I believe I understand where you're coming from. I have days when I'm a social butterfly and days when I'm really good at blocking people out.

You stated, beautifuldisaster07, that you don't go to school or work. What challenges are you experiencing that make it difficult to do either?

How do you spend your time, and what are your hobbies?

Another poster mentioned Meetup.com; depending on where you live, there may be quite a few groups that will help you socialize in a comfortable setting. I've run a couple of groups from there, ranging from a social anxiety group to bipolar/depression support.

Again, depending on where you live, there may be events sponsored by social services agencies. For example, in the Phoenix area, quite a few non-profits that work with those receiving mental health services have such options like bowling, free movies, lunch get-togethers, bingo, etc.

There's also church social groups, library-sponsored events, or classes from your town's Parks and Recreation department. I find it helps to write down a list of my interests and use it as a guide as I search online and other places.

Otherwise, it depends on how comfortable you are with meeting "random people". It's a pretty good idea to be aware of your personal boundaries and comfort levels, but there are free online social networking groups (yes, technically dating sites, but you can look for friends too) -- including PlentyofFish and OkCupid, for example.

Best of luck in your endeavor to find new friends. Who knows, you may even find one or two on here that are local...

-K