How do I overcame social anxiety issues?

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Today, my dad asked me to go the gym with him and my friend's dad. I know them well, but I said no. I was panicking and arguing about it because I get very anxious and cry when I feel forced to follow suit. I gave my dad a hard time and made him feel bad by complaining by saying "I HATE EXERCISE. I WILL FAINT AND DIE IF I DO IT. I DO NOT WANT TO BE IN PAIN!". But in reality, I love exercise and run all the time. It happens all the time: I complain to my dad about something I don't really feel like doing, but then I do it, and love it afterwards. It's not fair, and is ruining the relationship with my father (My brother moved to oregon, and my mom died from cancer). How do I overcome social anxiety issues and get out of my comfort zone for the things I know will make me better?

I just try to take deep breaths and pretty much shut down my brain. I become really dumb but my head isnt hyperactive anymore and i then i can say things naturally. I doubt i helped you but thats all i got

Every ASD person is fighting this very same thing, I am sure if any of us new how to get over it we would. But honestly it runs my life, where I eat, what I eat, where I go what I do all revolves around how freaked out I will get or might get.

remind yourself that 9 chances out of 10, all the other folks are just as worried about what you'll think of them as you worry about them. remind yourself that we are all equal. remind yourself of your strengths. then just go whether you feel like it or not. eventually, you'll realize on an emotional level what you already mentioned: that you are likely to enjoy your time.

My dad says that I am just "too lazy" to make friends instead of being anxious. Mostly, it is me facing a fear of predicting something bad will happen such as me getting rejected from the group for being awkward, not having anything to say and suffer severe awkwardness or getting lost going to someones house and getting injured at the gym. I am SO apathetic at predicting events that I often stay at home to feel secure from anxiety.

I tried it once. It helped, for a few minutes. You'd have to do it so much and I don't have the time to breath in bulk when my dad is talking to me.

The only way is trough gradual exposure.
Social Anxiety is comparable to, say, a fear of spiders, and overcoming it uses the same process; search for treaments for other fears and use those methods (spiders, agrofobia, hights... all of those can be substituted in treatment)

Have you tired any anxiety medication? Taking Buspar for generalized anxiety helped my social anxiety alittle. There's other types of meds out there too that might help some. You could also try the supplement Sulbutiamine which you can buy on Amazon. Wiki says~

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulbutiamine#Asthenia

This is what I go through. The very thought of all the possible issues which will go wrong have really stifled my life to the point where I never have any fun.

The thing is though, these fears I suffer when thinking of social events aren't exactly misplaced: I really am awkward in new situations, and even banal ones if truth be told, and exposure to them alone isn't getting me anywhere. Being a logical person, I'm forming the conclusion that I will remain this way forever more, which is obviously leading to depression.

There are precious few services where I am for learning social skills in a structured way and I'm sure as hell not learning them naturally, so my awkwardness seems destined to continue.

I guess my advice to you would be that even if you, like me, aren't really benefitting from exposure, the alternatives are to experience the anxiety but at least know you did it and got through the other side, or hide away and have more security but also more regrets. I've always done the latter, but I'm looking to change tack and see if it gets results.

Sorry for the long post, but I did really relate to what you said. Wishing you luck in future engagements.