Social isolation

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You are worth the time. You matter, despite how bad you feel. There are many people here who understand the kind of things you're going through because we've there too.

((((hugs))))

(((((hugs)))))

Building a social network takes years. When I first moved to San Diego, I knew two people in the whole city--an old friend from college and his wife. It has taken 6 years to meet a dozen more people, and now I have friends, through PsychCentral, Facebook, and a network of writers I hooked up with, from all over the city and the country. I don't make friends easily, and I'm guessing you might have the same problem. Just look on social media for people saying things you agree with, and then take the step of reaching out. You can do private messages on PsychCentral, which is how I made a new friend just a month ago. Join groups who have shared interests: I like to write stories, and I joined a group of writers who get together once a month to critique works in progress. I have convinced several friends to go hiking, and they liked it, and now we go hiking every month. All this has formed a very satisfying network of friends, who share interests and insights into their lives.

You CAN do this. I'm an introvert, and making friends didn't come naturally for me. It might be hard for you, too, but just do it one baby step at a time. You meet some people who don't work out, but that's life. In the long run you'll be better off for making the effort. You're worth it!

(((HUGS)))