It happens to me, too. quality_worms, you're not weird. Do you come from a negativity-addicted/critical family (do their conversations center around "what's wrong with"? Do you ever feel drained rather than revitalized after talking with them? Do they seem to notice you more when you have a problem?) ? If you do, you could be suffering from "Dysthymia, a chronic low-grade depression" ("When is enough, enough?" by Laurie Ashner and Mitch Meyerson, pg 65) I myself come from such type of family. In addition, my mom taught me to mistrust people and interfered with my psychosocial development (she claimed that friends are out there to corrupt you). To make a long story short, I feel rusty when I try to talk to people.