Its difficult for me to trust people after so many people that I trusted treated me bad only because I revealed my condition to them. Even those of which I thought were my best friends turned their back on me. I rarely socialise.

Socialising has never been my strong suit, even as a child. However, I had a very active social life during my teen years and early adulthood but after losing so many friends and realising that people are idiots, I became a hermit. Now as an adult entering the most important stage of adulthood, the middle adulthood years, I find myself wanting to connect with people but not knowing how to be vulnerable enough to let them in. And of course, my low self-esteem and distrust of people does not help either.

That said, therapy is the best possible solution to this problem. I know that it seems silly sitting in front of some stranger, pouring your heart out, but I believe that CBT can help you overcome this. If I understand it correctly, CBT helps you overcome the cognitive restraints that drive a particular behaviour and help you find alternative behaviours that help you function better.

It almost sounds to me like you may have an extremely low self-esteem, you could be highly sensitive (like me) or it's a mild case of agoraphobia but I'm not a doctor so please don't read too much into what I have said. Go see a therapist and ask them what the best course of action will be for you to overcome this. You deserve all the happiness in the world, Sarah. Don't be afraid to ask for help from a mental health professional 😊😊

Sending positive vibes your way x

I probably bang on a bit about this in my posts, but volunteering is a great way to socialise, there are lots of different avenues to explore and it lifts the mood when you're helping people (or animals)... I volunteer in the mental health sector as well as occasionally work in it. It has given me a lot of tools, contacts and friends. I used to be and still do get anxious meeting new people, scared I will look silly or say something dumb, but then I realise... hey, it's just people. They either like me or they don't. Those that do are great, those that don't... meh. I love to give some time, even if it's just an hour here and there, it makes a difference and can be one of the best feel good things you can do ...

Hi , I suggest interacting in small groups, get one friend that you can do things with , hang out and just be. Distract yourself with positive things that add meaning in your day and life. Change your routine and dont make plans more than a day in advance , so that you can be more flexible and if you dont feel like doing something you shouldnt have to commit doing it, be more impulsive in your plans and do what makes you feel good and happy

Hi, I've been off work for nearly a year and a half because of anxiety and depression I have isolated myself from the world just recently I have been volunteering at our local animal shelter and I get to meet some people and some animals. It's not an overwhelming environment so my anxiety is under control. Hugs xx