Last summer I did a dedicated CBT group for social phobia, and that helped me a lot. You might be able to find something similar.

One thing that I find helps me is to remember that most people are nervous meeting people for the first time.

And a good way to start the conversation, is to ask people questions about themselves, like where they work, or what they're studying or how they know the host if it's at a party. People generally like to talk about themselves.

We also have a social phobia support group here that meets once a month. You might find you have something similar in your area.

Good luck.

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