Seaswept... This is something I struggle with in a big way. I contact the very few people I know and never hear back. In social situations, if I like the people, I can be very funny, and they seem to enjoy my company, but then that's that. If I don't know, or can't relate to the people (a big problem), I am very awkward and shy, so that doesn't go anywhere.

The only person I have regular contact with is my sister (3,000 miles away). We IM regularly. We hadn't spoken in about 20 years (long and weird story), and I originally contacted her to find out if our childhood was as I perceived it (it was the thing in therapy at the time, and it's back and current again). Unfortunately, it was. A couple (of many) things in this realm that sure didn't help were being actively isolated, and the constant message that if we talked to anyone, we were bothering them. Yeah, I've got issues. Try as I might, my rational mind has been unable to overcome the second.

I know they mean well, but when people suggest something like, "go out for coffee with a friend", I just want to cry.