How can I change my personality and the way I feel around people? I’ve realized that I’ve become very anti-social and withdrawn. I’m introverted to the point that being around people exhausts me, and I often don’t keep up with friends or connections. Most of the time I can’t even find anyone interesting enough to spark a real conversation or feel anything for them.
I grew up in a dysfunctional family with a lot of trauma, and because of that I always associated peace with silence. For years, I’ve just wanted to abandon everyone and retreat into my own shell. That mindset made me very quiet and distant, and even now in my workplace I feel out of place, disconnected, and struggle with socializing.
This has started to affect the way I feel about people I get easily triggered, overly sensitive, sometimes slip into a victim mindset, and I can see toxic traits in myself that I don’t want to carry anymore. I really want to be more socially adjusted, emotionally regulated, confident, and actually able to enjoy moments with people without constantly feeling drained or wanting to escape.
What should I do to start changing this? Should I read certain books, watch specific movies or documentaries, follow YouTube channels, or are there other resources that can actually teach me these skills in a practical way?