@WhenAllLightDies You might want to find a therapist that deals with agoraphobia if you have some problems with crowds, in addition to the general anxiety you feel around people.
Also, write yourself a list of things that you could do each day (just baby steps) that can help you to practice overcoming your fears about interacting with people. Some of those things could be going to the post office to buy some stamps and asking the clerk how she’s doing today. Going to the grocery store to buy milk and ask the clerk if she thinks it’s supposed to rain today. Go to the gas/convenience store and ask the clerk if she thinks the lotto is going to turn over again. Just little things like that, if done once a day can give you a little boost in confidence. Small talk is kind of like your foot in the door to the party. So sit down today and make yourself a list of 30 things. That will keep you busy for a whole month.
Here are some common places that people go. If you don’t go to these places, make a point to do so and then come up with some small talk questions or comments to make to at least one person that you meet there.
Grocery store, mall, post office, gas station, gym, park, movie theater, fast food joint, out to the mailbox on your street (or wait for the postman) call up some place and ask for directions, go to the gas station to ask for directions, go to AAA to get some maps, go to the bookstore and ask if they have such and such a book. Ask if they have any good recommendations for a certain type of genre of book. Ask the ice cream server what kind of ice cream he/she likes best. Call a restaurant and ask how late they are open or how much a certain item costs. Go to Home Depot and ask on which aisle the light bulbs are kept. Or go to the plant section and ask the clerk what types of plants are best for a yard with low sun light or lots of sunlight. Or better yet, go to the mall and go into 10 different stores and ask each of the clerks a question (even if it’s the same question) Such as where is the food court.
Good luck : )