I don't know how old you are (i guess you're in highschool) but I know that doing after school stuff completely changed me. I did marching band for 3 years and it had a pretty great effect. But of course.... you might be too cool for band....
Also the job part is true. Maybe get a waitering job.. it sucks but it'll force you into those social situations and plus if you get good the money isn't bad.

I don't wanna die.

*coughpussycough* I've deployed to kuwait, and iraq, didnt die either time bucko 

is this topic makin fun of me

there were a bunch of people there talking about how hard it was to stand in line at the grocery and fiddling with money to the cashier. And how they couldn't walk out to the car park if anyone else was close and shit. Just this fear of society.

i'm like this imo it really sucks. like if there is someone anywhere i can't move to do anything. if my roommates are like anywhere but STATIONARY AT THEIR DESKS or behind closed doors than i cannot get up to do anything. it's seriously rough :-(

I try very hard to look people in the eye but I usually just end up watching their mouths.  I don't exactly have a HEARING problem, but for some reason I have like...a listening comprehension problem.  Even at a good volume, I sometimes just can't understand what people are saying to me.  So, I watch their mouths so I can read their lips and get the words they're forming.

Does anyone else have this?  I'm just amazed at the amount of times I don't understand people when they talk to me even though they're not too quiet.  Also if someone says something to me when I'm not looking at them at all, I usually have to have them repeat it.

reading this topic made me feel p. good about myself.

thx bro(s)

I try very hard to look people in the eye but I usually just end up watching their mouths.  I don't exactly have a HEARING problem, but for some reason I have like...a listening comprehension problem.  Even at a good volume, I sometimes just can't understand what people are saying to me.  So, I watch their mouths so I can read their lips and get the words they're forming.

i do this too but i think it'sa matter of everyone in today's world mumbling. my preferred form of communication is TEXT on computerscreen so when people mumble under their breath is is really hard to understand

my preferred form of communication is TEXT on computerscreen

lol irl

I'm going to give you some suggestions and seeing as how you must be over eighteen you should be able to handle it:

get a job. Even if its just at mcdonalds or some bullshit, being around people at work will help you meet and converse with new people and that should help you get over it. You don't have to commit to anything, just try it out for a few weeks and see if it helps out. Having some extra cash too would be cool so you don't have to borrow from your mom.

If you smoke bud or drink I advise trying to hangout with a few people that you think might be into that (either from work or maybe a few friends if you have any) it will really help you relax around other people and loosen up after you get comfortable around a few people maybe try it around others at bigger events? I feel like talking to total strangers when I'm trashed and I'm pretty introverted to people I don't know too. Common sense will tell you not to become depended on those substances to be around other people. But it is a really good ice breaker!


And man don't be worried about what you look like. You really need to get over that.

If someone doesn't like the way you look then they're probably an asshole anyways. I throw on whatever I can find and I got bedhead and no one I hangout with or have met has ever given me shit about it.

I understand if maybe YOU aren't comfortable with what YOU look like and if thats the case then yeah, spruce yourself up if you want. But don't worry about what other people think because it doesn't matter!


Edit: I NEVER look anyone in the eye when I talk to them, I don't know why I guess its a subconscious thing and I really didn't notice at all until some girl told me at work when I was in HS.

yeah, you know now that i think about it i hardly ever look anyone in the eye either. unless i'm really trying to stress a point.

getting a job does help. I was pretty much in the same shape as groucho marxist. i have problems with social anxiety still, but it's just something I'll always have to deal with. I usually try to find ways to deal with it and do my best. Don't be afraid of meeting new people, because for every 100 shitty ones you meet there is one really cool person that you'd regret not meeting later. seriously. go out and live life. even if you are fucking terrified. just. get. over. it.

Eye contact is a form of respect....at least where I come from. I actually wasn't too good at it myself until I got a job where I had to do it.
 
But yeah, get a job man. Make sure it's a job that you can interact with different people. Get in contact with your old friends even if it's just a phone call. When you don't do anything for an extended period, things like this can happen. Your parents are willing to help you out too, so there is no excuse for this.
Definitely get a job...it is most important...

well as ya'll can probably remember, I used to have this shit (and having a job didn't help, I wouldn't speak to anyone there, and did my best to avoid being seen). I've always been a shy person and still am very shy, but it's something I just had to dealt with and deal with and I don't have too much problem anymore, just listening to groovy music helped me out.

I do think you should volunteer for community theatre (one thing I used to do when I was younger, and it helped me a LOT). You may be scared at first but once you get a rythym going you can use that fear as adrenaline rather than panic. There is no better therapy for your type of situation. You can come into practice viewing this as a job (whether there is payment or not). And when you stand up on stage usually if its even a half decent play you are going to get a lot of laughs and cheers. This sort of thing really helps boost your confidence.