Don't want to socialize, but solitude depresses you?

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I've often known I'd get really depressed (black-holes-and-thinking-I'm-going-to-literally-die depression) if I don't go out or socialize on WP, but I jsut don't feel like it, and can't bring myself to do it! But I know that if I don't I'll be paying for it later!

I know how you feel! Much of the time I don't WANT to socialize, but I think I NEED to socialize to keep a healthy balance in my life, and to avoid depression... It's tough.

I understand what you're saying. When I'm home alone, I feel some kind of pull like I should be out with other people being social and that there's something terribly wrong if I'm not. However, if I decide to get out, that energy seems to fade in practice and I just don't have anything I feel like saying to anyone. Not that I'm afraid of people or anything, but it's like the conversation ends before it begins so there's no point in starting one.

It seems when you're in, u imagine all kinds of things you're missing by not being out, but when you're out, u see it nothing u really wanna be a part of anyway.

When I spend too much time alone I get way more anxious the next time I'm in a social situation. When I'm alone I begin to build myself up. I rehearse conversations, and situations in my head. I get to feeling like I have something valuable to add to society. My self-esteem goes up. But, as soon as I get out of my house, and try to socialize I find that it was all an illusion. Nothing goes the way I thought it would, and my self-esteem plummets. I get really anxious, and I just want to go back home where it's safe. It's a viscous cycle. I have to make myself go out to do things everyday, or I would just sit in my house, and let the depression, and anxiety take over.

My adult aspy son would never see his friends if I and his friend's mothers didn't drive the process. We don't force them to get together. We just let them know that we're arranging for a visit. They're glad that we drive the process. I don't want to pressure my son to figure out his own social life. He has enough on his plate to figure out. He's doing more and more with his life. He's not stagnating so I know he'll become more outgoing eventually.

I have this problem where I want to make friends so badly, and once I finally do, I don't know what to do from there and end up screwing up the friendship because I can't maintain it well.

The only friends I have left are the ones I have had since childhood. I find it impossible to socialize and make friends.

Sometimes I don't want to socialize, even when I'm feeling lonely (e.g. during meltdowns). Other times when I feel lonely, I want contact with other people very much.

I'm getting so depressed lately that I can't really function and it's f*****g up my schoolwork and everything I do. I don't care anymore how hard it seems, I've got to learn to socialize. I'm not a loner, but I still really need to learn to socialize.
I'd say it's like my next step in personal evolution. And, the fortune cookie said that I'd be successful in life if I made a lot of friends...so I guess I need it for my future career too...

oh, absolutly to everything above...
have now lost al the friends ive ever had, and though i dont get 'lonely' i know its bad not to socialize, as it makes me weird and mad.

but seeing people is demanding, and exhausts me...
its an impossible balancing act!

I used to go out to bars with no intent of talking to much of anyone...just so that i could be around other people while I read or draw and keep to myself.

i help run a venue, so a lot of people come around (even though we are still shut down)

It is kinda nice having people around. There are even a bunch of WP members who show up.

I only socialize as much as I feel like.

Sometimes I can tend to feel like an outsider in my own home, but it's nothing new.

Yep, like a feeling you are in limbo! No fun.. you get yourself into a situation where you want to socialize but at the same time you desperately want to retreat by yourself. I was like that a lot at parties. I would get excited at first to go to the party but once I was there, I seriously wanted out.