That picture has a lot of good questions for starting points for conversations that perhaps your friend would like to have with you. The more you practice having these kinds of conversations, even here on pc, the better you will become at them, and not feel like your brain is so broken.

I noticed that myself at the dentist this morning. I just talked when i felt like talking. It helps that my mother is finally dead and not telling me what a loser i am all the time. That will wear on you.