I'm thankful for you Azul, and your perspectives, and those of the others here. Family can be absolutely brutal, mine is I think others who have replied have expressed things very well. Social anxiety does not make anyone a ''lesser'' person. Everyone is unique. If relatives are ''disappointed'' in us, that reflects on them. I wonder if your family might be Narcissists, mine are. It's impossible to please them, impossible to feel loved, impossible to be ''deserving'' of any of their time or interest (particularly the Father..)(and of course the step maternal unit )

I think you mentioned the world and its indifference, its lack of empathy.... I feel the same. That began for both of us I think, very early on.

I don't want to be ''normal'' any more. They always wanted me to be ''normal''.... Like them (yeah right, they are NOT ''normal'') but I was/am the ''different'' one in the family....(in papa bear's family also)