Scared to do things in front of others

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I was wondering if anybody else ever felt like this. For instance, I'm scared of participating in some lessons such as Drama and PE. It's built up over time so I'm not really sure why I'm so scared of it all but it makes me panic to the point of just not being able to force myself to do these things. I'm scared that in Drama I'll say things in the wrong tone of voice, for instance, or that I might do something wrong in front of others in PE... I'm scared sometimes of talking to people, eating in front of people, people judging me and so on.

Does anybody else ever feel to scared to do things such as really participating in lessons at school, putting their hands up in class, joining in PE, and talking to others? It's not that I don't like performing, I'll be fine with performing e.g. on an instrument. But I'm scared of actually doing things such as acting in front of people because the attention is so focused on you.

In gym I refused to participate. Even if the other kids had allowed me to play with them, I wouldn't have wanted to play. I am too clumsy to do anything short of unarmed marching in Drill Team (the only "sport" I excelled at). No one even knows I play the harmonica, because I'm scared they'll ask me to play. Eating in front of people is not only rude in my opinion, but it makes me feel horrible. I also stopped drawing, singing, dancing, cooking and Girl Scouts because of the pressure. Singing "Desperado" in front of 50 people alone was so terrifying I feigned sickness to get out of it.

On the other hand, if the teacher asks a rather difficult question, I let a few others guess wrong first before raising my hand and giving an elaborate and correct question. In other words, unless I know I will be better than everyone else in the room at something, I will not attempt it. It's an ego thing, and I know I have a horrible pride issue when it come to academics. I've been working on this for years, and since I usually sleep or read during class anyway, I can avoid my weird need to prove myself.

I have this and its VERY annoying.
No matter where I am or doing, I cannot do a thing if someone "sees" me doing it.

At one point I couldn't even go to eat at school because of this.

I used to be like this in my teenage years. I was afraid to be myself in front of others. Now I could care less about what other people think of me. It's part arrogance, part confidence, part self-knowledge and knowledge of others, and part rotten attitude.

Im never afraid to do anything in front of other people, but my advice for those of you that are afraid is to remember no one is perfect. Eating is perfectly natural to do and we eat to survive, and its not rude to stay alive, when it comes to drama, just remember no one expects you to be the next actor on broadway, so dont worry about it. The first thing i was taught when i joined the speech and debate team is to just have fun with it and dont get pressured, and when you do talk look at peoples foreheads and not their eyes, it will make them think your looking them in the eye but your really not.

My daughter used to be like that when she was very little. She just could not stand other people see her "fail" (do something wrong). I pushed her. I just did not let her be that way. I've always told her you are the only thing that matters. You should not care what other people think about you. If you restrain yourself because of what other people think, the only one loosing is you. It can care less to them. I do not know if I did right or wrong, but my daughter is not like that anymore. She is in ballet and she loves performing. And is not afraid of making mistakes anymore. So maybe if you push yourself it will become easier and you will not feel like that anymore.

Yea, I feel awkward running in front of people, but you build immunity over time...

Thanks for the replies and the advice It's nice to know that I'm not the only one even if I'm not glad that others have to feel the same way.

I've made my mind up just to really work on telling myself that it's alright to be as I am, alright to do things in front of others and try to relax more-it's not as simple as it sounds but hopefully over time it will just become natural.

I don't like standing or walking alone in frount of people. Like if I walk up to a group of people and I'm walking alone I really hate doing that

jusst walking up to people is a scary thing indeed, but the 'stage fright' is something i have trained off.
at a young age, i have learned to put on a 'mask' for such situations and just enter a mental state of "dont giving a ratts ass".
it helps that at the age of 6, i already was the tallest of the school group and therefor had to put the tip on a tower we build during some kind of on-stage act; and doing that alone.
being so young, i had very little fear of anything, and it learned me that a stage is not scary; a prospect that has helped me in my entire consious life (so far); especially since i learned to 'quick meditate', which allowed me to enter the on-stage state at-will.

actually, how scary this might seem, acting lessons are the best way to learn this state. perhaps explain to the drama teacher that that is your goal of the class, and disclose your AS. he might put you up for a few small solo acts (not the lead part, but a few times being the only one on the stage, not even text is needed for that),

I had this problem.

I did little things that were different and uncomforable over and over until I felt comfortable doing anything! It was really 2 years of repetition but I still am a little shakey

I dislike doing things in front of others (especially those within my own age group), but it's nowhere near the same extent that has been previously described.

I have problems with all of those things.
Although I have less trouble with Drama because I feel more confident if everything I have to do has been written in the form of a script, improvising is another story though.
I also have lots of trouble with doing a presentation.