I can certainly relate to that.

Do you trust people? I mean in general? Mostly I feel people will use or judge me. Some might say that's projection, what I tend to do. Maybe. But mostly I think it's what I got from my family, the way my parents and the extended families functioned.

I'm doing a little better currently, but darn, has it been hard. And no help from the MH system. Personality is a joint thing between the person's temperament and the environment, so even if/when we get our psyches OK how and where are we going to learn how to be "normal" or "authentic", etc.?

My therapist had nothing to offer so I have " pushed" myself out into the world, with some failures some success, but like I said it has been extremely hard. Still is.