Hi SJ --

When I first started going to chat, I also felt that I didn't know the groups, that there were clusters, out of place.

I guess it's like entering any other public environment where I don't know anyone -- people will be talking to each other, have already known each other. Some people here have quite long histories.

If you are in crisis, there may be someone, or more than one person, who will go into another room with you.

At first, I would go into chat for fairly short periods of time, mostly listen. Now I chime in more, but sometimes there are lots of new people, and I don't know them. Many times, they are very much younger than I am, so I feel uncomfortable.

Also, try to bear in mind that everyone who comes here comes with issues of their own. Some of us do not have a lot of great social skills to make a new-comer feel welcome. We are learning social skills here!

I hope you will feel more at home in chat as you stop by more often. I know you will find people who want to talk with you.