Social anxiety is a major impediment to making friends, which is why many people with social anxiety end up lonely and depressed. If you want friends, you're going to have to overcome it. Here's what helped me:
1. Make a list of social interactions that cause anxiety. Then, rate them on a scale from 1 (least anxiety) to 10 (most anxiety). Start with the item you think will cause you the least anxiety, which might be to just smile and say hello. Keep doing it and it will become easier. Then, go to the next item on the list. Many things are hard at first but I found that the more I do something, the easier it becomes. If you want to learn more, what I described is called gradual exposure therapy (GET). It's a very effective treatment for social anxiety.
2. Challenge your beliefs
You're right to be concerned about negative reactions from others. You might get rejected or even humiliated. However, while it will hurt your feelings, will it actually harm you? If you approach people, you may get accepted and be better off. If you get rejected, won't you just be in the same situation you are now once the hurt feelings pass? As far as job loss, it is much less likely. If you want to be happy and have friends, you'll have to take the risk. Let's suppose the worst happens and you lose your job. Would you be able to find another job? I've found that it's possible to recover from almost anything. If you need help changing your beliefs, there are good self-help books about how to use CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) to treat social anxiety. CBT and GET are two of the most effective treatments for social anxiety.
