I am an introvert. I can fake my way through social situations, but I'd rather not. I also have social anxiety. It may or may not be consequential to being an introvert, but it is not the same thing. Being an introvert makes me introspective and observant rather than outgoing and gregarious. Social anxiety makes me feel anxious at the prospect of gathering with groups of people for the purpose of mingling.
When I let friends know that my social anxiety causes me to not show up to parties or events even when I intend to go to them, some of them encourage me to "face my fears" and go to parties. I am not afraid of parties; I get anxious at the prospect of gathering with groups for the purpose of mingling. It causes me to find excuses to not show up at events I have said I would attend.
