I get depressed when I'm not around others. Today was a day like that. And, I also have social anxiety, lol, go figure. I'll be Ok. The social anxiety is not too bad....but sometimes I think that it holds me back from doing what I truly want. Like going to real school. In real life. I have been out of a job for about a year. I think that probably made me crazy a little. Stir crazy. And I was hanging out with guys I met on dating sites who weren't good for me, out of loneliness. I have since stopped doing that. I started school. It's cool. But it's all online. It's an online school. I just feel so stir crazy right now. errrr!

Probably the best thing to do, is plan some social things into my week. I did that last week, and it went well. I am also going to be volunteering at a library. So yay for that.

Your making the right step in the right direction by going out to volunteer and helping people in the library your confidents will grow and the more you do this the more you will want to social . And who know you might find a nice guy .

[hamster-bamster]

all great ideas, but also add being outdoors. That would help you not be stir crazy. In summer you can even study in a park - some have wi-fi these days. In winter it would be just being outdoors and enjoying it. I have seen a study some place about an experiment in which depressed people who walked in a park, in nature, fared better at the end of the experiment than depressed people walking on a treadmill.

[hamster-bamster]

PS if you take the laptop to a coffee shop, most of which do have wi-fi and are warm inside, you will kill two birds at once - won't feel stir crazy and accomplish something academically

[strawberry.fields]

three words: social anxiety support group. you get support and you meet other people who sympathize (and maybe become friends!); you also practice socializing so it's not so hard in the future.

you should also start trying to go to in-person school. it was terrifying for me at first too but it's not going to get better if you don't try it.

volunteering at the library is an excellent idea. volunteer work is rewarding and puts you in contact with like-minded people!

[ptangptang]

Yep gotta get out there into the real world. Have a look on meetup.com and join a few groups and you're already volunteering, which is good. If you have time on your hands at Christmas maybe make time for others. Sitting on your own feeling lonely isn't an option. I try and take my own advice. It doesn't always work. but i'm trying. Or as others say VERY TRYING. Peter you try my patience. Oh thanks i don't mind if i do. haha.

[Neurotic 2 the bone]

I also get depressed when I'm not around others yet also struggled with social anxiety. Call it a catch 22 or a vicious cycle, whatever one calls it I just call it frustrating. Being nervous of people, yet hating loneliness. Wanting to be around others, yet wanting to be alone. Very difficult. Hard for a lot of people to understand I think. That's why, for me, finding just one person I really connect with feels so good.

One is lonely. Three's a crowd. But two is just right.

[Fuzzybear]