I haven't been formally diagnosed, but the best thing I can give is to stay calm. Do some deep breathing, kinda like you're meditating. Ultimately though, I haven't found much that will help me. Met up with just a couple of people about this time last year... I knew what they looked like, I knew what they'd be wearing... tensed up and walk right by them! Did eventually get back to them, but was shaking a bit the whole time and was much quieter than usual.

I feel like that, but it's usually worse! It usually takes pushing from others to be involved in groups!

I pretty much understand you and can say I had that for about... too much years, It started really early, but when exactly I felt that I cand say for sure. It was impossible for me to speak to people I do not know, nor could I walk around streets. I always thougth that all the people hate me and look at me strange ways.

Some of that all changed when I went to army, but I couldn't throw away that NEW-PEOPLE-FEAR. Same it was with my place to work. At the beginning it was really harsh for me.

So when does it changed. The first thing was the writing. I started to write with just somebody at the internet and had written like I was me and not like I was someone else. You need to be honest and don't try to be someone else. In my situation I found out that people don't dislike me and thus helped me feeling better around people.
Since I have that ANime/Manga Hobby I found alot of people attending to conventions and I asked one who I got to know a biot better, to meet there. And when I was there he didn't came that moment and I was like. What the hell are you doing here,standing in a cosplay between hundreds and thousands of people. FEAR!
But then he came. What a relief. Then he had to go again... Shoot. All alone again.
Because of my costume I was soon forced to be part of it all. And then I met someone who was just on my wavelength.

So then I had visited that same con every year after and lerned a few more people, cause I was with my partner from first time. And then came the day where I was alone again. That time I just sayed myself. This time try it. I took all my strength and went to a group of people listening and when the right moment came. Said one thing and next moment I found myself talking like hell with them.

So there is no true hint to overcome that. I still feel uneasy to talk to others, but it gets better to a point where I can communicate with strangers now. It's not feeling to good, but it's getting better every day. You just need to see that people don't think of you as a bad guy, and when you feel getting accepted by people, you will automatically get mopre or less used to it.

There might be three ways to accomplish that talking about cons.
1. Go with someone you know and through him meet others (even if you don't talk to much at start)
2. Go to a group listen and say something out of nowhere if you feel like the moment has come. (it really works! I've don't that pretty often now)
3. Someone has to come to you. (well that might be noit the case, if you look like someone normal xD It was luck cause I was a character they searched for)

The more contact you get, the more your self-coincidence rises, and the easier it gets.

Those conventions are really helpful for me. Well it's all about manga/anime but it's like yeah he has a great cosplay I want a photo, so I need to ask for. And if you wear one, sooner or later somebody comes and says, I want to get a photo. It's really cool by the time.

More or less it should work for a furry con I guess. Only nobody might see you and think HEY! That's Mister XXX :P

And the other point was... Back to reality. I got a Girlfriend just like me. And everytime something needed to be talked out. I made it for her. So one step more. If you have someone, you just need to say to yourself. He/she needs me, and I have to ask. Like go to McDonalds and say the order for them. Even that was something I couldn't do at start. But with the time I gotten used to it, so now it's not as good as if others do, but it's not impossible for me anymore :3

I hope that will help you a bit.

That was quite the read, thank you!

I probably said pretty much twice xD But it's a topic wich isn't easy to find the right way, cause everybody acts differently. So you need to find the right way.

Well I have to admit, that I went to a specialist for psychological problems, but at most for other reasons. So in sight of this theme, you should think of what a doctor can give you. It's more like self reflection instead of that he/she tells you what you should change in your life.

I came to think that you don't really need a doctor to come over with your problems, but you need ONE person, which you can tell everything that you have on your mind. What the doctor can do is ask questions which you for yourself try to find an answer, and that isn't always easy to.
It's somehow like if you believe in God. Most people do beliefe because they fear. So a doctor for psychologics is one that you beliefe he can help you, cause he has learned it.
As long as you have the will to change yourself and beliefe in the method you choose, it is easier to achieve your goal in changing. But therefore you need the will to change. Even that is some kind of fear you have to overcome.

Medication is something I was asked to take, but I refused, cause it may change your personality completely. AND it is not known if it really helps or not. So don't come to use that stuuff for your own reasons.

And to recall what floofins said. Meditation is really good. I've done that a few times too. Start with a short break from everything. Try to sit in your room, very electonical thing shut off. Maybe complete darkness and tr to sit on your bed. Find yourself and think of nothing (not easy!) So when you have complete relaxation, start your PC, Youtube and start a video with crwoded people, try imgaining it and thus find your way in. IT IS possible, but not as easy as it sounds.
Well only meditation helps alot too to get a bit down. I need that when I go to public toilets xD
As long as I "know" I am there between masses of people I can't wee xD I close my eyes and shut off my senses. What you don't see isn't there. What you hear is just imagination. What you smell... well forget that xD

And maybe practice talking before the mirror. Might help a bit to.

I usually feel stressed when I have to be social around people I don't know. But my advice to is to try and stick with the people you know more, and when you're forced to be around people you don't know, just listen in, see if they mention something you can share your thoughts with and start a conversation. It's like my father tells me, sometimes you can do more when you listen instead of talk...too bad I never really learn... >~>;

Yas that's what I try, but it just seems so difficult

Yeah, I know it is...but keep trying, I'm trying, too

I carry something around I can fidget with. I used to carry around a little dice and fiddle around with it. When I was getting nervous I would just play with it, sometimes during conversations, and it would keep me distracted.

I've heard waving at people or smiling is a good way to ease social anxiety and start conversations easily. I remember during a con I went to when my anxiety was really bad, I would wave or something and if someone said hello I would start talking to them! My friend used to carry around a little card saying "Hi! I'm xxx, and I have social anxiety. It's hard for me to say hi and start conversations, but I think you're really cool and I hope you have a good day! :D" and would give it to vendors or cosplayers or people in groups and they said that sometimes helped open up conversation!