The problems that you describe your friend going through are fairly common with individuals struggling with Anxiety Disorders. Their perceptions about themselves and how others view them is one of the core struggles they experience. For most people, it is difficult for them to understand the intensity of the feelings anxiety suffers are experiencing.

I would find out how significant the symptoms are in his life. If they are preventing him from carrying on daily life activities such as a job, than your friend has some major challenges. These challenges would be best addressed by getting him to see a specialist. In some cases, this could require both medication and talk therapy. Getting him to commit to one or the other as a starting point should be the primary focus of your intervention. I would also encourage soliciting the help of other people in his life to get him the help he needs.