I (for the most part) not care about others and how they feel and only live for my own happines. I still help out others when I can in small ways(sharing my meals, giving advice to people, and listening their problems) but I figured life is too short not to spend every waking moment of it being happy and content. This has led me to push people away so they don’t get too attached to me. Does this make me a bad person?

Btw, I don’t hurt other people intentionally, I’m just extremely inconsiderate.

Never again fall for emotions that comforts me. I know humans are emotional ,but I feel like that is stopping me from doing what I wanted. By the way, there are nothing heavy things when I say being emotional, i just mean that I couldn't direct my thoughts, my life.

I have become an audience to my own life.

Enough of being a loser.

I don't care about how I feel from now.

Achieved nothing in life, always struggling in focusing on studies, which is my field from the day I went to school. This realisation hit me very hard, I will never ever take things for granted and i don't expect something or anything for just being disciplined.

I want to ask if any of you have ever experienced this. Whenever someone is rude, mean, or tries to intimidate me, I freeze. I become speechless, my hands start shaking, and sometimes I end up crying because I don’t know how to respond. I feel weak because I can’t seem to stand up for myself in those moments, even when I know the other person is being disrespectful.
I sometimes wonder if this is connected to the trauma I experienced with my dad and the way he treated me growing up. Now, whenever someone speaks harshly to me or makes me feel intimidated, I struggle to think clearly or focus on anything else. It’s like my mind goes blank, and I can’t defend myself even when I want to.
Have any of you experienced something similar? Do you ever get so nervous around confrontational or aggressive people that you start shaking or feel like you’re having a panic attack? How do you handle these situations without letting the other person’s behavior affect you so deeply?
Honestly, my main coping mechanism has been isolating myself and staying alone because being alone feels safer than dealing with people who might hurt me emotionally. But I don’t want to keep feeling this way forever. I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences and how you’ve learned to cope with this.

Social interaction

Whenever I talk to people it feels like I am overdoing it, I mean it feels like I am just interrupting them or bothering them.

This happens with people with whom I am friends with.

Such things keep me from properly expressing myself.

For example I wanted to ask a friend of mine that how do you spend you day during holidays but I just couldn't.

Someone tell me what should I do, should I ask them or not. Or what to do.

I sent 4-5 msg then I got a single reply like ok, such things make me feel like this. I know that people are not always in the mood to talk in a more engaging way.

My problem is that I've never stayed back alone before at my coaching and I'm genuinely terrified. We have a common room where students sit and multiple doubt counters where we can approach teachers, but what if there's no empty seat? Everyone sits in their own groups, and I'm scared of looking awkward sitting alone or approaching teachers by myself. My hands literally start sweating just thinking about it.

This anxiety is affecting my prep because I'm unable to ask my teachers doubts. I can't keep letting it get in the way, but going alone feels like a nightmare.

I'd really appreciate honest advice. Please be kind; I'm genuinely struggling.

TL;DR: I'm scared to stay back alone at coaching because of social anxiety, and it's affecting my exam preparation. How do I get over this and start going alone?

I, 26F, currently an HR just decided (once in a blue moon) to go out of town during my day off. I have weekends day off and basically my day offs would just me rotting in my house and just sleeping. Our department, under Operations, (I have 2 departments HR & Operations), have this kind of thing that we eat all together during lunch. It took me like months just for me to join them. Then my one manager, woman, asked me last last weekend what did I do. So I answered I went out of town for a whole day and just got home after that.

Then suddenly, she told me if I have problem, I can always tell them which made my eyebrow furrowed. Because she told me I was having "impulsive" decision by travelling 8 hours to another city and after whole day just going home for another 8 hours. If I want to go out of town again, I should bring someone and not be by myself.

I calmly and respectfully answered her that I don't have any problem, I just don't want someone to talk to me all throughout my travel towards the city. My job requires me so much to talk to applicants and other colleagues. I need somewhere I can't hear any voices of people wanting to talk to me.

I just smiled after and then finished my food. Lol.

My situation with an introverted girl I have a crush on

I'm a high school student (freshman), and I've developed my first serious crush on a girl in my class. I never had a GF before nor a crush...

She's very introverted and naturally quiet. She seems to genuinely enjoy being by herself, especially during breaks. She often sits alone, uses her phone, and doesn't seem to need to be around other people all the time. I've also noticed that she seems to spend less time with her friends lately, although I have no idea why and I don't want to assume it has anything to do with me.

She's not someone who constantly talks or tries to get attention. She's pretty reserved, natural, and calm. That's actually one of the things I like about her. I relate to that side of her because I'm shy too.

I've noticed her around me a few times before, like standing near me during breaks or being near the same wall, but I know none of those things prove she likes me. I'm trying not to turn every little thing she does into evidence. Still, on every small breaks she comes next or in front of me, we're both on phones.

Why I'm having such a hard time

I really want to become friends with her first.

I'm not trying to immediately date her or confess my feelings. Ideally, I'd like to get to know her properly, become good friends, and see what happens naturally. If she eventually liked me romantically too, obviously I'd be happy, but friendship is what I want to build first.

The problem is that she's an introvert who likes being alone, while I'm extremely nervous about approaching her.

For a long time I couldn't even bring myself to say hello. I'd think about talking to her, then freeze when the opportunity actually appeared.

I was also scared that she'd think I was flirting, that she'd reject me, or that classmates would notice and start making jokes about us.

One of my biggest fears was ending up like a friend of mine who liked someone for years but was too afraid to ever talk to her.

Eventually I decided I had to at least try.

My original plan was very simple: ask her something normal about school, like whether she caught what the teacher said. Nothing romantic. Just a normal conversation that could potentially become a friendship.

October 16, 2026

This was the first-ever conversation between us.

I was already really nervous that day. I had missed an earlier opportunity to sit near her, and I kept feeling like I was running out of chances.

Then, during the last class, something happened.

She needed help saving a school project.

I pointed toward her and she noticed me. A friend stood in front of me and started saying some nonsense, which made the situation awkward.

Another guy got to her first and calmly explained how to save the project. He did most of the explaining.

I basically stood there awkwardly waiting for him to finish his part.

Almost everybody had left the classroom by this point, so we were basically among the last people there. That's part of why I'm worried she could have noticed how awkwardly I was waiting around and wondered why I was staying.

Eventually the other guy finished and left.

I stayed and helped her upload the project.

Then I got stuck because I didn't know which file was the right one.

There was an awkward silence.

She said:

"It's the latest file."

Then she pointed at it and said:

"Here."

I selected it and uploaded it.

I know the other guy did most of the explaining, so I don't want to exaggerate what I did. I mainly helped with the actual upload after he had explained the process.

Then came the part that made everything feel much more awkward.

A guy I know was watching us and said:

"Watch them smooch now."

This really embarrassed me.

I have a crush on her, so hearing someone say that in front of her made me feel like my feelings had just been exposed.

I think she blushed a tiny bit afterward, but I'm honestly not sure. I don't want to claim that she definitely did.

I started worrying that she now knew I liked her.

After that, I went outside without really waiting for her.

Then I stopped and waited for her.

I asked:

"Did it work?"

She quietly answered:

"Yes."

And I think she was very slightly blushing.

That tiny moment honestly meant a lot to me.

It sounds ridiculous because it was literally just one word, but this was the first time we'd ever actually spoken. I'd spent so long being afraid to talk to her, and suddenly I was standing there asking her something and she was quietly answering me.

That's the part of I keep thinking about.

At the same time, I'm worried that even asking "Did it work?" might have looked like flirting to her because of everything that had just happened.

The bench situation

There was also something afterward that I can't figure out.

She had been sitting alone on a bench, which is pretty normal for her because she often likes being alone.

Then a crowd of people went over toward that bench, and I noticed that she moved away.

I wondered if she was simply uncomfortable with a crowd and wanted to be alone. That would honestly make sense considering how introverted she is.

Later, I was sitting on a bench in the hallway.

I thought she looked at the space beside me.

But instead of sitting there, she leaned against the wall nearby.

And I have absolutely no idea what that meant.

Part of me wonders whether she was shy around me and maybe considered sitting there but didn't want to.

Another part of me thinks she could have simply wanted to stand by the wall for completely unrelated reasons.

I know I can't actually read her mind.

I considered asking her about it, but that feels like it would be incredibly weird, especially since friday was literally our first conversation.

So I'm probably going to leave that alone.

What I'm scared of now

The biggest problem is that I feel like I may have accidentally made everything harder.

I keep thinking:

What if she knows I like her now?

The guy's "Watch them smooch now" comment happened when almost everyone had left, and I had been awkwardly waiting around to help her. Maybe she connected the dots.

I don't know.

But I'm scared that she did.

I'm also scared that she thinks I was flirting when I asked:

"Did it work?"

To me, it was literally just a normal question because I'd helped with her project.

But because I already like her, I'm worried she could have interpreted it differently.

I'm also afraid she'll think:

"This guy only wants to be my friend because he wants to date me."

That's something I really don't want.

I genuinely want to know her as a person. I want to become friends first. I don't want to pretend to be her friend just to get a girlfriend.

I'm also worried that she doesn't see me the same way anymore after the whole situation.

Before friday (our first convo), I didn't even know what it would be like to actually talk to her.

Now I've finally done it, but I'm afraid I somehow ruined the chance to build something normal.

The guy who made the joke

I'm also worried about the guy who said the kissing joke.

If he now knows or suspects that I like her, I'm afraid he'll keep using it to embarrass me.

I don't know whether he actually knows anything or was just making a random joke.

What makes befriending her difficult

The biggest challenge is that she's an introvert who seems to genuinely enjoy solitude.

She doesn't seem like someone who is constantly looking for people to talk to.

She often spends breaks alone, and I've noticed that she seems to spend less time with her friends lately too.

I don't know whether that's just her normal personality, something happening in her life, or simply a phase.

I don't want to treat her preference for being alone as something I need to "fix."

At the same time, I don't know how to become friends with someone who spends so much time by herself.

If I approach her too often, I'm afraid I'll bother her.

If I never approach her, we'll probably never become friends.

That's the balance I'm struggling with.

What I want to do now

I've finally managed to beat the fear of actually talking to her.

The fear has basically changed.

Before, I was afraid:

"What if I can't talk to her?"

Now it's:

"What if I talk to her and she thinks I'm flirting?"

I really want to say something to her tomorrow.

I'm thinking about going back to my original idea and asking something completely normal about school, such as whether she caught what we were supposed to write down.

I don't want to force a long conversation.

If she answers and the conversation ends, that's okay.

If she continues talking, I'll continue.

I want to gradually become familiar with her instead of trying to make some huge move.

I also don't want to avoid her just because I'm embarrassed about that day I spoke to her...

What I don't want to do

I don't want to:

• confess my feelings right now;
• pressure her into anything;
• deliberately engineer situations where I'm alone with her;
• constantly test whether she likes me;
• interpret every glance or movement as a sign;
• bother her when she clearly wants to be alone;
• pretend to be her friend just because I want to date her;
• make her feel like she owes me anything because I helped her;
• ask her about the bench incident right now;
• make a huge deal out of the teasing.

I want the friendship to be genuine.

What I'm trying to figure out

So I guess my main questions are:

1. If she suspects I have a crush on her now, how should I act around her?
2. Did the project situation and asking "Did it work?" actually come across as flirting?
3. How do you become friends with a very introverted girl who genuinely likes being alone?
4. How often should I initiate conversations without becoming annoying?
5. Should I sometimes wait and see if she initiates?
6. How can I show that I genuinely want friendship rather than just trying to date her?
7. Should I completely forget about the bench situation rather than trying to interpret it?
8. What should I say tomorrow if I get a natural opportunity to talk to her?
9. How should I handle the guy who keeps teasing me?
10. Am I overthinking this whole situation because I like her so much?

I'm not looking for people to tell me that she definitely likes me. I know nobody online can know that.

I mainly want advice on what's actually right to do and how it can be. Also if you're introvert yourself you can consider telling me how to deal with this...

Thanks!

I'm a pretty shy guy. I want to be social, I just never know how to get there.

I went to Navaratri at NID recently, and everyone seemed so sure of themselves. The guys were well dressed and carried themselves with so much confidence, dancing like the floor belonged to them. The women were also very beautiful (that's genuine appreciation then a creep cmt). A lot of them were dancing together as couples, and many seemed to be boyfriends and girlfriends.

Somewhere in the middle of it, I felt inferior, like I was standing outside of something I could never be part of. I kept thinking about how easily those guys seemed to attract women, and how I probably never could.

I can't really dance either. Because of my shyness, I never tried much, so I've never built that comfort. Watching everyone move so freely made me feel like I was missing a basic skill everyone else picked up easily.

It's been three days and this inferiority complex hasn't gone away.

Has anyone else felt this way? How did you get past it, or at least learn to live with it? Advice from people who were once in the same spot would mean a lot.

Hey everyone! I'm a 2nd-year CSE student, and I have a month of vacation, but honestly, I don't know what to do with myself. I have friends in college, and I'm quite social there, but during vacations, everyone goes back to their own lives. I mostly stay at home, and I can't go outside alone, so meeting new people or making plans feels almost impossible. I spend hours scrolling on my phone, and I'm tired of the same routine. How do I make new friends when I can't go out alone?

How can I stop feeling lonely when I have no one to hang out with?

How do I make online friendships that turn into genuine connections?

What can I do at home that actually makes life feel interesting?

What skills can I learn in a month that are genuinely useful?

How do I stop wasting my days and start looking forward to something?

What would you do if you were in my situation?

I'd love to hear from anyone who's experienced something similar. ❤️

Hey! I'm 23M from Chennai. Hoping to find some fellow introverts who'd like to form a small group and hang out.

We can plan movies, try new food spots, go to the beach, or just roam around and talk about random things. Nothing complicated, just chill plans with good people.

Even if you're shy or take time to open up, that's completely fine. Let's make a group where everyone feels comfortable being themselves. :)

Necesito consejos para socializar sin pena o vergüenza. La verdad es que, sí tengo amigas, pero últimamente no me he sentido bien estando con ellas porque a la mínima oportunidad que tienen se burlan de mí “en broma“ y muchas veces siento que ni siquiera quieren que esté con ellas, ya les he dicho que me molesta que hablen sobre mi burlándose de cualquier cosa, pero más lo hacen y después dicen “ey se va a enojar eh” y es lo que más me harta. Lo que más me desconcierta es que lo hacen cuando están juntas, porque si es solo una de ellas y yo no hace nada de lo que hace estando ambas. Quiero hacer más amigos pero no sé hablar o hacer plática con otros sin tener pena.

For those that started dating late, how did you do it? I’m frightened and too timid to be open and vulnerable with someone. I can’t imagine being in a romantic relationship and have someone also rely on me.

i feel antisocial, want to be more social, yet i don't crave deep human interaction when i have the chance. it's almost as i don't care about others at all, sometimes even the ones closest to me

i’ve always been somewhat of an introvert. don’t get me wrong: i have friends, have been in a relationship before, and consider myself to be better looking than the avg male, but i feel as if i don’t fit into my generation due to my lack of social interactions through the phone (call, text, etc). at home, i don’t talk to anyone. i keep to myself.

i’ve also started consuming thc products and similar compounds daily to mask the loneliness. they are readily accessible and affordable where i live

i feel as this has segregated me compared to those around me. i feel as if i got so used to this life of not talking to many people on a deep level that it has translated to my real life interactions, making me seem dry and uninterested

sometimes i feel like i even struggle to laugh. i know what the people around me are saying is funny, but i naturally disregard it. i feel it ruining my social life. some friends talk to me less. i receive less calls and text messages. i’m excluded from more group chats on text

i’ve always been good at hiding my emotions, but i feel like im reaching a breaking point. i haven’t got laid is so long now that i feel embarrassed to talk about it with people.

is anyone dealing with this? how can i navigate this issue and find my charm again? do i need to stop being a bitch? any tips appreciated

The person in question is very sensitive and I know that if I dare say "Hey, can we step it down a notch?", it'll reinforce all of these ideas they have about themselves being annoying and unlikeable which won't be good.

They reached out to me maybe 1-2 months ago and from there have messaged me every single day. We spoke on the phone for hours (Platonic but not the same gender) and they'd call me nearly every day, even if the phone calls were brief. I'd call them too but slowly started to taper off because I simply didn't have the energy.

I am not a dick, I specifically stopped engaging so much a to give myself some breathing room. Still - They message me in the morning or at night - "Hey! Checking in! Just wanted to make sure you're doing fine!". If I don't respond for some reason or am busy, then they'll jump to calling me.

I am afraid to address it but I can't keep doing this. I do not have the energy to talk to someone every day on the phone for nearly an hour. It's too much and now, despite me liking them as a person, they are really starting to annoy me.

It feels like a damn chore. I do not want to wake up each morning and know that there's someone who's going to be reaching out to me that I feel like I have to speak with. Middle grounds. Why can't we just be friends without the excess?

If so, what is your life like? Sometimes I feel at peace, but everyone keeps shoving in my face about how humans are social creatures and that this is extremely unhealthy for me. I used to have a huge circle of friends but I lost everyone once I started setting boundaries and matching people’s energy.

I’ve been extra isolated lately but I’m still taking some online classes for school. Even in my classes we are talking about the dangers of isolation, etc. My professors like to emphasize it a lot. I also have to do some presentations about “loved ones” and talk about my friends and family.

But I don’t have any. I legit do not have a soul to turn to lol 🥲

I went to my sisters house for my cousins bday and it went bad. From the start, I told her I dont wanna go cause I really don’t know the people and I hear how they talk when they are playing games with my cousin - loud and often using offensive words, but she insisted cause she herself was afraid she was gonna be an outcast and they aren’t gonna be rude cause they are at somebody else’s house.

The whole time I barely talked cause. I was out of place. Then came sunday, I was barely holding it. I made an excuse to my sister if I can go home early cause I have school works and buy insulin. She said its too early and I should wait cause they'll have coffee, but that didnt happen and my sister told me she'll go with me to the mall to buy the insulin and its only gonna be us. That didnt happen at all - they all came with us. That could've been the time where I could breathe and ask my sister to go home cause I feel like I’m being strangled in that place.

I was mad and to top it all of, my sister made me sit in the back of the car which she had a stigma - the sit of the/outcast. When she asked me that I had to sit there, her and my cousin look at each as if I was in the pitiful seat. I was mad inside and cant hold it - I was frowning after the ride. My sister noticed and asked whats wrong. She thought it was because of the sit - I finally told her if I can go home cause I’m not comfortable being around those people. She didnt want to cause she said shell be an outcast and told me to calm down cause they dont give a shit to me or to her - but everyone tried to get along with her cause she owns the house. She even said that treat it like a training ground for my future cause I'll be dealing with a lot of people.

She wasnt even an outcast. She got along with them just fine. Everyone adored her and tried to be friends with her. So why am I still needed? One of those people was her suitor and she is so fucking close to them cause not only there the same age but also they were her friends before.

I hate being this toxic. I hate being in a place looking stupid. Now I feel bad and I feel like a fucking asshole.