Body language issues

Does anyone else have body language issues while being in social environments or wherever you think people can watch you?

Whenever I'm in social environments or wherever I think I can be seen, my body language changes. I become tense in the shoulders, my heart beats faster, my adrenal glands are constantly firing, I question whether I make the right gestures. I feel like I'm always giving a presentation or something. I question whether I'm blinking correctly, whether or not I should turn my head right or left first at a stop sign, whether or not I should walk at a fast or slow pace, whether or not I should make eye contact with people or not etc.

I'll get startled easily when people walk by me without any warning. For example: When I used to mow the lawn a few years back, If I was focused on looking down at the grass and all of a sudden of out nowhere some biker that I didn't see or hear coming passed by me on the sidewalk, my heart would punch and my body would jerk. Kind of like being scared on halloween when someone jumps out of nowhere at you without any expectation. I have this sort of feeling all the time. This is the biggest thing keeping me from doing anything.

Anybody else have it this severe?

Yes I also have issues with body language, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm always so tense in social settings. Especially my shoulders arms and neck, when I'm walking I don't even move my arms, I keep them still and close to my body and I keep my head down. I sometimes pass windows and see myself, I look so awkward. When I'm in class I feel like everybody sitting behind me is staring at me and I feel the need to focus on how I'm sitting and if I look normal or not which makes me end up look anything but normal.

Oh yes I get startled easily too. My nerves are so bad I flinched when somebody once dropped a pencil on the ground. I flinched when somebody says hi to me and I didn't see them. It's noticeable too by others because I get startled easily a lot. Do you think it could be because you're focused on your thoughts more than the world around you? I think that's my problem. This also prevents me from doing stuff.

Me too that. It's a serious trouble. I think we need to socialize.

I've found (and I know this is obvious) the more you're aware of the way you're standing/walking etc it makes you look more awkward and when you don't focus on it you're less awkward. Of course it's hard to notice because once you do you'll begin to think about the way you're moving and change what you're doing. (If that makes any sense haha)

Listening to music helps me, I focus on that instead of the way I'm moving etc. Maybe you can try that. Or just try and think about something to distract you from your body language.