self conscious, me?!
Oh, yes, definitely. Though I do think that a certain amount of this is normal, I mean we are social animals, I think its hard wired into us to respond and react to others' opinions. Thats how we get along. But yes it can become a problem. I do find, however, that as I'm getting older, others' opinions are mattering less. Thats just generally speaking. Sometimes I can become so wound up with myself that things can really get to me. I find now that if I just back off, before it gets too bad,and not keep thinking in that way, find something distracting, that I can get out of it, but I have to make sure that I'm not tempted back.
I remember a few years ago when I went through some serious paranoia, when I was coming out of it, I realised that everyone wasn't against me, then I realised that no-one was really thinking about ME at all. Then I realised that I was terribly alone and that really frightened me. I didn't know which was worse but wondered if the paranoia was my minds way of coping with the fear of feeling alone and isolated in the world. It sort of kept me company!
Anyway, I'm much better now. Life is much better now. I've been very lucky.
By the way, I don't believe I'm anthropomorphisising when I say that I believe that animals do get the blues and they can feel embarrassment and self consciousness along with a whole range of other feelings too. May be they can't read and write or do calculus, but they do have feelings.