Hi CapnClassy, I have had a lot of the same scenarios in my life as you have had. I much older than you and yes when i was young i started smoking weed because everyone else i knew did it. Fast forward 35 years and i can tell you for 100% certainty that the weed today is so much stronger than years ago. It causes anxiety in a lot of people who smoke it you get that overwhelming sense of fear or foreboding and panic rush i call it. I can't take the shit anymore. If i was in a state where it was legal i would be able to search out the low THC and high CBD type weed that used to help me instead of this high content THC. I see that you are new and i would cruz the site a little and see what might relate to you. It can be managed but it sure seems to be tough. I never went to prom or dances either and i get panicky in larger crowds too. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions