This is not a physical medical problem. I wanted to speak to a doctor about my social anxiety, and what I can do do gain control over this. Since I was a small child I have been very shy. Now that I am an adult I am less shy, but still have problems speaking to others. Not just strangers. I also have a problem speaking with my own family. People that I do not feel 100% comfortable around. I enjoy being around large groups of people, but I have a problem speaking to them. It seems like when I speak I am spending more time on my facial expressions, or what I said the last time I spoke, or how the person I am speaking to thinks of me, or what I will say the next time I say something to this person. By thinking about everything other than what I'm actually saying I tend to say words incorrectly. I'll have to repeat the word to correct it. Then, I'll be so humiliated that I just said a word incorrectly and how embarrassed that I am that I continue to say the wrong words or continue to say the words improperly. I also find it very difficult to look folks in the eyes for too long. Especially during silent moments. I am a very affectionate person, and I find that I need to be loved on physically and told that I am loved, but I find it difficult to get too close to people I'm not very comfortable with. I also find it difficult to keep friendships. It's not because my friends don't want to be my friends anymore. It's because when I feel like I'm getting to close to a friend, or that I'm opening up too much I shy away. I won't answer the phone for that person anymore or I'll make an excuse to not meet up with them and keep our plans together. My relationships with my husband, my children and my sister and mother are all very normal relationships. I'm also very close to my father, he was my favorite parent when I was growing up and I even work with him everyday but I find that I feel very nervous around him all the time. More so because I'm afraid that he will see how awkward and strange I am. I have always seeker my father's approval all my life and being in front of him everyday while working is almost too much for me to handle. It's somewhat overwhelming. I'm constantly afraid I will mess up or do something wrong and my fear is that he will see it. I almost feel as if I love him so much and look up to him so much that I prefer to not be around him everyday due to the higher risk of letting him see how strange I am. Or maybe that he will find out that I'm not as smart as he thinks I am. I know these feelings are not normal. I can't just do something mindlessly. I'm constantly mapping out in my head my every move, but that almost always causes me to mess up what I'm doing because it's impossible to map out my every move and word but still focus on what I'm doing and saying. I wish that I could just relax. I think my fear is humiliation, or showing people that I'm not terribly smart, but part of me feels like I am very smart. What is wrong with me?