Uncomfortable Hanging Out with Friends in Person

Unsupportive parents causing you this trauma can definitely increase a lot of the depression and anxiety symptoms you’re having. A lot of mental illness issues stem from our childhoods and how we are treated by our families so it makes a lot of sense that they would cause you pain today. My parents have been dismissive at times about my mental illnesses as well. It’s incredibly difficult to deal with that alone. Try to remember in those moments it doesn’t matter what others opinions are, the feelings you’re experiencing are real and the support you crave is justified. Having a supportive therapist I found has been the best thing in that situation for me. For the friends situation, I would recommend staying with what you’re comfortable with but slowly exposing yourself to more in person interactions until you’re more comfortable in that space. Maybe once you’re ready you can ask a friend you’re the most comfortable around to go for a 20 min walk sometime or something like that. That way you can take comfort in it being a limited time and still get that practice in. Then maybe up the time and change locations as regularly as you can. I would also check in with your doctor about feeling more depressed on your medication since that tends to be a symptom that they ask you to look out for. I hope you feel better soon!

the pandemic has definitely made me dislike in-person interactions so i feel ya there