Hi nemo. I read the entire threat and there are a lot of good ideas, insights here.

I just want to add that I had social anxiety disorder, that made my teens a hell. Later when I was 21 or so I started doing a lot of self-help and it really worked! Here are some names of books I thought are really good. Take a look for them in an (online) bookstore if you're interested:

- How to make friends and influence people
- First Impressions - what you don't know about how others see you
- 7 habits of highly effective people
- spirituality of imperfection (more about the spiritual side of men than about communication... but good book)

I say this because I've tried therapy and meds., but they just didn't work for me, and I feel they robbed many years of my life, when I was constantly given false hope. Self-help is what worked for me and I hope it can work for you too.