Ok I need to clarify: I am not seeing my friend as a therapist. I just asked her a few questions and told her I have been researching AvPD. I would never talk to her about all of this stuff! That wasn't really the point of my post but seems to be what people are commenting on the most. My point was really just that I think I have these traits even though I have not been diagnosed. I just feel like reading more and more about it- it's just making my life CLICK! Like suddenly everything makes sense. My past, my insecurities, my behaviors that seem a little "off"

I'm afraid to take the plunge of face to face therapy though.

Has anyone else here come upon that realization on their own? Or was it more or less a therapist who told you "this is what you have"? I just feel like I know myself better than any therapist could evaluate me.