Usually, when I go out and I am approached, I am a bit caught off-guard and fail to mask my social anxiety. Or I am within a group setting for class. When it becomes apparent in my tone that I am a shy person and uncomfortable with talking – stuttering, talking in a weird tone, and talking quickly – people just stop talking to me. I guess it’s a polite gesture, but when I try to talk again, their attitudes completely shift. They talk in a softer tone and try not to talk as much.
How could I even make a normal conversation like that? Or use it as an opportunity to try and learn social skills. Because that tone shift throws me off as well. I respond to their signal and continue being quiet, wearing that persona the next time we meet.