As I was saying In another post. I'm pretty sure we need to "habituate to the stimulus."
For me I try to go out as much as I can to not be affected by strangers.
I try to commit to do a 45 min a day walk. I'm finding this helps a lot with some music.
music that helps you feel cool or relaxed.
Go to the park. Visit family. Sit with a coffes at a coffee shop with a newspaper or device.
walk around the neighbourhood and treat yourself. Its a day by day thing I think it may get easier. Don't think about smalltalk. don't critize youself if you feel like a drooling idiot after talking to someone. Forget about it. its not necesssry. People understand. Smalltalk my arse. you don't have to be that person. Go inside your body and relax instead. Smalltalk may surface but to hell with gdmaned smalltakk enough already AAAAAAh