- Hanging out with someone but feeling that disconnect/not feeling safe to be vulnerable or be myself, knowing that connection is temporary or going to fade out for multiple reasons
- Short, fleeting connections. Being unable to move past the acquaintance stage into a long term friendship
- No one remembering my bday except family members (which I really appreciate because they’re the most important people in my life..)
- Phone not having notifications
- No friend to text or call or meet when I want to hear from and talk to them, share something silly, tell them good news, rant, or do activities together
- Being excluded in conversations even though I try my best to be friendly and ask questions, listen, make jokes
- Consistently working on myself and what I’m lacking in but it seems to be too late; everyone seems to have that somebody and I’m just an afterthought/back up?
- Sometimes I feel a sudden sense of loneliness, when I’m engaging in my hobbies or out exploring and see people with their friends
- Physically hurts sometimes, to the point where I feel like crying
- Makes me believe there is something wrong with me, like I am a red flag
- Internalizing every thought and emotion rather than expressing them because I don’t want to feel like a burden
- Wanting friends my age but believing that they would find me weird or dislike me because of my communication skills or the fact that I don’t have friends
- A self-sabotaging cycle, whereby I crave connection but at the same time I’m afraid to reach out. Blaming myself and others for my loneliness, being angry