I had issues like that for 20 of my 30 years and it was BAD! I have family I do stuff with so I wasnt technically I loner. Here is what kept me back and here`s what helped me move forwards. Hopefully it`ll help you. First what kept me back was the way I felt about myself. I didn`t think I was good enough, pretty enough, smart enough etc. I had a cripling belief that no one liked me I think because I didn`t like myself. I guess a little case of self hatred. But fastforward to age 26 when I went away to school out of state. I knew I`d have a sucky lonely life in college if I didn`t speak to people. So I worked up my courage talked to people, smiled at people, showed I cared about people, kept in touch with people. It was a little easier for me because People reached out to me too and it helped me want to reach back. It was a very hard process but I got the hang of it. Of course there are people now in my hometown (a small town) who I`ve reached out to but they didn`t ever have time for me. But I feel like the college friends I made are open social people who value me I never had that in my home town. By the way I went to college in NYC where anyone I mean ANYONE can find somewhere to fit in. Take it from me a women from a Podunck smalltown USA! All it takes to make friends is a spark of a belief that you have something to offer and perseverance and cutting through rejections to find truely caring frindss good luck