I'm An Introvert And I'm Having A Hard Time Convincing I Need Other People In My Life.

[Tei-Saji]

I have a therapist I can talk to every other week, but when I get into an episode on other days, I usually try to handle it by myself without other people's help. I keep trying to convince myself I don't need other people in my life to talk to, so I can prove I'm stronger than the illness I'm trying to fight. But I already know that my mom is able to help me with my episodes, yet I keep denying it. In times like these, I feel like I have to handle my memories all by myself, like I said, to prove myself stronger than them. Do I have too much pride?

 

[survivornotavictim91]

People are naturally social. It's in our nature to seek comfort in others. Some are more than others, and others are naturally withdrawn. But unfortunately part of having an illness, whether it be physical or mental (depression for example) causes people to become withdrawn and isolated. Remind yourself that you have people in your life who love you and want to help you. They may not understand and can't always relate but it doesn't mean they don't care. Even through our strengths, going it alone makes a struggle feel 10 times heavier than it really is. And isolating yourself will bring on feelings of depression and loneliness. Support groups can be helpful as meeting people who've gone through similar situations helps us relate and feel less alone in our own struggles. Remind yourself that a bridge cannot stand with only one pillar, and there's nothing weak in admitting you need someone from time to time. It's an important step in self-care.

 

[arfie]

I don't want the job of judging your pride levels, but I am 100% sure that my own recovery never progressed on a sustainable level until I was able to admit I can't do it alone and was willing to share the load. I need more than one or two people in my own support network. It takes a village. I am not an introvert, but I isolate like a grizzly bear and allowing for that was/is no small task for me. I am glad I did, though. The payoff was worth the price.

Gentle support while you judge your own pride levels, Tei-Saji. There is more than one way to prove personal strength and more than one kind of strength to prove.

 

[desiderata310]

I am also an introvert. Being an introvert doesn't mean being an island unto yourself all the time. It DOES mean that you are ok being alone. It also means that you find being with groups of people to be exhausting instead of energizing.

Having PTSD is a very isolating thing. As a result it is very easy to let the two things feed in a negative way. I hate to say it but mom is right.