Given how common isolation is with CPTSD, what have been your experiences with socialization?
Do you find it difficult? Do you even try? Did you have to work out of isolation? Were you never isolated?
I personally have isolated myself over the past decade, but am slowly building relationships on and offline that have forced me to change. I’m not sure I want to stop, but that would require me to hurt the people who care about me, which I refuse to do.
Also since this is the first post, welcome to the fediverse.
Well, I’ve had CPTSD since early childhood. Never liked crowds much. Became homeless for 20+ years and I decided to do street ministry to force myself to interact with people no matter how tough it was for me mentally. This was something I did constantly for years and while it’s helped me in many ways I still have little desire to be around people and I still kinda find life to be pointless.
But a benefit from all this. I found my true identity and today, I’m at peace with myself even though this strange movie keeps replaying over and over again. It’s still uncomfortable for me but I have a much better grip on it than I used to. So I don’t have episodes that last too long even though they’re quite intense still.
I isolate myself to keep safe. I have few friends and no family.
My experience has been that people—even those I like—make me tired. They want too much from me. All I want to do is be left alone.
I wish I could be alone myself. I’m not enjoying having to put myself out there it I’m being honest.
I feel like I know exactly what you mean by your second paragraph. Like any amount of interaction, even responding to texts, is a gargantuan effort and almost an unwanted chore.
When I am not in touch with people on a regular basis, I sometimes forget that I even exist. It’s so hard!!
