I'm 46 and I, sadly, don't remember much about being 22. I do remember that when I was a pre-teen/teen I was always trying to change my personality to fit the person/people I was with. I did this because I wanted to be liked and accepted but it was exhausting. It did cause me to lose who I was as a person/individual. When I was 16 the anxiety attacks started and that's when I learned to hide them from others and put on a happy face. There is a lot of 'mask wearing' that takes place when you have anxiety. Is this what you mean when you say you can not be you?

Your absolutely right, the mask. It shouldn't be like that. We all are unique in our own way and we shouldn't be judged because we all can say something negative about the person sitting or standing next to us.

When I was your age, I felt pressured and did want to be accepted. In my case it was because I didn't have a lot of self confidence. If that's in part your issue, I just had to learn to love and accept me for who I really am. You shouldn't have to put on a show to make friends. If you are around people that make you feel you do, then they aren't real friends. True friends will love and accept you for who you are in your heart. Let that shine through and dont hide it and you will start attracting true friends in your life that accept you for who you are

I know exactly how you're feeling. I have always felt like I had to adjust who I am in order to fit in with others. I do have a few close friends but other than that socializing with people can become such a chore. My anxiety has caused me to become very isolated and lonely. Wish I could offer some helpful advice but all I can really say is you're not alone (:

While I never personally dealt with the need to feel accepted (I'm currently 22 as well)- I can understand completely the toll it can take on one person. I also have a lot of good friends who struggle with the same exact thing you are describing as well. A good friend of mine was in a similar situation as yourself where he felt he needed to be what everybody wanted him to be; almost like he was afraid of people seeing who he really was therefore he put on this "mask" of happiness; molding himself to be what everybody wanted him to be. The most important thing I can say in such a situation from being on the other side helping a friend through the hardships- is real, true friends should not care about your quirks as we all have them. A real friend will share your support no matter what and should be encouraging towards you rather than push you away from your own interests/ likes. While I personally have not been in your situation; I have felt a need to drift away from some negative people in my life to better my own life and self-worth/ self-confidence. By removing/ distancing yourself from negativity or those negative individuals- it can really help boost a more positive outlook. Getting involved with a hobby you enjoy and people with similar interests might help you feel more comfortable about being yourself- aside from what you do already if it is bringing on the anxiety. Something that I find helps me when I have anxiety is to start a journal or blog (you can always password protect one if you want it to remain personal) where you can write about yourself; your likes, dislikes and interests. It gives you a start as to your own thoughts and yourself as a person rather than what others feel. I like this method because it allows you to track progress and growth over an amount of time. It also allows you to look at your interests and branch off from there. You could always start with online communities first and do some networking with individuals of similar interests and then work your way to participating in local events in your area. I met some incredible people this way; by joining something I was interested in online (or even starting something), networked over the internet and some of those people are my good friends today- not just online. Perhaps if your anxiety is related socially in person- starting online might bring a sense of comfort or relief allowing you to show who you really are.

I do hope some of what I says provides a level of comfort for your situation. You are not alone and there are a lot of people out there who feel the same exact way that you do. I wish you the best.