Published on 12, July, 2020
I have recently been thinking about my social interaction with people and other than the people I work with, I only have my partner for social interaction.
Up to a point I am fine with this and still seek being on my own away from my partner, which he understands and is happy to accommodate. However, I have been wondering if this is a completely healthy way of going about life. I'm not lonely and if anything find I will do anything to find isolation following work, as I am normally feel overwhelmed at the end of a shift.
What I am debating in my head is whether I am in a bit of a rut and have accepted this isolation and therefore it doesn't affect me? At the moment, I am happy being with just my partner and looking after my animals. My partner has been a little concerned in the past, but I think like me has accepted that this is the way I am and shouldn't force social interactions on me. I hear from others though that social interaction makes us happy and stops us feeling isolated and depressed. If I didn't have my partner and animals, then I may be able to relate to this better.
I find friendships hard work and difficult to keep. One side of me said I will be putting unnecessary stress on myself by trying to find new friends (especially with similar interests to me!), the other side of me is thinking about the fact that I have become to reliant on my partner and animals for social stimulus and should instead step outside of my comfort zone.
Has anyone else had this debate and come to some sort of logical conclusion of what is best or has experienced the outcome for themselves? Fr
Hi, I sometimes think about this too. One of the things that made me wonder if I am aspie is that I am so much more relaxed when I'm on my own or just with my husband (although I love being around the children in the extended family, I don't have the same peace!). We are bombarded with stuff in the media about girly girls having fun with friends and it's annoying and a bit worrying, if you can't do 'girls night out' or, horrors! a girls weekend away. I can identify with everything you've written. I used to be far more outgoing and tried countless times to fit in but since having a bad menopause I've come to feel very strongly that I just need to build up my mental strength after decades of working, trying to make friends and pretending I'm alright really. So I'm just in retreat, as it were, at the moment and enjoying it. I think there will come a point when I have to think about the future, but not just yet. I can't really add to the good advice you've been given here, but I do hope you will come to a comfortable resolution with it - and you're certainly not alone.