Advice yet again

[ZackT]

I know what you mean Redo. I followed a pattern pretty similarly to yours for several years, and I guess I still do. The difference is that, I managed to cultivate a couple friendships from work, which led to a few more friendships and lots of interesting things happening.

After I graduated High School, I was working at McDonalds 2 weeks later as I planned to take a break from school and pay off a 1700$ medical bill from back surgery I had in my senior year. That led me to meeting my best friend after he got hired there a couple months after me. He got hired, I worked morning shift and they asked me to train him and so I ended up talking to him a bit and we had some similar interests in video games to start off. He then said he was making his own table top RPG game (sorta like dungeons and dragons) and asked if I was interested in playing it with some other people he had found. I said sure, and it just snowballed from there.

But I still am a very antisocial person, even after that. I've never had a large group of friends. I'm lucky to say that I've got 3 bestest friends (1 of which is my girlfriend), and then a few more pretty close friends after that. I have more acquantances from work or video games that I get along with, but don't make any effort to hang out or talk to outside of wherever I know them. I too just go to work, come home and stay in my room on the computer. I've been doing that for years. But I like it, I enjoy what I do.

So maybe, you just need to find some hobbies you can enjoy doing on your own, but I think the friendship is what's going to make you feel better. You can still have friends, even if you work 3rd shift. You're not the only one out there on that shift

[jbrowder24]

I was 23 when I first really came out to any friends or started dating. You aren't alone in having waited, and certainly not the only one here who has ever felt alone. I must admit that for me, things got worse before they got better due to some poor choices with money and such, and I hope you can avoid those. But they did get better, even if it took a litle longer than I had desired. A huge part of it was slowly coming out to friends and beginning to feel more comfortable with being gay myself. Another huge part was learning to not be so self-critical of myself and what other guys might think of my body, etc. I still get self-conscious at times, but I am much better now. I wish I had some great advice of what makes this easier... there are certainly mood boosters like regular exercise, getting fresh air/sunshine, setting goals you can accomplish that give you a feeling of purpose, etc. Even if it's on the side, try tackling or learning something that is a bit of a dream or something you're really interested in. And other than that, do hang in there. The feelings you have will not last, and you seem like a great guy.

[red06sc]

thanks guys!! one day i really do hope that i can meet somebody off here for just a simple friend. Until then, i think once i just do more stuff it will be alot better, im the type that can get alone with anyone, so its just a matter of time i hope. mile:

[SleepTalker]

I know exactly what youre going through. I used to be in your position until i met my best friend. After that i met his friends and then his friends...friends lol. I became more sociable so i made more friends at work. Before i knew it i had plenty of friends and was hanging out all the time. You just have to put yourself out there and just show them who you truly are.