Socializing through the pain of social anxiety

I am trying to work through similar problems myself. It might be easier if you just try to make more of an effort with people you feel more comfortable with and you like because being "friends" with people you are not comfortable with seems to make it worse. And also if you make sure that the people you try to be friends with are making an effort with YOU as well. That's definitely important. I have a friend who will never start talking to me or invite me to do anything, I always have to make the first move or say the first thing. But maybe it's just because she is shy though. :eusa_doh:If you ask people to do stuff outside of work it might make it easier to make it less of a "direct" social activity like playing tennis or going fishing or something and instead offer to help them with something they or you are working on or say you need help training for a chess tournament (just an example)maybe. But, I also think others probably feel nervous as you and might even think you don't want to hang out with anyone outside work, so if you are just honest to them and even talk to them about it they will feel that you trust them more and you'll feel more comfortable with them. Someone at school was saying the other day that you should "just be chill and not worry too much and don't appear too shy or sad". I though that was good advice.