How to address issues very consistent with Avoidant Personally Disorder?

[moriah]

10. I may not meet the criteria fully, but the sad part is I didn't start out shy.

You know how some kids are obviously naturally shy as toddlers... that wasn't me. Dad actually felt the need before I was three to tell me if we got pulled over by a police officer, that I was supposed to "pretend like I was one of those kids who didn't talk to strangers".

But with school came bullying, by third grade I was already in therapy for how badly I was reacting to it, fourth grade came with two concussions and a broken arm in the same year from other children on the playground, and 5th grade was my first total school refusal that led to Mom not being able to get me to go back. We did finally find a very small, private school for kids who were GT, and a year there gave me the confidence to attempt public school again and even finally stand up for myself when someone threatened me physically vs the reaction that so fed the bullies.

Then 7th came around, the girl who broke my arm was at the same school as me, a teacher had a nervous breakdown, and so the physical bullying escalated again with no safe space. I convinced Mom to homeschool me, and by then had been sent a modem and gotten on the Information Dirt Road. Truthfully, the Internet is the closest I want to come to people who I don't already know well and know that they are accepting of me.

Of course, life doesn't allow that easily.