Hi there. It almost sounds like panic attacks. Online it's fear of not being able to see them. Face to face, I think it's fear of saying/doing the wrong thing, without meaning to. Sometimes we 'babble' to cover up feeling foolish when we're talking, even to someone we know well. I know if I was to meet the Royal's for instance, I would either not say a thing, or say something really stupid. Like you, my heart would pound, my hands get sweaty. Unfortunately, there is no, one answer, what works for one might not necessarily work for someone else. The more you're aware of it, the worse it seems to get. One way I have of combating it (works for me), if I see someone I know and I start sweating etc, I take a deep breath, put a smile on my face and 'take the bull by the horns'. I stroll over, say hi, smile, then say, can't stop to talk, I am busy, but I'll catch up later. That way, you're not being rude or disrespectful. You've acknowledged them, you can then walk away, no harm done either way. As far as ex's bf, I think if I saw an ex, I would probably run for cover too. The last thing you want to do is bump into someone connected with a previous relationship. That's an awkward situation, both for you and them. New bf in this case probably felt a bit uncomfortable too. The breathing/relaxation techniques really work too.
