I just can't, my urge to avoid people is turning into a real problem, when was the last time I cooked? I can't remember. I'm starting to hate the few people that were still in my life, and instead of just nodding like I did for allmost 30 years, I keep calling them out on their behaviour and it's not going too well. I. just. can't. I lack the fundamental ability to ask for help, accept help and trust people. Which turns all of my relationships into one-way streets. And I'm running out of patience. What's the point of even trying, why do I still struggle?
I think I had mild social anxiety at one point. It's a constant struggle to get over something like that, and all it takes is one slip and you're back to turtling yourself away.
Yours sounds more severe, but I'll say what helped me.
Instead of just nodding at people, I remembered their names and said something to the effect of "hi, Jane! How's your week been?"
A small enough change, but it engages you in conversation and, over time, forms friendships.
Also, restricting my social interactions to an inner circle of friends who were very similar to me made me assume other people, who tend to not be so similar, were on a different plane. Not a worse plane, just one that made interacting with them hard. Football? Women? Nightclubs? Who cares.
The thing is, though, that people just like talking about their passions. And you can respond to those passions, rather than the topic itself. I see myself in people very often now. The core, as it were, is the same.
Your main problem, though, seems to be building a desire to talk to other people. Some think a smile and a few pleasant words costs nothing; this is not always the case. But work on doing it anyway, and you might surprise yourself.
My two cents.
Author
Topic: Things that made you sad today thread. (Read 9793724 times)