Is it normal to constantly be afraid of people judging you?
During middle school I began to notice a problem with the way I interacted with others. I went to a small rural school from pre-k all the way to 8th grade and I was around the same group of people. Around 6th/7th grade everyone began to hit puberty of course and I was the late bloomer of the group. My fellow girlfriends during this time began to give me so much crap about still being "flat-chested" and not having started my period yet. They were only teasing but I could tell there was a small amount of selfish pride that drove them to humiliate me like this. But ever since then I cannot have a normal conversation with ANYONE without feeling insecure. Not necessarily about the way I look, but maybe I sound stupid or they think I'm talking about something I have no idea what I'm talking about. I am an 18 year old girl and I'm a freshman in college by now, and I have friends but I am still not confident in myself during conversations with them, even. I hate talking to people I don't know, especially other young women my age because I feel so insecure and I feel like I am being judged constantly. This fear messes with my ability to seem confident to other people. And I know if I could just overcome the fear and believe that I DON'T sound or look stupid, I wouldn't. I think people are like dogs and can sense the vulnerability in other people through interaction. So my question is, is this normal and does anyone else have the same problem due to unfortunate childhood experiences (or anything else)? And it would be great if you guys could post tips on how to overcome this. Thanks