Lack of close friends and little social contact

Argamemnon · Expert User Joined: Jan 15, 2008 Posts: 624

Sometimes I think that anxiety and/or depression is mainly caused by a lack of close friends and social contact. Does anyone agree?

miss_amy · Intermediate User Joined: Nov 21, 2007 Posts: 251

Its chicken and egg thng though, which comes first???

Argamemnon · Expert User Joined: Jan 15, 2008 Posts: 624

Even though we may feel anxious in social situations, I tend to believe that it becomes much worse when we isolate ourselves, which I have done for years..

BTW, I also think that social interaction in western societies is more superficial than in some other parts of the world. But that's another topic..

de · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:49 pm Post subject:

yeah when im in social situations thats when my S.A is at its worst so i dont enjoy it at all i want to but i cant,but when im sitting on my own on a friday night all i can think about is what im missing out on, how every other 22 year old is out enjoying themselves and how im such a waste of youth,how pathetic i am that my only company is 8 cans of heineken that my brother picked up for me before he went out with his mates.

dan_e · Newbie User Joined: Apr 14, 2008 Posts: 94

Yer_Blues · Newbie User Joined: Feb 17, 2008 Posts: 10

I similar thing happened to me. I started making new friends, getting out and doing stuff and I felt so much better for it. But they all moved away (to different cities) and I'm back where I started, feeling like shit.

recluse · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:33 pm Post subject:

I've got to the point where i feel that i am damaged for life, that i will never be capable of making or keeping friends. I can't really win becasue i am depressed when i am alone, yet if i'm in the company of others i feel depressed because i feel inferior to everyone.

de · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:42 pm Post subject:

[quote="recluse"]I've got to the point where i feel that i am damaged for life, that i will never be capable of making or keeping friends. mate i know exactly what you mean i dont see an end how am i meant to be normal after being like this for so long

Pinker · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:03 pm Post subject:

I used to have lots of friends and got on with most people, then after i left high school I went to a college (at 16) where I didn't know anyone, I think this and the combination of me not knowing where my life was going make me very depressed. It just came all of a sudden, even my new teacher talked to me about it. Maybe I was actually programmed for this to happen? My dad said he used to get depressed and anxious when he was young. From the age of 16 to now (ive just turned 20) I feel i've missed SO SO MUCH. I've missed a whole stage of development in the years 16 -19.. making new friends, getting part time jobs, girlfriends, doing stupid things, choosing a career, and my god am I paying for it inside and in my life. I guess my anxiety and shyness have taken a huge hold on my life. I get girls looking at me or I hear about people at university and it pains me so much inside.. I want to get out there and free myself but I feel so tied down by it. It's only been 3-4 years of this in real terms but it feels like a lifetime of suffering and lonelyness. It starts to shape you as a person and that is BAD, bad bad bad. I have to stop this soon somehow or my life is going to be decided for me. This goes for anyone.

CPA23 · Newbie User Joined: Apr 21, 2008 Posts: 38