> the idea of approaching and talking to someone I don't know fills me with terror.
It seems you have completely missed the point of the article: this is something you need to work on. If you don't, it will negatively impact you for your entire life.
My point is that if someone isn't as good at socializing as you are, instead of assuming that they are too lazy or "closed heart" to do better, acknowledge that it might be orders of magnitude more difficult for them than for you, and try to be understanding and helpful instead of dismissive.
One thing I’d mention is that just because someone is good at socialising in the outside doesn’t mean that they don’t have their own issues. Demonising people who can colour within the lines in this area when they make a mistake or are pushed out of their comfort zone can be exactly the same for us as it is for you guys to be told “just talk to the person”.
I'll never assume that someone else doesn't have struggles that I don't know about.
But when a self-labeled extrovert (or introvert or whatever) begins to tell me to just go do X to help with my introversion, it makes me want to stop talking about the issue to anyone.
It seems you have completely missed the point of the article: this is something you need to work on. If you don't, it will negatively impact you for your entire life.