Dealing with social anxiety

Ah I'm sorry you're going through this :( That sounds like such an awful tension. I do not have social anxiety myself, but these situations are slightly stressful for me as well, as I am constantly concerning myself with what people think of me! What helps me is if I bring my phone, so I look like I am talking to somebody (you could even really be talking to somebody!) or my laptop, or a book to read, so I look preoccupied and like I'm doing something better than being with somebody :)

How are you doing now? I've felt the same way and fled/avoided many situations. I found what helped in the long run really involved pushing myself to the point of discomfort but not failure. Be patient with yourself but challenge yourself too. It's hard but it will be worth it. And other people will be glad to have you with them!

I know the feeling. It helps if you take something to do eg I scroll through emails, fbect on my phone when I'm alone. I keep my mind occupied by doing something & being alone doesn't bother me. I used to feel weird about this when I started college but then I realized a lot of people eat alone. Finding people to eat w/ every single time is ridiculous when you all have different schedules. Eating doesn't have to be social. It's just something we do to survive like breathing

I'm sorry to hear that you're having such a hard time with your anxiety. I've dealt with social anxiety myself so I understand how difficult it can be. One thing that I've found that works to help social anxiety get much better, is just to really push yourself out of your comfort zone. Confidence is something that has to be built up over time, and if you don't force yourself into those situations, it's very difficult to gain the confidence you need to feel less anxious. I know that may seem like an impossible thing for you to do right now but that's what has worked for me and a lot of other people around me who have social anxiety. Good luck with feeling better! :)