I mean, not in a group therapy, or other niched setting. Just normal everyday meeting people. I am, an extreme self isolationist, a life time of isolation. Let me clarify. I have never had friends. I do not have social outlets with peers. I do not interact with anyone in personal, emotional level. My only real human interaction are with my sister and mother. So this is NOT a learn to ride a bike again thing. I am genuinely trying and failing (the few ventures I tried were dead ends lol) to learn how to open my life to social peers In a healthy non trauma dumping way. Unfortunately im at a dead end cuz i dont know where ppl meet other people.
As life long isolationist. I lack certain people skills. My extreme history of trauma. Badly under treated bipolar disorder. And a highly likely neurodivergent disorder like autism (masked by everything else/ undiagnosed) I am highly asocial. I become anxious when attempting to connect emotionally with peers actually just general. And i have anxiety overall.
I learned to accept my isolation. I realized being lonely didn't mean I had to be unhappy. And that having no friends ever made their absence a null emotion i didn't knew what It meant to have friends therefore their absence in my life was immaterial not an actual for reason for pain. (I.e. if a person is social and suddenly find itself without for a lengthy amount they would miss the social interaction and be grieved by it. I had nothing to compare against the absence so i should not be as affected)
Crap I promised to not make this a trauma dump
I will end this with a brief simple question
Where do people, meet, people??
2 comments
Do you have a job? The best way to meet people if you’re bad with people is at work. You’re put into contact and have to work together 8 hrs a day.
Otherwise, try new hobbies? And don’t expect too much. Make the goal be having fun not making friends
I am also trying to get out of the house a bit. I personally am going to visit a martial arts center or school near where I live. And I love writing so I am going to my public library to scout out a writing group there. Maybe even a book club.
Otherwise I have been to cafes and have just been around people but didnt force myself to interact. Its nice to just be among others at times.
I would say another place might be an arts center like an open studio (you might have to pay to be a monthly participant though) or perhaps a board game shop or Lego store. They might have events happening to meet people.
Hope this helps!