slightly move the hammer.
Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015

the fight against thanos

Fast forward a few years to Avengers: End Game, we see Captain America wield Mjolnir to save Thor’s life in the fight against Thanos. In fact, not only did he lift and wield Mjolnir, but he also possessed the power of thunder and lightning (Thor’s power). Cap kept his worthiness of lifting the hammer a secret and only unveiled it during the fight of his life (and Thor’s life). He used the hammer and lightning strikes in a desperate attempt to defeat Thanos, and although Thanos was still able to overcome Cap’s new power, it did hold him off long enough for the portals to open and bring Black Panther, Falcon, Spiderman, and all other heroes of the MCU to join the fight. This led to the defeat of the mad Titan and his army. 

captain america would never have known that he could lift Thor’s hammer

If Captain America had SAD, he wouldn’t have known that he was worthy of wielding Mjolnir and possessing Thor’s power. He never even would have made it to the party at Avengers Tower. People who have SAD tend to avoid large gatherings, like a party, especially if there are celebrity type figures there. And if they suck it up and go, they must endure the uncomfortable feeling of anxiety of being embarrassed the whole time. This causes them to isolate themselves frequently and leave the party early without notice.

With SAD, Captain America likely wouldn’t have attended the party. If he did, he would not have stayed long enough to play the “lift Mjolnir” game with the other Avengers. Unaware of his worthiness to wield Mjolnir, Cap would not have been able to save Thor or build any momentum against Thanos in Avengers: End Game. This could have altered the fight against the mad Titan in, possibly even leading to a different outcome.