All my life I have been anxious. As I child I worried about everyone in my family. I worried until I made myself ill. Whenever I visited the doctor until I was 17 or 18 my blood pressure woud skyrocket because I was so scared the doctor was going to tell me something horrible.
Somehow my anxiety levels with those things decreased significantly as I reached my very late teens and early 20's.
Now, however, I find that I avoid social situations. I hate leaving the house. I'm young and many of my friends go out on the weekends, they cannot understand why I don't want to go, but I honestly cannot get into it. When I go out I am nervous and constantly worry about what everyone is thinking. I am also deathly afraid of running into someone I know. For some reason I hate running into people and making small talk. I get awkward and blush and my palms start sweating.
If I have to go shopping I go late at night as not to run into anyone and when I walk somewhere I take the backstreets so I don't see anyone.
Is this social anxiety, or am I just this way?
Thanks