Hi @Stormy-RO
Indeed I am grateful for the number of detailed responses.
As you say, I am not usually stressed by food. I would say it mostly comes down to the anxiety of talking to someone attractive. This is something I have avoided, as I decided a couple of years ago that I don't need a relationship to be happy (which is still true, but part of me feels I should give it a go or I will never know what I'm missing out on).
On reflection, my biggest worry in these situations is not having something to say. And when you sit in silence you don't know what people think of you. A lot of the time I think of a hundred things to say afterwards which never get said. So the moment I leave I start thinking "When can I see them again?" and I hope it doesn't keep repeating like this.
Thank you for your support, certainly talking about myself in general is something I aim to be more open about with my friends and family. This is hopefully one step to achieving that.
