Hello,

I chose to read your post because it has some of the same flavour of my own story (I find it easier to be a friend when I like myself, but it’s a lot easier to like myself if I have friends).

You’ve been trying activities in order to meet people, which sounds like a good approach. I have an idea, based on what a friend of mine does: she has GAD and volunteers at the local mental health hospital. I’m not sure exactly what she does but it’s office work (something to do with donations or fundraising events?) I wonder if this is an option for you, meaningful work with other like-minded people of all ages to help people whose struggles have been similar to yours. I imagine that anyone who volunteers there has some experience with mental illness (themselves, family member, friend) and won’t judge you for having a mental illness or expect you to pretend not to (Not what I can say about SOME people I knew).