A very strange request.

[Episode42]

I think you'll find that a massive portion of the people on this website have a similar disposition. While I wouldn't say I have social anxiety or depression, I'm still not that outgoing, so I can relate.

I'm shooting you a friend request, PM me whenever you like.

Much appreciated. I shall gladly accept your request.
I will point out though, this has been pretty bad. It's gotten to the stage where outside of work, i speak to two people, i don't see either of them very often, despite living with one of them and i cannot speak on the phone any more (which makes ordering take-away VERY difficult)
Hence i need to change this behaviour and more importantly, this way of thinking.
But i have no doubt that simply by speaking to people more frequently and building up friendships (i'm honestly not just looking for a massive friends list) that my life might be a bit more enjoyable and i can start putting all the other pieces back where they belong.

 

[ultrachicken]

I think you'll find that a massive portion of the people on this website have a similar disposition. While I wouldn't say I have social anxiety or depression, I'm still not that outgoing, so I can relate.

I'm shooting you a friend request, PM me whenever you like.

Much appreciated. I shall gladly accept your request.
I will point out though, this has been pretty bad. It's gotten to the stage where outside of work, i speak to two people, i don't see either of them very often, despite living with one of them and i cannot speak on the phone any more (which makes ordering take-away VERY difficult)
Hence i need to change this behaviour and more importantly, this way of thinking.
But i have no doubt that simply by speaking to people more frequently and building up friendships (i'm honestly not just looking for a massive friends list) that my life might be a bit more enjoyable and i can start putting all the other pieces back where they belong.

Well, recognizing the problem is a good first step. I'd say this thread was a good second.

Also, if you do end up on meds, don't abandon hope if they don't work at first. Anti-depression meds often take around half a year or more to have dramatic effects, and even then a given brand may not work for you. I don't know if you knew that already or not, but that's just about the most important information you can have when dealing with depression.

 

[Episode42]

Well, recognizing the problem is a good first step. I'd say this thread was a good second.

Also, if you do end up on meds, don't abandon hope if they don't work at first. Anti-depression meds often take around half a year or more to have dramatic effects, and even then a given brand may not work for you. I don't know if you knew that already or not, but that's just about the most important information you can have when dealing with depression.

I was on meds very briefly about eight years ago, but for no-where near as long as i should have been. But i did know that they aren't an instant fix. I'm hoping to go back on Prozac as ones they gave me prior to that just made me sick all the time.

As far as this thread goes, it's been more help than i could have imagined. I'm just desperately trying not to use people as therapy (if that makes sense) rather just build up my social skills and eventually gain a few people around me that i know and trust.

Obviously none of this will happen over night or even by the end of this year. In fact i'll probably still be trying by this time next year, but small steps first.

 

[The Man With the Soap]

Ok, i'm not totally sure where to start with this, but i'll start randomly and hopefully end up with something coherent.

So i've never been the biggest social junkie, i can go for very long periods of time without speaking to anyone and for parts of my life i have done. While this is alright it does mean i get very lonely.

I have a certain amount of social-phobia, you could say, in that i have a lot of trouble communicating with people either in the real world or online and especially in groups.
However, it's not something i enjoy. I have the usual barriers of depression and generalised self-loathing but i've semi-learned to live with these problems.

I joined the Escapist as i saw a great community of intelligent, interesting people but i don't really feel like a part of aforementioned community. It's more like shouting in a crowded room of people all shouting. (No offence to anyone here, it's an opinion)

So over the past couple of days certain things have happened that have made me realise just how alone in this world i am. Obviously my first port of call will be the Drs to see if i can receive some anti-depressants and hopefully some sort of anti-anxiety medication which with any luck will bring me into a near state of a normal functional human being.

This wouldn't however solve my problem of not knowing anyone. I know i could rush out and talk to random people in the street, but small steps. So i figured i'd start here and hopefully people will be either so moved by my plight or overwhelmed with pity that they might want to have conversations with me that might lead to online friendships. I realise how pathetic this might all come across as, but i'm out of ideas.

I don't think i'm stupid and i can generally hold a conversation with people about things that i'm interested in (the usual movies, games, music etc etc) and i don't think i'm obnoxious to speak to. I just don't seem to be able to make friends and allow people into my life easily. So i have to start somewhere.

So i guess in the TLR version, i'm looking for friends.

Contact iformation is on my profile if you wanna drop me a line. I'm always up for making a new friend.