Is My Fear of Dating Rational or Not?

[Adder1234]

So I've finally decided to ask for help with some of my issues, here's the first one.
I'm terrified of dating. Not just anxious, completely terrified. Now don't get me wrong, I get nervous like anyone whenever they talk to someone that they like, but this different. It's the concept of dating that I'm scared of, not anything else. I only realised this recently, actually. I don't know if it's specific part of dating that I'm scared of, because every time I think about it I mentally seize up and stop thinking for a second.
It's not because of a fear of being rejected, I'm actually surprisingly popular and I know of several girls that have had crushes on me and I have pretty good self confidence these days. I had a crush on a girl last year and I was going to ask her out, then I actually thought about dating her and I realised how happy I would be, then it was like my brain short circuited and I got all scared suddenly. I couldn't even make eye contact with her.
So the problem is is that I can't help but think that my fear of dating is holding me back from developing as a person, and that I'm missing out because of it. So, any thoughts on my problem? I appreciate any advice anyone can give.

 

[Suzanne]

You know something, why not take the word: "dating" out of the equation and perhaps that will help you to breath, because I am sure the word conjures up: making an impression; saying the right words; behaving in a certain manner etc etc which sends you freaking in the opposite direction.

It is only AFTER you think of dating, that you found you could not even look this girl in the face, so you must stop thinking about the process of dating and just see it as a time to get to know another person as a friend and see how it develops?

But what dating actually means is getting to know the person, so that you can move forward or not, as the case may be.