Be an "actress" like me.
In other words, when you don't feel confident, comfortable, and feel threatened (severely anxious) by "how others are judging you",
which causes intense fears, discomfort, leading to social isolation...

1. First, clean yourself up so you "look the best you can be",
(for me that means putting on make-up and earrings, ironing my clothes etc.
(Btw, when I don't force myself to do those extra stupid vain things, people always say I look ok, but I only feel I'm "at my best", when I do, which increases my confidence.

2. Most important: Remind yourself, those people walking by
WHO LOOK SO CONFIDENT, HAPPY, RELAXED, ATTRACTIVE AND IN CONTROL,
deep down, inside, [B]likely feel exactly like you[/B] (scared, anxious, self-defeated, out-of-place, discouraged, ugly, self conscious and maybe even panicky...

3. Before putting on your "actress face", before going outside (or any place where there's other people "watching" you)...
Decide/choose (details) of WHO you are portraying...
IDK, who you might want to be (other than yourself),
but imagine somebody your really, really like (all the characteristics of how they would look and feel),
AND PRETEND TO BE THAT PERSON...

For me that's easy,
because I'm always "acting" "pretending" to be
the person I was, before my life fell apart (years ago).
That person= A successful confident attractive intelligent kind
mother and career woman who loves (enjoys) life and other people.

---I'm NOT that person anymore

BUT when I'm in "public" I try my best to pretend to be. (It's an act, worthy of an academy award-LOL).

...I must put on my "actress" face to even slightly pretend to be that public image I want others to see...

I liked that person (I was), I respected that person, and when I was that person (internally happy and confident) I had no concerns or anxiety, whatsoever,
about what others were thinking (about me)--
I actually really didn't even care/think about what strangers thought about me.
Those were the days (when I could be in public without any qualms),
but those days are long gone

So,
NOW (about 1 year) since being ridden with severe depression and anxiety,
I MUST be an ACTRESS to be around others.

Trust me, it works

And although it is a bit time-consuming gearing myself up to leave the house, with my "actress-face" on,
I ALWAYS FEEL MUCH BETTER WHEN I RETURN.

In other words, "social isolation" and being alone, often only supports our DISTORTED negative image of ourselves.

If I was in your path
(I'm probably not, but rather hundreds or thousands of miles away)
I (would) want to meet you, I (wound) want to talk to you, I (would) embrace your imperfections, BECAUSE "perfect confident people" are boring. And you are not.
READING YOUR POST, I KNOW
You are unique and special, and it's your (best qualities + imperfections that make you that way).
Again "being perfect" is really dull.

"Look" the best you can be,
(smile mandatory, even if it is a fake one...Or at the very least put on an inviting relaxed expression),
And Get OUT there! LOL.

The world needs YOU!!!!,
(more than your anxiety needs yourself isolated).
GOOD LUCK.

I hope some day, me, you and others (with social anxiety) heal,
but until then IT IS MANDATORY and LIFE SUSTAINING,
to do whatever it takes (E.g. Be an actress/actor) to participate in life.