To start I am 25 year old man, and as the title says I think that I have been struggling with anxiety for pretty much my entire adult life. I have only just recently come to terms with the idea that this is not how everyone feels and it is a problem. I think it is important to say that as a child I was very extroverted but due to various events I have become rather the opposite and I deal with this internal struggle of living as an outgoing person on the body of a shy person. Most of the time I am easy going and around people I feel comfortable and safe with I am fairly "normal" feeling, but the problem comes that with anybody I don't already know. I feel like this is, in general, holding me back in life, both on a professional and social level. I feel like my anxiety in social situations is causing me to miss many opportunities and I have become rather fed up with the helpless feeling that everyone is going to judge me and that I am going to make a fool out of myself.

That said, I have decide to seek some sort of help. The problem is that I have no idea were to start. The whole pattern that I have been living my life in has become so ingrained that I don't really see how just talking about it or taking some pill or reading a book can make any real difference. But I still feel like I want to be better and want to enact change . I don't really know were to turn, I am too embarrassed to even come clean to my family and friends, most of them probably have no idea of what is going on in my head because I do so well at putting up a mask of calm and cool.

Anyway, anything would be appreciated.