> Additionally, I'm terrible about responding to text messages. Perhaps there's some social anxiety when it comes to reading / responding to notifications on social media or texts and that leads to action paralysis.

There certainly is.

All of the same rules of social anxiety apply.

If you need to do a beer or two (or similar, for your favorite drug) to start a conversation by sending a goofy, ball-busting text or voice memo to your friend, so be it.

Just care less about the content — it's informal, not informational.

The information you're trying to convey is that you're thinking of them. Or are interested in what they have to say. Or their continued success/existence.