Does anyone else feel lonely?

[JamesSmith]

I've been hiding for 5 years now. I stopped hanging out with friends so I don't hang out with any1 anymore. It hasn't been great, but now I'm slowly starting to feel lonelier and lonelier. I'm really starting to get bad depression that pops up. I'm concerned about my mental health. I'm so afraid to go back and try to hang out with my friends, I didn't even like hanging out with them that much and had many bad experiences with them. But now when I'm alone it's just one long bad experience. It looks like I have to go back and hang out with them just because I need to be around people because I've tested the human body w/out human contact long enough and my body and mind can't take this kind of loneliness and I think this is dangerous. I wish I could just hang out with my friends for 5 minutes and then just leave but that would be so rude. I wish I could ease into it, but there is no way to do that cuz my friends are always in a darn group. Me jumping into a group conversation after 5 years would be really hard for me. What do you all do with this stuff and do u have any ideas?

 

[EscapeArtist]

I'm sorry, I relate so well. The degree of loneliness is seeming more and more dangerous. I'm also sinking quickly into a deep depression. But I don't know what to do about it other than use it as motivation to learn social skills and challenge your SA.

 

[deleted user 1]

I personally find a group much easier to deal with, as you only have to make the odd contribution, far less pressure on the individuals. Imagine your only choice was a one-on-one conversation after five years? Scary! But I do understand. Since the latter part of 2004 I had broken contact with all my friends, but with one exception, my best friend. But in mid-2006, I stop seeing him too. So I can understand this. It's actually only since I stopped seeing my friends that I plummetted this low. It's very unhealthy. Right now, I have nobody to get back into contact with, the cord has been cut and there's no going back for me. I wish I could have that opportunity. Please don't miss it!

 

[just wanna b normal]

see i would strongly suggest you go hang out with your friends cuzz you will learn how to socialize from socializing & it woulnt hurt to do some research on SA to help you better to understand it & overcome it. staying at home isnt gonna help iv tried that & i didnt get anywhere you need to face your fears to overcome it its not gonna go anywhere...

 

[CosmicNeurotica]

I like being by myself. Always have apparently. I just need someone to share my alone time with me.
I could probably make friends somewhere, but it's just so hard to find anyone. Everyone has jobs. Everyone "does" stuff. They're busy. All I have is my alone time, the internet, and video games.
My mental health is pretty far down there.
It's been about 5 years for me also. Before that, I at least got out of the house and had a girlfriend. I even held on to her for as long as I could because I was afraid to be alone.
I don't know what to tell you. If you can make some good friends, hold on to them. There's nothing else better in the world than the feeling of being loved.