Hey Andee,
Welcome to the forums and it is great to have you here. As Jess stated above, you will find these forums as a loving, caring and supportive place where you will never be judged and we will always be here to listen and provide support, assistance and advice should you ever need it.
Sorry to hear that the other day was especially difficult for you. I experienced social anxiety for years and many of us can relate to exactly what your going through. You are not alone! Social gatherings were extremely hard particularly small gatherings as it is very intimate environment and it is hard to avoid interacting with people (or at least it was for me).
May I ask if you have told anyone about your social anxiety and spoken to any health professionals? It may be worth considering seeing a therapist/psychologist and discussing the possibility of gradual exposure therapy as a treatment/intervention option. I know social anxiety is extremely difficult to overcome but I did it, so why can't you!
I can tell that you are an extremely intelligent, brave and resilient person and you have the desire to improve your situation. Hope this helps and look forward to seeing you around on the forums.
All the best,
Nick.
