Sorry for the length - this is very matter-of-fact, I think; kinda blunt. I'm just really thinking about stuff--I'm a thinker--and this is the result.

Just curious, but how does one go about meeting a potential partner, when someone has MH issues? In the "real world", I find people simply aren't knowledgeable or understanding enough to approach or accept someone like us, at least where I am, as a friend, let alone something "more".

I used to be out quite a lot and happened upon people, but ... since I'm mostly indoors, these days, and anxiety and stuff is kinda not doing great, ... well, you get the picture.

How do you guys/gals do it? What if you have social anxiety, OCD, depression, and so on? Am I just going to stay alone? Is that kinda how this works?

The thing is, the older I get (almost 28) the harder it'll be, because it's gonna be more of a case of women with kid(s), or one who very much wants kids and not exactly ages down the line... I am not quite wired that way; I can't handle that, mentally; there may be some exception to that, but I can't really fathom it, at the moment. A woman, a dog/cat, a house, and... well, that's it, really.

Then there's the financial side of things... although I'm not "poor" (at least to me) I am certainly not raking in the cash; I am lucky enough to be granted financial aid from the government; but it's hardly an attractive prospect? Or do women just not care about this stuff? Because, I kinda believe women here will not all care, but women out there in the "real world", ... I'unno, I just see them being super troubled by it.

I picture this scenario in which I come across an awesome woman, she asks me what I do... and that's the end of that story; it's scary, to be honest. Because, it's the inevitable question; I've brought this up a few times, on the forums. I would be honest and say that I don't work as a result of mental health issues, but then of course there'd be this uncomfortable moment, ... I could soften the weirdness and uncertainty by saying that it's "Anxiety, OCD... and stuff" which would suffice, briefly.

Then of course there's the point in which I may well "hit it off" with a woman, and find it gets to the point when she finds out more about my MH stuff, about just how screwed up my OCD and anxiety is; would she run? I'd not blame her. I must be a handful, freaking out about my health, all the time, my aversion to sleep, my struggle going out and being around lots of people, struggle with watching some things on TV, obsessing over my body, workouts, being "perfect" with things, and then there's the darker part of OCD that has me fearing insane things that I wouldn't do, but the whole "what if?"... there's just... no realistic way I see a woman understanding that!

There's another aspect to this, however: I feel I've found myself attracted to those who also have some sort of MH problem(s); does that make sense? Does anyone else have a similar thing going on? I think it's logical, because I wish to feel understood and accepted; what better person for that, than a person who also has similar problems to my own? But, I've kinda been there, with someone very unstable, and believe me, it did not end colorfully; perhaps this was just one of those times when it doesn't work, and perhaps I bit off more than I could chew. Do you think it's a good or bad idea to find yourself preferring to be with someone who has similar or the same MH problems, in order to get a sense of feeling understood and accepted?

I feel alienated. I'm not just single, I'm singled out. I'm just a ... what's the saying - bad apple? Does anyone else feel like this?

Feel free to share. I could really do with reading some like-minded stuff, and/or some helpful/honest stuff.