I feel the same way because in situations like that, no one is paying me any mind. When you're around people who "know" you, you're being scrutinized about everything. You talk too much, you don't talk enough, you spoke to this one but not that one so that one's feelings are hurt. Blah, blah, blah.I'm actually OK in large anonymous crowds. They don't bother me at all. I can stand in the middle of Times Square and feel perfectly comfortable. Probably comes from being raised near Tokyo, lol. I'm very uncomfortable in crowds of people who know me, like parties, though. Yep, I'm the one in the spare bedroom talking to the cat!
Leave me alone in the spare room with the resident cats, some beverages for me and a bag of Pure Bites for the cats and we'll all be happy. Well the cats and I will be. Everyone else is on their own.