I really sympathise with you HazelGirl. That's one of the reasons I can't bring myself to have a party. I've had too many that I've held where no one has turned up. My last birthday, I wad going to have a picnic, but when the day came all but one person had canceled. So, if it helps, your not the only one who has experienced this

I am truly sorry that you feel that people are rejecting/abandoning you by not responding in a timely manner. Sometimes people are out of town or busy with their own lives. Sometimes they mean to respond, but forget. But sometimes, they are just irresponsible and unfeeling in their failure to respond. Human can be cruel or just absentminded. If they are unfeeling or cruel, I would ask, are these really people who you want at your party? If they are just absentminded or busy, perhaps they need a bit of slack. It's hard to tell where people fall, but that's part of the pain of life.

HazelGirl, I've read many of your wonderful responses to other people about their insecurities and pain about friendships and feelings of rejection. I know that you have said that you struggle to put those thoughts and suggestions into action in your own life, but you know what, they are GREAT suggestions and thoughts about how difficult it is for all of us to handle rejection and abandonment. Perhaps it might help for you to reread some of your own truly GREAT posts to other people and begin to incorporate some of your wonderful psychologically sound suggestions into your own life. You have a truly gifted ability to see the pain and rejection others feel in their life, and you seem to hit on the cognitive distortions they have in clearly seeing their problems. Now is the time for you to begin to incorporate and use those wonderful skills in your own difficulties. I say this with respect and care. You do have great skills. Time to use them in your own life!