Running into people you know when you're out

[TroyG]

First off all I don't see myself as being anti-social, but as someone who dose not know how to be social. When I'm walking that is often me time. I might be thinking about how my life might be if I knew how to be social, I might be thinking about an import sports event. might have some random topic on my mind. When I see someone I know. I'm jolted from "my own little world" It takes me a second to regiester who they are. I'm also bad at recalling names, and am often embarsed to say so.

 

[Tom]

Yes, I feel that way too usually in public. Same reasons. Don't like suddenly switching gears, bad at names, bad at chit chat. I suppose you could just Taser, or Mace them and run.

 

[Larisa]

I have trouble to recognise even my own face in the mirror (in public places) - it's a bit weird to walk into mirrors and dark-glass doors. My face seems to me so different with my every move of lips or eyes and another angle of view. I got used to my usual appearance in the mirror (in the mornings) but photos puzzle me every time (it's easier for me to recognise other people on photos than myself - I see them more often after all)!
I do not recognise 'out of context' other people and other places.
Once I got confused at the underground station I use twice a day - because it was wrong hour! Just couldn't shake this weird uneasy feeling that this environment is new for me although my brain tried to argue.
I am embarrassed quite often when people tell me they saw me at some places (and I really was there).
I wonder why are people supposed to enjoy every occasional meeting and talk or claim for each other's attention?
Maybe I would understand it if we all lived in some wilderness or secluded farms and saw each other really rarely - I think I might have enjoyed every meeting with other people then.
But as we live in a crowded city and see each other 5 days a week - it's way too much and often for me to appreciate someone's company. I don't have time to long for contact with the person!
And world spins and changes so fast nowadays - I'm afraid to miss something important and I try to be aware of most news and trends of society - like religious trend, law-making trend, state propaganda trend and so on.
Sometimes I think if I really want to go to some more calm and secluded place, if it would bring me more comfort and serenity? But I don't want to be cut from and totally unaware of ways of further development of the society and most of people.
I am in doubts - I am constantly strained and I don't ready to leave.
I'm afraid of people in whole and I find some weird safety 'in numbers': in the crowd where nobody looks at me and recognise me (hide myself in the plain sight).
And I startle if somebody does - it breaks my feeling of safety and my desperately needed solitude in big city.