Hello Stephanie: I'm so sorry you are having such a difficult time. I don't have APD. So I suppose I'm not really the member you want to hear from. But I'm a reclusive old troll. I rarely go anywhere. However that's not because I can't go out. I simply choose not to. I am an older person... a "senior citizen" as we're often referred to. I'm married. But I have no extended family, friends, or even acquaintances of any consequence really. I just prefer to keep to myself. (I also don't have a diagnosis although I've been actively kicking around the mental health system for around 20 years & I've been hospitalized twice.)

I'm sorry you're not getting the support you need here on the APD forum. The reality is some forums are more active than others. Perhaps the APD forum is just not that active. It's also possible there are a few members here who've gotten to know one another & it's difficult to break into that circle, so to speak. I don't know. But whatever the reason for your not getting the support you need here on the APD forum, please don't give up on PsychCentral as a whole. Try posting in some other more active forums such as the depression forum, the forum on handling emotions, or the one dedicated to anxiety. There is a lot of support that can be available here on PC. But the reality is it can take a while to become known. The more you post, & reply to other members' posts, the more a part of the community you will become.

As to your particular concerns, I don't know if you're familiar with Exposure Therapy. Family therapist Kati Morton uploaded a video on this topic onto her YouTube channel a while back. Here's a link to that video:

https://youtu.be/mlJy85EQrCI

Kati also has a video on APD itself. Here's a link to that video:

https://youtu.be/HQY6HgES9m0

Another member, here on PC, posted a thread a few days ago saying that he also keeps to himself... not because he has to but because he simply prefers to. (Like me!) He made the point, though, that when he does go out he finds that it takes a while for him to adjust to being out. I have found this as well. Even though I can go out, & I do occasionally, when I do it takes some getting used to. In my case, though, my wife & I have a small dog we walk around our neighborhood a couple of times every day. I think that helps. So, if you could bring yourself to just go for short walks around your neighborhood a few times a week, perhaps that might help. Maybe there would be a family member or a neighbor who would be willing to walk with you, if that would help. Just start out taking as short walks as you can tolerate & see if you can build up from there. No talking / socializing required. I wish you well...