I definitely get this, even when the only people around me are strangers, like in a store, but also when I know the peple, like at work. To me, it's a mix of my anxiety disorder and my struggle to keep my self-esteem up. It's made me a perfectionist about my looks, so everything has to be in place or I just don't want to go. I was in a support group once that challenged me to go out in public with my shirt untucked. It was really uncomfortable for me, but it forced me to see my problem and to see that everything was still o.k. even if people saw me as less than perfect.

My advice is to consider whether this problem for you is both one of anxiety and self-esteem, or just anxiety. If it's both, maybe some self-esteem building work can help. Either way, know that you are not alone in your struggle and please be patient with yourself.

Be well,

mtd